A common question people have before buying a Berkey is, “How long do the filters last?” This page will answer that question. We sell many Stainless Steel Black Berkey water filter elements and Royal Berkey systems. Here are some guidelines for you to consider when evaluating your situation to figure out how quickly you would need to change your black Berkey filter elements or whole systems over time…and what size system would be best for you. The average person needs about 2 gallons per day for drinking and cooking. 18K gallon Berkeys can treat an unlimited amount of water! That means if they changed their 3 Black Berkeys every 18 years, those filters would have treated 1,095,120 gallons each! The following suggestions are relative to the average family of 4.
Small Family (1-2 People) – 2 Black Berkey Elements on an 11.75″ Diameter System Keep in mind that you can always stack more than one set of black Berkey elements together on a single system if you are using it for more people or higher amounts of water at once…essentially doubling the capacity while halving the frequency of filter changes for both sets.
Thin Man’s Guide: Replace your filters every 3 months Medium Man’s Guide: Replace your filters every 6 months Thick Man’s Guide: Replace your filters every 12 months
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How Long Do Black Berkey Purification Elements Last?
How long do Berkey filters last? Unlike some makers, Berkey doesn’t hide its filter lifespan information in the tiny print because the Black Berkey components have longevity to brag about.
For up to 3,000 gallons, each Berkey component is tested and shown to reduce pollutants effectively. To run a Berkey system, you’ll need at least 2 Black Berkey filters for a total of 6,000 gallons. Considering we should aim to consume half a gallon of water each day, it’s easy to see why the filter pieces in the Berkey system are some of the finest if you’re searching for filters that seldom require replacement after you’ve purchased the initial pair.
For example, let’s assume that you have a 2-filter Berkey, such as the Big Berkey. Imagine that your entire family uses the same water from the Berkey for drinking, cooking, watering plants, feeding pets, and so on. In this scenario, the Black Berkey filter components would last more than 3 years if you filled and utilized the system every day. If you have a smaller household and use less water daily, your water filters may survive even longer.
How Long Do Berkey Fluoride Filters Last?
When it comes to lifespan, the PF 2 fluoride filters from Berkey aren’t quite as good as the Black Berkey filter, but they are still quite reliable.
The filters should last a year for 1,000 gallons or a year for 1,000 gallons, whichever comes first. The fluoride filter should be replaced every year if you live in an area with high fluoride levels in the drinking water. To figure out how many gallons of water pass through your system each day, make a note of how many times you have to refill it each day. To determine how many weeks there are before your fluoride water filter needs to be changed, divide this number by 1,000.
It might sound complex, but you can estimate that it will take a year until you need to replace your fluoride filter. If your flow starts to slow down before the year is up, buy a new one when you need to fix the problem.
How to Extend the Lifespan of a Berkey Water Filter?
There are several hacks and methods for extending the life of your Berkey water filters, the simplest of which is to clean the filters.
The instructions for cleaning the Black Berkey water filters at Berkey are available. You can clean the filters in your sink or a pail of purified water with a low-cost Scotch Brite pad or similar. It is suggested that you clean the filters every six months, at least once every 12 months, or once per year to maintain them functioning properly. This helps eliminate any sediment or debris from the filter and guarantees enough flow rate.
Also, before adding a pair of new, replaced components to the system, please flush and prime these replacement filters on the day you buy them. Flushing and priming the filters will prepare them for usage. This is a quick procedure that can aid in ensuring that using the elements is as safe and effective as feasible.
The Black Berkey purification component is designed to remove or reduce a wide range of pollutants, including germs and viruses while decreasing water hardness. While the Black Berkey purification element is meant to eliminate or reduce various contaminants, including bacteria and viruses, you should always try to use the cleanest water source possible in your purification system to avoid clogging.
If you’re using lake or pond water in the system, run it through cloth as a pre-filter before adding it to the top chamber to prevent the filters from having to work too hard. This will reduce the strain on the filters and extend their life expectancy.
For sanitary reasons, not just for the health of your tap water, don’t leave filtered water in the stainless steel lower chamber for more than three days. If you are away from home for an extended period, empty your water purification unit before leaving.
How Will I Know Its Time to Replace My Berkey Filters?
When the Berkey water filtering components are operating at a lower rate than they should, it’s an indication that they need to be changed. When your filtration system takes longer to filter water, it’s usually due to one or both of your clogged filters needing washing or replacing.
A more effective method of determining whether you need to install new water filters is to use the food coloring test. Put some red food coloring in the top chamber of your system and allow gravity to do its magic.
The water that’ll go into the bottom chamber should be completely filtered, free of any color, and clear, following this technique if you find that your water still has a red or pinkish tint after using two Berkey gravity filters. Suppose they aren’t operating at a high enough level of quality or are only removing part of the red dye while leaving other contaminants behind.
Aside from a sluggish flow rate, it’s not easy to tell when the Berkey PF-2 components should be replaced, and there isn’t a test or procedure you can use to determine filter life. That is why I recommend keeping track of the date you installed your filters and how much water you regularly consume to understand better when your filters need replacing.
It would help if you replaced your filters as needed to ensure they continue to remove fluoride, chlorine, arsenic, heavy metals like lead, and hundreds of other health-threatening contaminants from your water for the sake of your health. If you’re ever in doubt, I recommend following Berkey’s customer advice and replacing the pair of Black Berkey elements every 3,000 gallons and the fluoride filters every 1,000 gallons.