When your brand new refrigerator was delivered to your home, it most likely featured a water dispenser and ice maker. In most cases, these appliances deliver refreshing water or ice thanks to a small filter hidden somewhere out of plain sight. After months of use, you might begin to notice a sour flavor in your ice, before dumping it in the sink. It slips your mind, you go about your business, and the thought of replacing your refrigerator water filter never even crossed your mind. This can be a dangerous practice that should be avoided at all costs, and we are here to show you why.
The Hidden Dangers of Unchanged Refrigerator Water Filters
The refrigerator is the workhorse of your kitchen. Not only does it operate constantly in order to keep your food at safe temperatures, but it also filters water for clean and safe water and ice delivery. Tiny contaminants are filtered away from your tap water in order to provide the best water your fridge water dispenser can offer. However, if you allow your fridge filter to go unchanged for great lengths of time, you could be facing adverse effects that were otherwise easily avoidable.
What Happens When You Don’t Change the Filter?
The top reason it's important to keep your fridge filter fresh is to continue enjoying the removal of up to 99% of harmful chemicals and contaminants commonly found in drinking water. This includes lead, asbestos, mercury, cysts, pesticides and otherwise harmful bacteria. Nearly 77 million Americans, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), get their water from sources that are not up to federal standards. These standards are designed to protect the health of American citizens through the sufficient removal of the following contaminants.
Mercury
Exposure to high levels of mercury have been shown to cause brain and kidney damage, as well as threaten the health of a developing fetus, and pregnant women. Overall, mercury levels in drinking water are not generally considered high enough to cause serious health problems or concern, and a decent water filter is sufficient enough to eliminate it's presence.
Lead tends to become a problem where old lead pipes were utilized, allowing it to seep into the water supply. This leads to serious neurological, behavioral, and health problems in both children and adults. A simple water filter can reduce the amount of lead in your drinking water significantly.
Solid Waste
Chemical waste, byproducts, and even radioactive contaminants all wind up in your drinking water. According to the NRDC, radioactive material can tinge local water supplies due to leaks or improper waste storage. These byproduct of energy production can mean serious health complications if left untouched. Medical and pharmaceutical waste has also been tested in drinking water.
Your Refrigerator Suffers
Those of you who'd like to avoid the buildup of scale in household appliances, including refrigerators, can benefit from the use and replacement of a fridge filter. Harmful chemicals can have adverse affect on our health, too. By failing to change your water filter in your fridge, it can begin to suffer from scaling and buildup throughout, from the water dispenser to the ice machine. Avoid costly repair bills by avoiding buildup in the first place, with a simple filter replacement.
Old filters quickly begin to fail at eliminating contaminants and other particles commonly found in tap water. This may leech sulfuric or metallic tastes into your drinking water, cooking, and more, if left unsolved. If you would like to keep your drinking water to higher standards, ensure your fridge filter is replaced on a regular basis. By doing so, you can enjoy nicer drinking water, better tasting food, and more.
Most refrigerator are expected to provide anywhere between 8 to 10 years of operation over its lifetime. During this time, it is hardly uncommon for units from all manufacturers to last beyond that point, simply because of a whole slew of determining factors. Things may continue to grow more difficult as your fridge ages, which is why it is important to stay on top of regular fridge maintenance, aside from fridge filter maintenance.
-
Fridge Compatibility
Again, it is common for a refrigerator to go nearly 10 years without many symptoms of aging. Older models may not even be compatible with the idea of a fridge filter, so you should ensure you know what you're dealing with first. If you are someone with a filter compatible fridge, a simple search online can render a whole slew of results via the model number. -
Fridge Efficiency
Before you go about putting more pressure on your fridge, consider the overall age of the unit. If it's already struggling to function as a refrigerator, you may not want to add on additional functions and uses. Filtration is a function that requires a lot of energy to operate on a basic level, which means daily requirements may add too stress. Simply take a close look at the overall operations of your refrigerator before you consider adding anything new. -
Proper Fridge Filter Certifications
And, finally, you need to ensure the certifications are in place for the given refrigerator filters. Simply check for official NSF product certifications in regard to water filtration standards. Manufacturing companies submit product samples for NSF testing and verification on a volunteer basis. Typically, NSF 42, NSF 53 and NSF 401 are dealt with together as the core standard of the industry.NSF 42 remains one of the most fundamental certifications in terms of clean looking, great tasting water. This may be more than adequate, depending on your neighborhood water quality. For many urban or industrial areas, though, NSF 53 is highly advisable, whereas an additional NSF 401 is a safer choice.
Guides and Reviews
Samsung Genuine DA97-17376B Refrigerator Water Filter
The Samsung genuine refrigerator filter DA97-17376B, for example, is produced by the OEM manufacturer. It has the potential to provide your family with fresh, clean water, while also protecting your fridge from potential damage. The Samsung refrigerator filter is rigorously tested, and certified with a high-grade carbon block capable of removing up to 99% of contaminants. Your family could be enjoying all this filter has to offer, for up to six months of regular use or 300 gallons. Refrigerator manufacturers typically recommend the purchase of the genuine filters, from the OEM manufacturers, in order to assure the best fit and operation with any given fridge model. Unfortunately, this means the price tends to run on the high end, retailing at $49.99 each.
Samsung DA29-00020B Refrigerator Filter Replacement by Waterdrop
Many customers may feel more assured with the OEM brand, while others simply hope to find a solution they can easily afford. This is why replacement brands have become all the trend in various markets, providing decent filtration at a friendly price. The Waterdrop refrigerator filter replacement adopts advanced filtration technology at an affordable price. As one of the most cost-efficient options in the market, this particular filter utilizes 100% superior coconut shell carbon block, for a price you can afford: $14.99. NSF certifications make the Waterdrop water filter replacement out to be an excellent filtration performer.
In Conclusion
The good news is, for those of you with a relatively modern refrigerator, there’s a good chance it will be the first to alert you to a filter replacement. This is all thanks to the use of built-in sensors, enabling the fridge to detect the opportunity for software updates, maintenance, and even filter replacements. Don't risk going without good tasting, healthy water. Replace your fridge filter today with an affordable filter replacement from Waterdrop.
