How often should you replace a membrane filter?
Reverse osmosis membrane: Every two or three years, depending on the water quality. As the RO membrane rejects more minerals, some of those minerals start to come out of solution and clog the surface area of the membrane. If you feed the RO system with softened water, then the membrane could last five years, if you replace the filters on a regular basis.
Ultrafiltration membrane: Every other year for a point-of-use (POU) application. UF membranes do collect contaminants as they filter.
How do you clean a membrane filter?
You don't need to clean a filter membrane in a residential POU system. To flush or clean the membrane, use chemicals to dislodge some of the scale or particles clogging up the membrane. Trying to clean or flush the membrane is not as cost-effective as replacing it every few years. You should always flush the membrane before use to make sure everything works properly.
How do you flush a filtration membrane?
A UF membrane is a flow-through, not a separation, membrane technology. To flush the ultrafiltration membrane on start-up, simply get the air out of it from manufacturing. When you startup a reverse osmosis system, flush it to help re-saturate because typically these membranes are manufactured then dried. On a POU system, fill up two or three tanks of water and let them run through the drain before using the system.
