Longlife Water Filters & Their Many Advantages
One of the commonest questions we are asked by someone considering a water filter is “How often do the filters need changing?”
Timely filter changes are important in keeping your unit working effectively and recommended change periods are given for all water filters supplied. Such recommendations however are to some extent a ‘rule of thumb’ as the filters actual working life will be determined by variables such as the quality of the incoming supply including such considerations as hardness and the amount of water passed through them during the recommended period. Ideally the installation of a simple water metering device at the time of filter installation will allow a more accurate determination of filter change timing than the length of time that they have been in use would do alone.
The filters cartridges on most undercounter water filter systems would normally require changing between 6 – 12 months and whilst filter change is not at all the onerous task it is sometimes thought to be there are circumstances where the use of a long life water filter may be beneficial for the owner; perhaps they may be unable to change the filter themselves or have a very busy lifestyle for example.
Longlife Water Filters – The Benefits
Fortunately there exist some water filters which only require changing once every two or even three years and are ‘set & forget’ for their lifespan after which they may either be discarded and replaced in their entirety or have a replacement cartridge fitted, depending on the model.
This type of long-life filter includes bacteriostatic media to ensure no bacteria build up during the long-life of the purifier and most types will contain a combination of filtration media types the commonest being granular activated carbon (GAC) sometimes silverised to prevent bacteria, and KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion).
KDF is able to significantly extend the life of granular activated carbon component of a filter having a unique combination of copper and zinc creates an electro-chemical reaction. During this reaction, electrons are transferred between molecules, and new elements are created. Some ingredients are changed into harmless components. Free chlorine, for instance, is changed into benign, water-soluble chloride, which is then carried harmlessly through the water supply.
Similarly, some heavy metals such as copper, lead, mercury and others, react to plate out onto the medium’s surface, thus being effectively removed from the water supply.
These filters will give some small reduction in limescale but are not designed for this purpose and if you are experiencing limescale problems we would recommend other units which are more effective Please see our Blog article ‘Limescale Treatment – What are the Options?
This type of filter will not remove fluoride and again, more suitable filtration options are available for this purpose in our ‘Fluoride Removal’ category.
Whole House Water Filters
So far we have just discussed undercounter kitchen water filters suitable for drinking water however there are also a number of whole house water filters which have extended filter lifetimes as single housing installations or some dual or triple housing systems may include a long-life cartridge as a component with other cartridge types.
The principal media type employed in the long-life whole house systems is known as ‘active ceramics’ which consist of four types of ceramic beads which each do a slightly different job resulting in a very wide range of contaminant removal and which also have the advantage of adding beneficial minerals into the water supply.
Very few filters are so effective in reduction of Hormones and Fluoride.
Active ceramics are one of the most effective filtration systems at killing bacteria, and ensuring a bacteriostatic environment within the filter (NO bacteria, algae or fungi can grow within the filter).
Long -Life Filter Products
Undercounter – Drinking Water
The Pure Life 6 Stage Undercounter Water Filter System-
Osmio Long Life Filter Kit-
Paragon Long Life Water Purifier Water Purifier-
Whole House Water Filters
Osmio Active Ceramics Small Whole House Filter System-
Osmio Active Ceramics Large Whole House Water Filter System
