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Change Your Refrigerator Water
by Ray Scardigno
The life of refrigerator water filters is dependent upon the
volume of contaminants in the water as well as the amount of
use of the filter. Well water is more likely to contain
contaminants not found in publicly treated water and may need
more frequent filter changes. As a rule of thumb, the filter
should be changed as specified by the manufacturer or at least
every six months.
Carbon is the primary substance used in water filtration
methods because carbon has the potential to absorb many of the
chemicals found in water. Most refrigerator water filters,
which meet NSF/ANSI 42 certification standards, use granular
activated carbon (GAC) to attract chemicals and impurities
responsible for bad taste and odor, such as those that are a
by-product of chlorine. These filters are not capable, however,
to rid water of more dangerous, health-threatening contaminants.
The method by which water is channeled through GAC filters does
not allow sufficient time to complete the absorption of such
substances. Various bacteria are formed, trapped and allowed to
multiply, which further contaminates water processed by the
filters. Carbon is not capable to absorb heavy metals, such as
lead. GAC filters may trap some heavy metals and sediments, but
allow others to filter through to the output water. Failure to
change the water filter, every six months, allows unabsorbed
water contaminants and newly formed bacteria to saturate the
filter, forcing the filter to leak contaminants back into
processed water. The water output may contain more contaminants
than the filter was intended to remove in the first place.
Technology has lead to the development of more absorbent
carbon-based filters, solid carbon block filters. These filters
include solid blocks of carbon to absorb contaminants from
water. Water takes longer to strain through carbon blocks than
it does carbon granules, so that carbon blocks provide
sufficient time for the absorption of more health-threatening
containments. While carbon block filters are capable to absorb
toxics, pesticides, TTHM's and other contaminants, they cannot
absorb heavy metals or contaminants that are by-products of
agricultural fertilization, such as nitrates or sulfides. The
composition of carbon blocks allows them to restrain heavy
metals and bacteria away from output water, however, nitrates
and sulfides are not filtered. Even so, carbon block filters
are sufficient to meet NSF/ANSI 53 certification standards.
Failure to change carbon block filters, every six months,
allows contaminants to saturate the filter, forcing the filter
to leak contaminants into the processed water. When sediments
are not removed from water, those sediments buildup and corrode
filter fittings and water fixtures, causing them to leak. This
type of damage to filters and fixtures may cause the output
water to contain more contaminants than the water input to the
filter. Failure to change the filters might also reduce the
water pressure, within the filtering system, forcing it to be
ineffective.
Some refrigerator water filters may include fiber water
filters. These filters are made of tightly wrapped fibers of
rayon or spun cellulose, which trap rust, lead and other
sediments found in water. When used alone, these filters are
ineffective in reducing any chemical or health-threatening
contaminants. Fiber filters are best suited for use with other
types of filters to reduce the concentration of sediments. They
should be replaced, every six months, to avoid a build-up of
sediments that would force the filter to leak the contaminants
back into the processed water.
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