How To Change a Refrigerator Water Filter

Many modern refrigerators come with a built-in water dispenser. More often than not, this built-in dispenser is hooked up to a filter that purifies tap water. Even though this is an amazingly convenient function, there will come a time when your refrigerator's water filter will need to be replaced. This may seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it can be done quickly and easily. Read on to find out more about how to replace your refrigerator water filter, and why it's necessary to replace it.

Why Do I Need to Change My Water Filter?

Before we get to the actual process of replacing the water filter, we need to first talk about why it may need to be replaced. With time, the filter will start to get clogged up with the sediment and other particles that it's been filtering out from your water, and those same particles may start making their way into your water glass. This could result in a decline in water taste and quality if you were to continue to ignore the filter.

How Do Know You When to Change a Water Filter?

Many refrigerators will have a built-in sensor to keep track of your water filter and alert you when your filter needs to be changed. Though this will vary depending on the brand of fridge you have, the status of your filter should be easily seen somewhere within the fridge if it has this sensor. Typically, you'll see a warning light in an easily noticeable part of the fridge. If there's no sensor, it's a good rule of thumb to simply change the filter every six months or so.

Where Is a Water Filter Located?

This is another question where the answer depends heavily on which refrigerator brand you have. Some brands put the filter in an easily noticeable spot, while some hide it to preserve the fridge's aesthetic. However, the two typical spots for refrigerator water filters to reside are in the grill near the base of the refrigerator, or in the upper right corner in the back of the interior of the fridge. If it's not in either of those two spots, you should look up your specific fridge model to see where it might be.

How Do I Change the Filter?

The two different kinds of filters that you'll likely be dealing with when changing your own fridge filter will be a twist-in filter or a push-in/button filter. The steps to replacing a twist-in filter are as follows:

1. Unplug the refrigerator. This may seem like an obvious step, but you should always turn off the power to any electrical appliance before working on it. This shouldn't take long, so don't worry about your food.
2. Locate the filter by referring to the two locations we laid out earlier.
3. Usually, the filter will be inside a shell of sorts. Taking off the shell should be no problem as they are made to open up and allow easy access to the filter within. Once you've got the shell open, twist the filter until it becomes loose, and then pull it out.
4. After that, all it takes is twisting in the new filter and closing up the shell. Plug your fridge back in, run some water through the new filter before drinking the water from it, and you should be good to go!

When it comes to replacing a push-in filter, you should follow these steps:

1. Unplug the fridge and locate the filter.
2. The filter should be inside some sort of shell, and it should be easy to open. After it's open, you either need to push the filter itself to loosen it up, or there may be a mechanism that loosens it. In whichever case, it should be clear what you need to do when you find the filter.
3. Remove the old filter from the housing. Push-in filters usually have a piece that needs to be placed on the new filter to ensure that it fits into its designated space.
4. After attaching whatever needs to be attached, place the new filter in its spot and close the shell. Plug the fridge back in, and you should be good to go. Make sure you run some water through the new filter before you start drinking the water from it.

These steps may not work for everyone, but this is generally the process to replace a fridge water filter, no matter where it's located. If neither process seems to work for you, check out your device manual to see more specific instructions. In some cases, the replacement process may require additional outside assistance. Not every fridge is the same, and some may require more assistance than others.

Why Do I Have to Run Water Through a New Filter?

You always should run some water through a new filter before drinking from it. A new filter will sometimes have loose filtering material rattling around, and you don't want it to end up in your water glass. Running some water through should easily get all of the loose particles out. Most manufacturers recommend running a few gallons of water through your filter before actually drinking the water from it. Following this advice should ensure that when you do start drinking the water from the new filter, it will be clean and residue-free.

Which Water Filter Should I Buy?

You always need to take note of what kind of filter you buy to replace the old one in your fridge. Though a third-party or generic brand water filter replacement may seem like a better deal, it's usually best to stick with buying a new filter from the same brand as the fridge you own. Another thing to note is to keep an eye out for fake water filters. As long as you stick to the correct brand and double check that the fridge model matches the style of filter, you'll make the right choice to deliver cleaner, better-tasting water for your entire household!