A refrigerator water filter helps keep your drinking water clean and fresh and should be replaced on a regular schedule to ensure optimal performance. Depending on the type of filter you have and how much you use it, it may need to be replaced more or less often. In this guide, we will provide tips on how often to change a refrigerator water filter and how to determine when it’s time to replace it.
How Often to Change a Refrigerator Water Filter
Water tasting weird and you’re not sure how often to change a refrigerator water filter? It might be time! Let’s find out below.
Why Do You Need to Change Your Refrigerator Water Filter?
Wondering “do I really need to change my water filter”? The answer is yes! Your refrigerator water filter keeps contaminants out of your drinking water and ice. Over time, the filter will become less effective at removing impurities and will need to be replaced.
Even worse a very dirty water filter can actually add more bacteria into the water and result in contamination. Which is likely not what you’re looking for in a water filter. Old filters can also make it harder for water to go through, resulting in noise, and slow water. If you’re dealing with noise take a look at our noisy refrigerator troubleshooting guide!
How Often Should You Change Your Refrigerator Water Filter
Should you change your filter regularly? Yes! But the consistency really depends on the quality of your water, how much you use the dispenser, and the type of filter you have. For example, if you live in an area with hard water (lots of minerals) then you’ll want to change it more often than someone who lives in an area with soft water.
As a general rule of thumb, you should replace your refrigerator water filter every six months to ensure the best tasting and safest water for your family. If your water starts tasting off, or your ice looks and smells bad, those are also good signs that the filter is due for a change before that 6-month mark.
How to Buy a Replacement Refrigerator Water Filter
When it comes time to replace your refrigerator water filter, make sure you get the right one for your model. You can usually find the model number on a sticker inside the fridge. Once you have that handy, head on over to Google and search for your model plus the filter number.
Look for the official OEM filter, which you can often get from the manufacturer’s website, other sites are usually ok to use, just look for the official branding. Wondering “Should I get a cheap refrigerator water filter online?” Definitely not! Not only can they cause issues, they usually will not do as good of a job of filtering.
How to change a refrigerator water filter
Many refrigerator water filters are located in the grill at the bottom of the fridge, but they are also often inside the fridge towards the top. There are many different locations for the filter, so if you can’t easily find search your refrigerator’s model online or look in your manual.
To change it, simply get access to the filter and follow the instructions from your manual. These will usually consist of: turning off the water, removing the filter by pressing the release button, or twisting a quarter turn and pulling. Next, you would install the new filter in the same fashion and then finally turn the water supply back on.
And there you have it! Now you know how often to change a refrigerator water filter and how to do it. Stay safe and enjoy your clean water! And if there’s any issue big or small that you need help with, call the team at Apex Appliance for refrigerator repair service you can count on.
