REVERSE OSMOSIS MAINTENANCE TIPS

Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems remove contaminants from drinking water using a specially manufactured semi-permeable membrane.  ROs have pre and post filters which must be changed on a regular basis.  Most Kinetico models have a meter that counts the gallons of water use and either shuts off the unit or restricts water flow when the cartridges need to be changed.  Some units have an indicator to tell you when the cartridges should be changed.  In any case, cartridges should always be changed once per year.

While RO systems are effective against a wide range of dissolved contaminants, they are not intended to be used on water with bacteria.  If your well develops a bacterial problem, you should deal with that problem, and then have the RO professionally disinfected before putting it back into service.  

If you are installing an RO for a specific health related contaminant, the performance of your unit will be verified after the initial installation.  The EPA recommends that you retest the treated water at least once per year to verify that your system is performing properly.  These ongoing tests are the homeowner’s responsibility; Secondwind would be happy to draw the samples and take them to a certified lab for you.