How To Maintain Your RO & UV Water Purifiers To Keep Them Running Smoothly

A water purifier has become an essential appliance in every home for consistent supply of pure drinking water and to stop the spread of waterborne diseases. While investing in a good quality water purifier is important, maintaining it is vital as its key components such as filters and membrane get consumed with usage over time. Since RO and UV water purifiers function differently, maintenance steps for these types of water purifiers are different as well.

In this article, we have explained how to maintain RO water purifiers and UV water purifiers in easy steps.

How To Maintain RO Water Purifier

RO water purifiers are the most commonly used water purifiers in India as they have a multi-stage water purification process that not only kills germs and bacteria but also removes unwanted particles from the water. An RO water purifier also reduces the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). Most RO water purifiers have filters and an RO membrane, and they can get clogged by contaminants, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the purifier. Hence, it is advised to get them serviced and replaced regularly.

Also Read: What Is TDS In Water & How Does It Affect Drinking Water?

Regular Replacement of Filters & RO Membrane

An RO water purifier consists of various filters and a membrane, including a sediment filter, carbon filters and RO membrane. Most filters and RO membranes need to be replaced within 12 months. This is necessary so that the purifier remains effective in its task and impurities don’t get passed into your drinking water. We have explained the function of each of those four filters below.

1. Sediment Filter: The sediment filter removes the dirt, dust, and sediment from water, and also stops dirt from getting into the RO membrane. We recommend that you change the filters once every year.
2. Pre-Carbon Filter: After water passes through the sediment filter, it is passed through the carbon filter (also known as activated carbon filter) to remove chlorine and other contaminants. This filter also removes unpleasant odor and taste from water.
3. Post-Carbon Filter: After the RO purification stage, water passes through the post-carbon filter. This filter enhances the taste of water and removes residual impurities and odor.
4. RO Membrane: The RO membrane is the most important part of any RO water purifier as it reduces elements like arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, cyst (cryptosporidium), fluoride, lead, nitrates and nitrites, radium, selenium, and total dissolved solids (TDS) from water. With passing time, the membrane gets clogged and needs to be replaced. We advise getting it replaced within a year, depending on the amount of water that is consumed in your home.

Fix Drips & Leakages

If there is dripping of water or leakages in your water purifier, you should get it checked by a professional and get it fixed to avoid wastage of water and to make sure the water purifier is working in an optimum condition. This mostly happens due to worn out O-rings and seals. Those rings and seals can be replaced.

If you are wondering when is the right time to actually change the filters and RO membrane, you should read our dedicated article about it.

Also Read: RO Water Purifier Advantages & Maintenance Cost

How to Maintain UV Water Purifier

UV water purifiers are quite affordable and easy to maintain. Their most important part is the UV lamp, and it uses UV radiation to purify water by killing bacteria and germs. UV lamps consume very little power, but they need to be replaced on a periodic basis. UV lamps don’t burn out, but they solarise, which means that the intensity of ultraviolet rays weakens over time, making the UV lamp less and less effective in killing bacteria and viruses as the time passes. Even if the lamp appears to be working, its effectiveness reduces over time, hence it is advised to replace it periodically.

The UV lamp inside the purifier is protected from the water with the help of a quartz sleeve (transparent glass-like tube inside which the UV lamp is placed). Contaminants in the unpurified water such as minerals, sediment, and other debris can build up on the sleeve, so you should also clean the quartz sleeve every year.

Steps To Replace UV Water Purifier’s UV Lamp

1. Turn off the water supply and the water purifier, and then unplug the water purifier’s power cord from the power socket.
2. Isolate the UV lamp, allow it to cool for a while, unscrew the safety cap by squeezing the tabs, and then remove its plug. Make sure that you’re wearing hand gloves or handling the lamp with a cloth.
3. Remove the UV lamp from its chamber by unscrewing the sleeve bolt. Now you can throw away the old O-rings, and remove the old lamp from the quartz sleeve.
4. Clean the quartz sleeve using vinegar and soft tissue paper. You have to be careful while cleaning it from the inside and the outside as the quartz sleeve is fragile and can break easily. It is recommended to replace the quartz sleeve every two years.
5. Install the new O-rings that come with the new UV lamp on the sleeve and then install the new UV lamp into the assembly. Don’t over-tighten the lamp as it may crack.
6. Insert the new UV lamp and sleeve into the chamber. Make sure that the lamp is connected correctly with the lamp plug. Now, install the safety cap.
7. Turn on the water supply to the water purifier, plug the water purifier’s power cord, and turn on the water purifier to check for leaks.

However, note that every water purifier brand and model’s method of replacing the UV lamp could be slightly different. Some UV water purifiers also come with pre-filters. So, it is best to follow the user manual of your UV water purifier. If you are not confident in replacing it by yourself, call a water purifier service provider firm or technician so that they can service your UV water purifier using a professional method.

Also Read: Five Most Common Water Purifier Problems & Their Solutions

Three Ways to Keep Your Water Purifier Working Efficiently

Regular Servicing of RO and UV Water Purifiers

Most people forget when they got their water purifiers serviced and UV lamps, RO membrane, and filters replaced. It is just easier to get an Onsitego Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract Plan so that you can get professional help when something goes wrong with your water purifier. The plan also comes with two scheduled maintenance checks every year, annual replacement of filters and membrane, and unlimited repairs with the cost of spare parts included.