How Often to Change Big Blue Water Filter (Simple Guide for Homeowners)

Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with this whole home water filter thing, you know, the big blue one. And let me tell you, figuring out when to swap out that filter cartridge was a bit of a head-scratcher at first. I mean, who really thinks about their water filter, right?

Initially, I just installed the darn thing and forgot about it. Water tasted fine, pressure was good, life was peachy. But then, a buddy of mine, he’s a bit of a prepper, started talking about water quality and contaminants. Got me thinking, maybe I should pay more attention to this thing.

So, I started digging around, trying to figure out this whole filter changing schedule. Seems like the general rule is to change it every 6 months. But then I realized, that’s just an average, I guess. It really depends on, like, how much water you use, how crappy your water is to begin with, and what kind of filter cartridge you’ve got in there.

• First, I checked the manual that came with the filter housing. Not super helpful, to be honest. Very generic stuff.
• Then I looked at the cartridge itself, there was a little sticker that was a little worn out. It said, “replace when the filter becomes dirty”. Well, duh!
• Then I looked at the usage, and how much water we use at home.
• Then I looked at the type of water in my region.

I started with the 6-month mark and did my first replacement. I opened up the housing, took out the old cartridge, and it was pretty grimy, not gonna lie. It did its job, I guess. Popped in a new one, and everything was fine. No problems at all.

But then I thought, maybe I can stretch it out a bit longer? Save some money, you know? So, next time, I waited 8 months. When I finally changed it, the water pressure had definitely dropped, and the water started tasting a little… off. The old filter was even dirtier than the first time. Lesson learned. Don’t push it too far.

Now, I’m trying to be more scientific about it. I got this little pressure gauge and installed it before the filter. The idea is to track the pressure drop over time. It will help me monitor the situation. It’s a bit of a hassle, but hey, I’m learning as I go.

Another time, I noticed that my filter change time is longer than my neighbor’s. I asked them how come. They said they don’t use water as much. Also, their big blue water filter system is installed after a water softener, that may help too.

My Current Routine

So, here’s where I’m at now. I do the water filter cartridge replacement roughly every 6 months. I keep an eye on the water pressure and the taste. I might try to fine-tune it a bit more in the future. If I feel the pressure dropping or the taste changing, I know it’s time. It’s not rocket science, but it definitely takes a little bit of paying attention.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a trial-and-error process. But hey, at least I’m not just blindly following some random number anymore. I’m actually getting a feel for my own water situation and how my filter is performing. And that’s gotta count for something, right?