How your water filter works

Your refrigerator water filter can be a fiber water filter, or a carbon water filter. Fiber water filters are made of tightly wrapped fibers of rayon or spun cellulose which trap rust, lead and other sediments found in water. Replace your filter every six months to avoid a build-up of sediments that slow the filter and stop it from filtering effectively. Carbon water filters consist of granular activated carbon or solid carbon block filters. Carbon filtering is the primary substance used in water filtration methods because carbon has the potential to absorb many chemicals found in water. Charcoal is a form of carbon and it absorbs many compounds, including some that are toxic. When water is passed through activated charcoal it removes these particles. Granular activated carbon (GAC) is used to attract chemicals and impurities responsible for the bad taste and odor in your water. Many types of bacteria are trapped and can multiply. Solid carbon block filters are the most recent development of more absorbent carbon-based 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, which provides enough time for the absorption of more health-threatening containments. Carbon block filters are sufficient to meet NSF/ANSI 53 certification standards. Failure to change carbon block filters, or granular activated carbon filters at least every six months, allows contaminants to saturate the filter, forcing it to leak contaminants back into the processed water. The water output may contain more contaminants than the filler was intended to remove in the first place. Along with contaminating your water from infrequent filter replacements, failure to change the filters might also reduce the water pressure in your filtering system. Your water filter will not work properly Find your water filter More information on water and water filters.