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Tap water is full of harmful contaminants such as copper, mercury, iron, calcium carbonate, and lead, but it depends upon your residential location. If water comes from Municipal-water supply, lakes, rivers, or rainwater, it will have various bacteria, so always try to use filtered water for better health. A Brita water filtration system is one of the best water filters.
In the article, I will tell you how to use a Brita filter and how does Brita filter indicator works. Although Brita filters are known to reduce the level of contaminants in the water supply, they can be featured in jugs or water bottles which makes them extremely easy to use. Along with removing contaminants Brita water filter also reduces the unnatural taste, smell, and odor of water.
Are Brita water filters effective?
Water filters vary in design depending upon their purpose, so there is no single type that can filter all contaminants. Still, the Brita water filter is quite effective as it catches microscopic parasites and prevents them from leaving the jug while allowing freshwater to pass through the filter.
Brita water filter comes with a national sanitation Foundation certificate which means you can use it to see what components of water the product will filter out.
When to change a filter
Brita’s water filter should be changed every 2 to 6 months, depending upon the type of pitcher or dispenser. In many cases, it means that people can filter 40 to 120 gallons of water before installing a new water filter.
Working of Brita filter
According to Brita, a filter works by using carbon to lower the Mercury levels, smell, and taste of chlorine. An Ion exchange chamber also filters cadmium, zinc, and copper. A Brita filter has pores that control the components and their removal. These pores come in different shapes and sizes, which may affect the filtration results.
How to use a Brita filter for clean water
Here is the easy way to learn how to use a Brita filter for getting clean water to drink.
Step 1
Start by washing your hands, as clean hands prevent cross-contamination with the water supply. Once hands are clean, unwrap the Brita filter.
Step 2
Soak the filter in a big mug, and make sure that water completely covers the filter. This process can take 15 minutes. You can clean your pitcher at this time. Wash with warm soapy water and wind it thoroughly. If you are using a water cooler, then during this time, you can wipe down the outside of the cooler with a cloth or towel.
Step 3
Insert the Brita filter and take it out of the cup. Let the remains drip in the sink for a few seconds, then place the filter inside the pitcher.
Step 4
Add water to the water filter, and fill the pitcher to its maximum capacity as it will ensure the maximum amount of water for your consumption.
Step 5
Wait a few seconds until the filtration process is finished. It may take time to wipe all the impurities out of the water, while this time, you can wipe the spilled water.
Types of Brita water filter indicator
There are three types of Brita filter indicators.
Pitchers with maximum filling indicator available for both standard and long last filters
This kind of Brita filter indicator signals you when it’s time to replace the water filter. It works by getting activated at the time when you open the lid for 5 to 8 seconds. The period depends upon the size of the unit’s reservoir.
If the pitcher is filled with water to the max level, it will measure the water usage by tracking the time to fill the reservoir. When the filtered water is fresh, a green light will continuously blink, but when it has reached its maximum filtration capacity, a red light will start blinking, and it will be a sign to replace the filter.
Pitchers without maximum filling indicator available for both standard and long last filters
This also tells about when you need to change the filter, but its activation process is different. Every time you fill water, it will suddenly activate and measure the quantity of water, but this time on 8 fl. oz. Pours. A green light will blink, which is an indicator of the perfect functioning of the water filter.
But if red blinks, it means it’s time to replace the filter. A filter, no matter its pitcher with maximum fill Line or without, comes in either standard filters that are white or a long last filter that is blue. The standard filter can clean up to 40 gallons of water, while a long last filter cleans 120 gallons.
Sticker filter indicator
Now the last type of Brita filter indicator allows you to measure when it’s the right time to replace the worn-out filter. A sticker indicator works a little bit differently. It functions by measuring the timing of the average water used. Mainly its base is on my estimated 11 glasses of water per house daily.
How does Brita filter indicator work
To differentiate various types of Brita filter indicators, you must know how each function. It uses LED lights that tell when to replace the filter, but it depends upon the type of filter, and replacement time may differ. Brita water filters come in standard or long last types, but stream models are also present. Standard and stream work for 2 months and filter up to 40 gallons of water.
A long last water filter can work up to 6 months before it is worn out. However, the frequency of usage will determine its life. Likewise, a pitcher filter can last for 2 months. So, if you have a Brita water filter in the office or restaurants, it may last less than in a home setup, but the Brita filter indicator can measure the amount of water that passes through the filter and the time it takes to filter this amount.
Brita color indication
To better know how the Brita filter indicator works, here are three colors and their meanings.
Green
Once you have changed the water filter, the indicator shows green light, which means it is perfect and sound for getting clean water. So, you don’t need to worry about replacement as you can get gallons of filtered water.
Yellow
The yellow color is a warning that the filter is almost full of impurities and not in its optimal condition. After getting a few more gallons, it may stop working effectively, but the indicator will turn red after some time.
Red
If the indicator is red, it’s time to get a new filter, and your filter is not working properly. But it will still pass water, but it will not be cleaned, so drinking water from this filter is unsafe. It is equivalent to drinking water from the tap. It will be a health risk and may cause water-bound diseases like scabies, diarrhea, typhoid, and gastroenteritis.
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