Many people like Brita water filters for removing contaminants and pollutants from water. But, if you haven’t changed the filter in way too long, it’s probably not helping much. If your tap water is hard water, you might need to replace a Brita filter more often than the norm. To keep a water filter filtering everything it should – lead, chlorine, asbestos and more contaminants – you should know how long a Brita water filter lasts and overall care for one.
How Long Does a Brita Water Filter Last?
How often you need to replace or change a Brita water filter is more a function of how much water you run through it rather than a set period of time. On a Brita pitcher, you can go by the electronic indicator. With or without a tool to tell you, it is possible to do some general math. Estimates about the time might be shorter or longer depending on your usage and water quality.
A Brita Requirement Filter (white) should be replaced after 40 gallons, which is about every two months. A Brita Longlast Filter (blue) should be changed after every 120 gallons, or about every six months. A Brita Stream Filter (gray) lasts for about 40 gallons, or about two months. These figures are based on an average home averaging 11 glasses of water run through a filter per day. You and your family might use less, more or a lot more water.
Signs it’s Time to Change a Brita Filter
- To make full use of a Brita water filter, the filter needs to be replaced on time. The recommended time per filter may be different because of multiple factors. If you’re going by what the manual says, or just know you haven’t gotten a new filter in a long time, here are some signs from the filter and the water.
- The water tastes bad. If the water’s changed in taste, this should tell you a lot. The water might taste bitter.
- The water looks bad. Water may be cloudy or contaminated looking.
- The water smells different. If the water smells contaminated or polluted, it likely is.
- Algae can be in the filter and get into your water. Algae can get into an old filter or one which hasn’t been used in a long time.
- Mold can be in a filter, and then in water. You can often smell mold before you see it.
- The filter is dried out. If the filter is dry, this is an obvious hint it’s worn out and not giving much or any filtering ability.
- If the filter is clogged water will run slower than usual through it.
- If you think you have a defective filter, or a filter which doesn’t fit, you shouldn’t use it and you should get the correct filter.
How to Change a Filter
Remove the old filter. Take the new filter and flush it with running water for 15 seconds. Put the new filter in. Line up the groove in the filter with the pitcher’s ridge. Pour tap water into the pitcher. Brita says you should discard the first three pitchers with a new filter – or at least not drink them, you can use the water for plants or other non-consuming uses.
How Long Does a Brita Filter Help Water
Running tap water through an activated charcoal filter like a Brita pitcher filter is a good step for better drinking water. It’s good to know, though, this removes only some impurities.
Unlike some other systems or products, such as reverse osmosis, a Brita filter is not a true long-term solution. It needs to be changed or replaced more often. A Brita filter isn’t designed to filter out all salt or dissolved solids.
A Brita will work to remove chlorine, lead, zinc, copper, mercury, cadmium, asbestos, benzene and many other contaminants. It should improve odor and taste of water. If you try a Brita filter and it doesn’t remove bad tastes or smells, you should look into what is in your water, and what this type of filter can’t remove.
How Long Does a Brita Filter Work on Chlorine?
Chlorine in public tap water is a necessary decontaminant, but it can have a bad taste or smell in tap water. Using a Brita filter will remove chlorine and may help make your drinking water more drinkable. Chlorine levels vary a lot. It’s possible to have a high chlorine level in tap water and this will cause a filter to become used up faster. A Brita filter uses carbon to filter out chlorine, so the more chlorine going in causes the carbon to be used faster.
If your tap water is highly chlorinated, or simply has a very bad taste, look or smell to it, you might be better and more economical putting in a reverse osmosis water system. This is a higher level of water purification.
If a Brita pitcher gives you the drinking water you want and it works well for you, a general guide is to change the filter cartridge every 50 gallons for the standard filter or bottle filter.
Recycling Filters
Throwing away filters every few weeks or months might feel like a waste, or sort of expensive, but you can be kinder to the environment and save some money by recycling filters. Brita and TerraCycle have a recycling program. You can ship used filters away, with a shipping label from Brita and following all the instructions. Brita then gives customers savings points or coupons for recycling.
South End Water Filtration specializes in HALO Water Filter products including the HALO H2 Zero Whole Home Water Filter. HALO systems solve hard water problems, give your family clear, great-tasting water and are totally maintenance free. We’re just a click away to help and answer any questions. South End Plumbing and South End Water Filtration will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-486-1988 or contact us online to schedule a visit.