RO water purifiers are the most common purifiers in the country and it is very easy to order one such water purifier online. RO purification uses a semi permeable membrane that purifies the impurities from water and makes it fit for drinking. These purifiers have one or more filtration techniques other than reverse osmosis to purify the water. Here is a detailed description of how an RO purifier purifies water using the reverse osmosis semi permeable membrane:
RO Purification:
RO purifiers purify impurities like heavy metals and calcium and magnesium hard salts. The technique that is used by RO purification is simple. The impure water is passed through a semi permeable membrane. The membrane allows only pure water is able to pass through it. The rest of the impure water is discarded through a separate pipe.
The best part about RO purifiers is that the water wastage is minimal. The impure water can be used for other cleaning purposes. This means that you can use the discarded water as well. The pure water is free from impurities and fit for drinking and the impure water can be used for other purposes. Therefore, 100% water is saved.
After the RO purification is complete, some purifiers use a UF membrane to purify the water and get rid of pathogens that have a size of 0.3 microns or more. This allows the water to be free from waterborne viruses and bacteria. Therefore, your family would be free from waterborne diseases. Some purifiers also use UV radiation for this pathogen removal. Water gets purified of all harmful waterborne pathogens when it is exposed to UV radiation, which is harmful for pathogens. For added purification, some purifiers use both UV and UF filtration to ensure that your water is 100% pure and safe to drink.
RO Membrane Maintenance and Replacement:
The general lifespan of an RO membrane is 12 months. After every 12 months, you should change your RO membrane. This lifespan can be increased by proper care and maintenance of the RO purifier. Here are a few things that could be done to improve the average lifespan of an RO membrane:
- Empty the Storage Tank Regularly:
The first and foremost thing that can be done is emptying the storage tank. The storage tank gets filled up as soon as some of the water is used up. This doesn’t stress test the system and also doesn’t clean up the storage tank. Therefore, emptying the storage tank regularly would allow the RO membrane to be used properly and regularly and you won’t have to change an unused RO membrane for a new one.
- When Not in use, Switch Off the Power and Water Supply and Drain the Tank:
When the purifier isn’t in use for long durations, it is always advisable to switch it off and drain the tank. Switching the water supply off is equally important as fresh water might crystalize inside and ruin your membrane. Therefore, always switch off the power and water supply and empty the storage tank before going for a long vacation.
Although twelve months is the recommended time, some membranes last longer or shorter. Therefore, if your water purifier has an LED notification for filter change, you should change your RO membrane according to that notification. For purifiers that don’t have this notification, it is always advised to go with a change in RO membrane after twelve months to ensure pure water throughout.
