How often should I replace my refrigerator water filter? What does the water filter actually do? Does it matter if I have municipal or well water? Have you asked yourself these questions? If not, you really should. In this article, RepairClinic.com's RepairGuru answers these and other questions about refrigerator water filters.
 

A refrigerator water filter is a small activated charcoal filter designed to filter out certain solids and chemicals from your water source before the water gets to your water dispenser or ice maker. Most refrigerators today with ice makers or water through the door have water filters built in, which is much more convenient than installing one in the water supply line from your water source. Your refrigerator water filter is most likely located either inside the refrigerator cabinet, near the top or in the grill at the bottom of the unit.

We recommend you change your water filter every three to six months depending on how much water and/or ice you use. If you wait too long, the activated charcoal in the filter will become ineffective, allowing water to flow through unfiltered, or water flow may become restricted, causing low water pressure to the water dispenser or ice maker. Some filters are designed to shut off automatically when a certain amount of water has passed through.

The type of water source you have also impacts how your water is filtered. Municipal water, supplied by your city, enters your home pre-filtered and treated. Municipal water is generally low in minerals, iron and dissolved solids, but may have higher concentrations of chlorine and other chemicals. If you have municipal water, the filter supplied with your refrigerator should be adequate to filter most contaminants from your water.

Well water, usually supplied by a well on the property, enters your home unfiltered and untreated. Well water is often high in minerals, iron and other dissolved solids but has very low concentrations of chlorine or other chemicals. Most activated charcoal water filters include synthetic pre-filters designed to remove many solids. However, these pre-filters are not very effective at removing iron and some other dissolved minerals. Therefore, you should also have a water softener or other pre-filter to reduce the amount of minerals and dissolved solids in your water supply.

It's a good idea to test the quality of your water supply just to be sure your filters are working adequately. Test kits are readily available at supermarkets and home supply stores if you want to test the water yourself. Otherwise, you can have it tested professionally by a lab specializing in water quality. To find a lab near you, consult your local phone book or do an online search.

Here are the most common types of water filters in today's refrigerators:

PureSource filter - for Frigidaire refrigerators equipped with PureSource water filtration systems

SmartWater filter - for GE Water by Culligan filtration systems

Water Filter Assembly - for Whirlpool models where the filter is inside the refrigerator

Ice and Water filter - for Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Kenmore refrigerators where filter is in the front grill

Handi Plumb filter - for ice makers that were added on to refrigerators

Of course you can always use the PartDetective to determine the exact filter for your model.