Even as you strive to ensure you take your eight glasses of water per day, make sure that you are drinking water free from bacteria. Most refrigerators with water filters are usually effective, but only if they are clean and not worn out, and there are dangers for using an old one. So, can an old one make you sick?
An old refrigerator water filter can make you sick since water substances pass through, so it is prone to getting dirty. As you continue using it without replacement, it may lose its ability to eliminate carbon and bacteria that you end up consuming. Such will make you sick.
If you rely on your refrigerator for clean drinking water, then you should know that at some point, it will get dirty to a point where it cannot filter any more dirt. Here I will discuss the impact of not changing filters for your refrigerators, what to do when the filter is old, and much more, read on!
Can you get Sick from an Old Water Filter in the refrigerator?
Water from the refrigerator is best, especially on a sunny day. While you may trust that it is pure and clean for drinking, this may not always be the case, especially if you have been using the filter for a considerable amount of time. Like any other appliance in your kitchen, the water filter in the refrigerator tends to grow old.
Once it does, its efficiency in filtering water and ensuring that it is safe from dirt and other unhealthy particles reduces. Typically, the filter will get dirty and hinder the passage of dirt particles, which makes it bring about many health issues. So, such is not something you should overlook, and you should make an effort to change the filter more often.
Usually, most of the filters in a refrigerator typically contain a carbon property, which helps soak the water’s impurities. The filters are also responsible for the absorption of bacteria and any other chemicals that the water may contain. The refrigerator water is more pure and clean because of these carbon filters, and they are more effective since they are thick; therefore, water takes time to be purified.
The filter may clog due to the many debris in it, which reduces its purifying function. The clogging also makes the filters wear out, and at some point, they will not be able to filter out any more debris. So, water will pass through it without going through the purification process.
Now, if the minerals in the water, chemicals, or any other dirt particles are not filtered, you end up taking the water that way. If you do not change the filter more often, such will make you sick, and considering that your water will most likely contain harmful substances, you will be putting your health at risk.
Taking water from the refrigerator exposes you to various microorganisms such as coliform. Such will harm your water, which in turn affects your health.
What Happens if You Don’t Change the Water Filter in Your Fridge?
As time goes by, you should know that your fridge will be losing its efficiency in filtering water and ensuring that it is safe and ready for drinking. One effect of not changing the water filter in your fridge is that your refrigerator may spoil. Failing to change the water filter causes the building up of bacteria and chemicals in your fridge.
Technically, the chemicals and bacteria should remain in the filter, but they will start building up in other parts of the fridge when it is complete. Such chemicals make the fridge deteriorate its functionality, and with time it starts wearing out. The filter also tends to clog up, decreasing the amount of water that gets out of it.
Such water will now start leaking to other parts of the refrigerator. Therefore, you will find water spills in the fridge, potentially affecting the substances in the refrigerator.
Also, failing to change the water filter will affect the taste of water. Usually, the filter is responsible for eliminating the metallic or sulfuric taste in water. Therefore as it ages and you fail to replace it, it loses this ability.
For your water to taste well, you need to ensure that the quality of your filter is good. So, be keen on changing the filter when you realize something is off with the water taste.
A good quality water filter should remove the most volatile compounds such as chlorine, lead, and much more. A poor quality water filter will not filter out such components; therefore, you may drink them in your water. If it fails to filter out bacteria, you can end up with certain illnesses such as flu.
When Should You Change Your Refrigerator Water Filter?
Most times, you will not notice that your refrigerator water filter needs replacement until you fall sick. Well, you need not wait until such a time. Therefore, it is crucial to change the water filter as regularly as possible whether or not you feel sick.
Most manufacturers recommend that you should change the water filter for your refrigerator after every six months. During this time, you can be sure that the filter is already worn out or in the process of wearing out, and therefore you need a new one. But you need not stick to this schedule.
Many other factors should guide you on when to change the water filter. For instance, if the water you use is hard, it contains more minerals and chemicals, so the filter quickly fills up. Also, some water filters tend to fill up more quickly.
Also, if the water starts emitting a foul smell or the ice, it is an indicator that you need to change the water filter. The taste of the water should also guide you in knowing whether it is time to replace the filters. Moreover, be alert of the pressure that the water emits or the time it takes for the ice maker to make ice