What It Means
A fridge water filter is the cartridge that cleans the water going to a refrigerator's dispenser and ice maker. Whirlpool says it should usually be replaced about every six months, and many refrigerators track the filter's life and turn on an indicator light when it's due. LG says the light on its models typically changes at about the six-month mark.
Try It: Is Your Fridge Filter Due?
Slide to how many months ago you last changed the filter. Six months is the usual interval Whirlpool and LG give; your manual has the final word.
Not due yet
Due next month
Time to change it
How It Sounds at Home
- "The filter light on the fridge is red again."
- "The water dispenser is so slow now."
- "Which filter does our fridge take?"
The Breakdown
How often, per the makers
| Sign | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| About six months since the last change | Usually time to replace it | Whirlpool, LG |
| Indicator light on or changed color | The filter is near the end of its life | Whirlpool, LG |
| Water dispenses noticeably slower | The filter is clogging up | The makers' filter guides |
Make it last between changes
- Write the date on the new filter or in your calendar when you put it in.
- Flush the new filter before you drink from it, running water through the dispenser for the amount your manual gives, since it differs by maker.
- Reset the indicator light the way your manual shows, so it counts from the new filter.
- Use the filter your fridge's maker lists, or one certified for your model. NSF warns that a look-alike cartridge can leave a gap that lets water flow around the filter.
Short version to try today. Check the date on the filter now in your fridge, or the indicator light, and order a replacement if it's close to six months.
Good to Know
Models differ in where the filter sits, how it twists out, how much water to flush and how to reset the light, so check your model's manual or the maker's support site before you start. GE Appliances and Whirlpool each publish replacement guides for their own fridges. Buhata's own suggestion: if water drips or leaks after a filter change, stop using the dispenser, reread the manual's install steps, and call the maker's service line if it keeps leaking.
FAQ
How often should I change my fridge water filter?
About every six months, according to Whirlpool, and LG's indicator lights typically change at about the same point. Your model's manual may give a different interval.
How do I know my refrigerator filter needs changing?
The indicator light comes on or changes color, it has been about six months, or the dispenser has slowed down noticeably.
Do I need to flush a new fridge water filter?
Yes. The makers say to run water through a new filter before using it; the amount differs by model, so follow your manual.
Do It in Buhata
Maintenance and Vault
Add "Change the fridge water filter" to Maintenance in the Household X add-on on a six-month schedule, and keep the filter model number in Vault (Plus).
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Water filter replacement
Swapping a home water filter's cartridge on the maker's schedule or at its rated capacity, so it keeps reducing what it's certified to reduce.
- Fridge deep clean
A full clean of the refrigerator with the food and shelves out, the parts washed, and the inside cleaned and sanitized, beyond wiping up spills.
- Appliance lifespan
How many years a home appliance usually lasts before it needs replacing, from about 6 years for a compactor to 15 for a gas range in Consumer Reports' 2009 figures.
- Water softener
A home system that removes the calcium and magnesium that make water hard, usually by trading them for sodium in a tank of resin beads.
Sources
Whirlpool, "How Often Should You Change Your Refrigerator Water Filter?"; Whirlpool Product Help, "When to Change the Water Filter"; Whirlpool, "How to Replace Your Refrigerator Water Filter"; LG, "When to Change LG Refrigerator Water Filter"; GE Appliances, "Refrigerator: Replacing the Water Filter"; NSF, "Changing Water Filters"
- www.whirlpool.com/blog/kitchen/water-filters.html
- producthelp.whirlpool.com/Refrigeration/Water_Filter_Information/Installation_Support/When_to_Change_the_Water_Filter
- www.whirlpool.com/blog/kitchen/how-to-replace-refrigerator-water-filters.html
- www.lg.com/us/experience/when-to-change-lg-refrigerator-water-filter
- products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=21284
- www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/articles/changing-water-filters
Last updated .