Timely fridge water filter replacement is essential for ensuring high-quality drinking water and the proper functioning of your refrigerator. Skipping this simple but necessary task can lead to issues such as strange smells, bad-tasting water, and potential damage to your fridge's internal components.
An unchanged water filter can produce water with a foul odour or a strange taste. A dirty or clogged water filter can also affect the mechanical actions within your refrigerator, such as the Ice dispenser. A refrigerator with a water dispensing function is a significant investment and really should be treated as such.
If your filter is genuinely clogged you will have reduced flow at the spigot. It the water is slow coming out do not drink it. The water probably won't cause genuine harm but it's flavor will be off and could potentially cause distress. Replace your refrigerator's water filter per the manufacturers recommendations.
How often to change your refrigerator water filter. Refrigerator water filters are one of the best, most cost-effective ways to ensure your family is drinking clean, fresh-tasting water, but they need to be changed every six months.
This means that bacteria like E. coli and Legionella, as well as giardia and cryptosporidium could be waiting in the wings — ready to make its way into your morning cup of water.
Ignoring the need for regular refrigerator water filter changes can lead to a host of problems. From a health perspective, an old or clogged filter cannot effectively remove contaminants. This situation means you might drink and cook with unfiltered water, exposing you and your family to potential health risks.
Consume Harmful Bacteria
If you neglect to change your refrigerator's water filter, it will become clogged with these substances and fail to do its job, causing these harmful microbes to get into your water. From E. coli to fecal coliform, your health can be impacted.
A clogged water filter can restrict water flow to the icemaker. Water filters should be changed every 6 months. If your refrigerator has a water filter, try replacing your water filter. You can purchase a GE Appliance genuine water filter online at our GE Appliances Parts & Accessories website.
Modern refrigerators are designed to be able to run without a water filter installed, and in fact, many models will come with a filter bypass that allows you to use the fridge without having the filter in place.
Change Indicator Light: Some refrigerators have a built-in reminder that lights up when your filter is ready to be swapped. Weird Taste or Smell: Notice your water or ice doesn't taste as fresh or has a funky smell? That's a clear sign the filter's no longer doing its job.
The worst part about mold is that it grows on hard-to-reach areas in the dispenser. Mold can also develop in the ice maker, contaminating ice with salmonella, E. coli, and shigella. Then again, we must keep in mind that not all fridge water filters are designed to remove bacteria and other pathogens from water.
Discard the ice cubes produced during the first 24 hours. If your appliance has a water dispenser, dispense water for 5 minutes and then discard.
One of the most recurring problems with water filters across all brands is the growth of mold and the constant combat of that. Most mold is harmless but having mold in your drinking water could present serious hazards to your health. And of course, if you're using a water filter, your aim is to prevent that.
If you don't change your filter, you may end up consuming harmful bacteria, chemicals, and particles every time you get a glass of water from the fridge. If the water coming from your refrigerator is found to be contaminated, it may not be the filter's fault.
Many refrigerators have built-in water filtration that filters sediment and contaminants from the water going to the dispenser and/or the icemaker. If you do not need or want to use the water filter, a bypass plug must be used in place of the filter.
The short answer is that fridge water filters do work for some simple needs — mainly those related to chlorine, like unpleasant tastes and odors. However, the list of things a refrigerator filter can't do is far longer. For example, fridge systems won't reduce contaminants like arsenic, pharmaceuticals and fluoride.
As your water filter begins to wear out, it will become less effective at filtering out the various chemicals, minerals, and microbes that may be present in the water supply. This may soon become apparent to you in the form of changes in the taste and odor of the water coming from your refrigerator.
It doesn't seem to cause any issues. It may surprise you, but the answer is yes, if the refrigerator or any appliance has a filter, it needs to be replaced according to the manufacturer's specifications.
The short answer is not necessarily.
An ice machine will operate without a filter, but will quickly start having problems will scale buildup, especially in a city where the water is considered “hard”.
In other cases, it can cause your icemaker to completely stop working if it becomes clogged. As such, you will want to change the filter at least every six months or so. While you can use this as a rule of thumb, you will want to do it either less or more often, depending on what the water's like in your area.
There are several reasons your ice maker may suddenly stop working, including a blocked water dispenser, issues with your water supply line or a clogged water filter.
Can You Drink Water Right After Changing the Fridge Filter? As long as you have followed the proper instructions to flush your new water filter with three gallons of water, you can usually drink the water right after you've finished the replacement. Check the instructions for your filter to make sure.
Reduced Efficiency: As filters get clogged with contaminants, their efficiency in removing impurities decreases. This means you might be drinking water that's no cleaner than the normal tap water or in some cases, even worse.
If you have a touchscreen refrigerator with a filter indicator light, simply change the filter when the light flashes. This will keep your ice and water tasting great. Signs it's time for refrigerator water filter replacement include: Water coming from the fridge dispenser tastes or smells bad.