Guidelines to Maintain a Reverse Osmosis System at Home

A reverse osmosis system is a handy device for all homes. It plays a critical role in keeping your drinking water safe and free from impurities. It also helps maintain the quality of water while keeping disease-causing organisms at bay.

There are different units in the market, and all come at varying prices. You can always get the best reverse osmosis systems from online or physical stores. But, your system requires maintenance to operate optimally and supply you with clean water all the time.

What is a reverse osmosis system?

Reverse osmosis is a simplified process used by many homeowners to produce clean drinking water for their homes. It’s a filtration process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to separate clean water from sediments and molecules such as ions, impurities, and bacteria. The process produces high-quality water, which is useful in cosmetics, industrial boilers, pharmaceutical production, and more.

How can you maintain your RO system?

1. Change RO filters & Replace carbon filters

RO systems have different filtering stages, and the delicate RO membranes need to be protected. Water at first passes through the pre-filter cartridge, which filters out dirt, silt, sand, and many other sediments. Thus, change the pre-filter often, usually 6-9 months. If not well maintained, it can get clogged, making it unable to function optimally or protecting the RO membrane.

It’s also essential to replace the carbon filer often. It’s useful for eliminating chlorine, bad taste, and odor from your water. Chlorine can ruin your filter’s RO membrane, and you should replace the carbon filter every six to nine months.

2. Clean your RO unit

Cleaning and sanitizing your unit helps keep your RO system in excellent condition. To achieve this, you need a RO sanitizing kit. You should also clean the exterior of your unit and wipe all the machinery adjoined to the tap with a wet cloth.

3. Fix a leaky water filter

Water filters are prone to leaks, and these may emanate from the valves, hoses, or fittings. What are the causes of a leaky water filter? You might have tightened the screws too tight, and this dislocates the faucet. Improper joints can as well cause leaks. You may experience leaks from your filter if the joints better you filter, and the wires are not well fastened.

Clogging at the core of the filter exposes the rubber gaskets to a lot of pressure, and this may cause leaks. Although this may need a bit of tightening, for the fitting to function optimally, if you do this and your unit continues leaking, then consider replacing the filter.

4. Improve the water quality

Sometimes your reverse osmosis system may produce poor quality water, and this may mean that it’s time to replace your unit. Take a sample of your water to a lab analyst who can help ascertain the level of pollution. If you don’t want to spend much on water analysis, you can instead install a softener to your RO system.

It will help your unit produce clean water, which you can use at home and also grow healthy crops. A softener will also come in handy if the water in your home has magnesium, which can improve your unit’s efficiency.

Final thoughts

It’s essential to clean and maintain your reverse osmosis unit so that it can function efficiently.

This is a simple process, and you can do it effortlessly without hiring an expert plumber to help out. Simple things like cleaning your unit, changing the filters, and fixing any leaking hoses will go a long way in ensuring that your machine operates efficiently. Your RO system will also come with a guide, and this will also guide you on the best way to care for your unit.

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Interesting related article: “Picking a water filtration system for your business.”