SpecsyHome and maintenance
Know which water filter cartridge you need, and when it is due
Water filters are not really a size problem, they are a date problem. The cartridge looks fine long after it has stopped working.
- System
- Aquaphor Crystal
- Cartridge
- K3, K7, K7B set
- Changed
- 14 February
- Interval
- 6 months or 6000 L
- Bought at
- Manufacturer site
Nothing tells you it has expired
An air filter goes grey and you can see it. A water cartridge looks the same on day one and on day four hundred, so it quietly stops doing its job and nobody notices.
Then there is the cartridge itself. Under sink systems, jug filters and fridge filters all use different, incompatible parts, and the model number is on a sticker facing the wall.
What you need is the model written down and a date that comes to find you.
What to store for each filter
- System name and cartridge model, both, because one without the other is not enough to buy
- The date of the last change, which is the value you will actually use
- The interval, in months and in litres if the manufacturer gives one
- A photo of the cartridge label, taken while it is out of the housing
- Where it was bought and the price, since cartridges are often cheaper direct
Typical replacement intervals
Check the manufacturer figure for your own system. These are the intervals people most often set a reminder for.
| Type | Usual interval | What people forget |
|---|---|---|
| Jug filter | 4 weeks | That it is measured in litres, not weeks |
| Under-sink cartridge | 6 to 12 months | That the set has three different parts |
| Fridge water filter | 6 months | The model is tied to the fridge, not the brand |
| Whole house sediment | 3 to 6 months | It clogs faster in hard water areas |
Put the reminder on the card, not in your head
Every water filter has a schedule, and every schedule fails the same way, quietly. Specsy attaches the reminder to the card, so when it fires you are one tap away from the model number you need to order.
That is the whole difference between a reminder that works and a calendar entry saying "change filter", which tells you nothing about which filter or which part.
Questions people ask
Can I track more than one filter in the house?
Yes, and most people have three. Kitchen, fridge and a jug are all separate cards with separate dates.
What if my system needs several cartridges at once?
List all of them on one card. When the reminder fires you order the whole set, which is how they are usually sold.
Does Specsy know the intervals for my model?
No, and it does not guess. You enter the interval from the manual, which keeps the card honest.