This seventh part of the seven part series begins to fill the storage tank with water. It will take about 2 hours for the storage tank to fill.
Now is the time to very thoroughly check every connection for leaks. A small leak over a few months can cause thousands of dollars of damage to walls, cabinets and floors. All connections should be checked a few hours after the initial leak inspection and then checked again the following day.
After the initial leak inspection place RO filter system in the cabinet under the sink. Insure that no tubes are kinked.
The RO filter system and ice line sanitation routine and RO membrane and filter change is now complete.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Turn off the RO faucet.
Check for leaks.
Replace RO filters and storage tank back under the sink.
This sixth part of the seven part series completes the reassembly of the RO filter system. The RO filter system and ice line has been thoroughly sanitized and the RO membrane and filter have been replaced with new ones.
Water is reintroduced to the RO filter system and air is purged from the filter housings and the tubes.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Unscrew the sediment and carbon filter housings.
Place a new sediment filter and two carbon filters in the filter housing.
Turn on the storage tank ball valve.
Turn on the feed water supply valve to the RO filter.
Turn on the RO faucet and wait a few minutes for water to begin flowing form the RO faucet.
This fifth part of the seven part series begins the reassembly of the RO filter system, having completed the sanitation of the RO filter in part one through part four.
The sediment filter, the two carbon filters, the inline carbon filter and the RO membrane will be replaced with new ones. The sediment filter removes large particles. The two carbon filters conserve the thin film membrane by removing chloramines from the water. The thin film membrane removes lead, PCBs, herbicides, pesticides etc. (about 97% of contaminants) from the water. The in line carbon filter removes tastes and odors as the water flows from the storage tank to the RO faucet.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Reconnect the ice line to the refrigerator.
Turn off the feed water supply valve.
Turn off the storage tank ball valve.
Turn off the RO faucet.
Remove the inline carbon filter bypass tee.
Install a new line carbon filter.
Reconnect the storage tank tube to the tee on the input end of the inline carbon filter.
Disconnect the tubes from the RO membrane housing.
Install a new RO membrane in the RO membrane housing.
Reconnect the tubes to the RO membrane housing.
Position the RO membrane housing and the inline carbon filter back in the clips.
This fourth part of the seven part series rinses the bleach water out of the RO filter system through the RO faucet, through the ice line to the refrigerator and through the drain line from the membrane housing. The bleach must be rinsed away to eliminate the taste and smell of bleach.
The RO filter system used in this demonstration is a 5-stage system which uses a thin film RO membrane. Bleach is destructive to thin film RO membranes and must be rinsed from the RO system before putting a new RO membrane in the RO membrane housing.
This fourth part of the seven part series completes the sanitation of the RO filter system and the ice line to the refrigerator.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Turn on the ball valve at the refrigerator end of the ice line and drain all of the bleach water out of the storage tank.
Turn on the storage tank ball valve, turn off the RO faucet, and turn off the ball valve at the refrigerator end of the ice line.
Turn on the feed water supply valve to the RO filter.
Fill the storage tank with fresh water.
Turn on the RO faucet.
Turn on the ball valve at the refrigerator end of the ice line.
Run water through the RO faucet and the ball valve at the end of the refrigerator until the storage tank is about half full.
When the storage tank is about half full, turn off the feed water supply valve to the RO filter and finish draining the storage tank through the RO faucet and the ice line.
This third part of the seven part series sanitizes the storage tank for 10 minutes and then sanitizes the ice line to the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Sanitizing the storage tank and ice line is often not done because they are both located after the RO membrane. It is assumed that contamination of the system could not progress beyond the RO membrane. A faulty water seal or an imperfection (hole) in the RO membrane could allow contamination into the storage tank and into the ice line to the refrigerator. Contamination is much less likely if the membrane is replaced within eighteen months. The RO membrane water seals will remain soft and pliable for eighteen months preventing any leakage and the RO membrane should not develop any holes in the first eighteen months.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Turn on the storage tank ball valve.
Turn on the feed water supply valve to the RO filter.
Wait for the storage tank to fill with bleach water.
After the storage tank has filled with bleach water, turn off the storage tank ball valve.
Turn off the feed water supply valve to the RO filter.
Allow the bleach to disinfect for 10 minutes.
Disconnect the ice line from the back of the refrigerator.
Connect an inline ball valve to the refrigerator end of the ice line.
Turn off the inline ball valve.
Turn on the storage tank ball valve.
Turn on the inline ball valve at the refrigerator end of the ice line.
Run water into a bucket until bleach is smelled, then turn off the inline ball valve.
This second part of the seven part series sanitizes the filter housings, the drain tube, the faucet tube and the faucet. This is the first section of the RO filter system that will be sanitized. The second section to be sanitized will be the storage tank. The third section to be sanitized will be the ice line.
To sanitize this first section the bleach will be allowed to soak inside the filter housings, the drain tube, the faucet tube and the faucet for 10 minutes.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Replace the cap on the RO membrane housing and reconnect the tubes.
Open the filter housings and remove and discard the filters.
Pour 2 tablespoons of bleach into each of the filter housings.
Screw the filter housing back on the filter housing caps.
Turn off the storage tank ball valve.
Turn on RO faucet.
Turn on feed water supply valve until water flows out of the RO faucet, then turn off the RO faucet.
The cleaning and disinfecting of a reverse osmosis drinking water filter should be done each time the RO membrane is changed. Bacteria and many other pollutants will be introduced to the reverse osmosis filter from ordinary municipal water systems and residential water pipes. While the RO membrane physically screens out and removes many micro organisms in the water, including pathogenic bacteria, RO membrane imperfections or faulty water seals could allow bacteria passage through the membrane stage. To prevent contamination of the final product water, RO membranes should be changed every eighteen months.
The sediment filter and carbon filters should be changed each time the RO membrane is changed. Common practice is to change the sediment filter and carbon filters more often than the RO membrane and to stretch out the life of the RO membrane because it is more expensive than the other filters. Most often RO membranes are only changed after the water starts tasting bad. This is not encouraged. Changing all of the filters and the RO membrane and disinfecting the complete RO filter system and ice line every eighteen months will provide quality drinking water.
Bleach is recommended to disinfect the system because it is a common household item. Hydrogen peroxide is another excellent disinfecting agent.
This first part of the seven part series begins the sanitation routine of the reverse osmosis filter and the ice line to the refrigerator. All of the tubes, housings and parts will be sanitized with bleach. Upon completion of this sanitation routine the entire RO system and the ice line will be disinfected.
RO filter disinfection instructions:
Place the storage tank on the kitchen floor and note how heavy the storage tank feels when full of water.
Turn on the RO faucet to empty the storage tank.
Turn off the feed water supply valve to the reverse osmosis filter.
Place the bracket with filter housings on the kitchen floor.
Bypass the inline carbon filter with a branch tee.
Open the membrane housing and remove and discard the RO membrane.
