What is the maintenance cost of a water purifier?

Given the sheer variety of water purifiers available today, it’s difficult to come up with an estimate of what it’ll cost to maintain a purifier. As a rule of thumb, however, the more complex the purifier system you’re using, the more expensive it will be to maintain. That said, the more complex ones generally use more processes for filtration, which will give you purer water.

RO or reverse osmosis water purifiers tend to be the most effective purifiers you’d use in a home environment. This system uses a pump to force water through a series of filters with pores small enough to catch even the smallest of impurities. It’s because these pores are that small that a pump is needed to force water through them.

ALSO READ: What impurities are removed by an RO water purifier?

Since RO purifiers also remove useful minerals and salts, there’s a system in place to reintroduce essential minerals and salts in a quantity fit for human consumption. All of the equipment used in these steps will wear out over time, and will need to be replaced at varying rates. Here’s a breakdown of some of the expenses you’re looking at for an RO filter:

Replacement filters

An RO filter primarily comprises a set of filters for removing sediment, chemicals, and microbes. These filters come in layers and include a sediment filter, carbon filter, and ultra-filtration filter at the final stage. Depending on the design of your purifier, you will either be able to replace these individually, or will have to replace them all as one unit. Manufacturers generally recommend replacing the UF filter once a year, and the carbon and other filters once or twice a year depending on design and the quality of water in your area. The filter kit generally costs Rs 1,000-3,000 per unit.

UV filter

RO filters also contain a UV filter element, which uses ultraviolet light to kill microbes such as bacteria, germs, and fungi. This system is generally very reliable and stable and will not need to be replaced often. When you do, the cost will not normally exceed Rs 1,000.

Other types of water purifiers such as UV purifiers or UF (ultrafiltration) water purifiers will cost about the same to service. UF filters cost between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000, and UV filters cost about Rs 1,000. Again, these purifiers are simpler than an RO purifier and so the overall maintenance cost will be lower.

Service charges

You can manually replace the filters yourself if you’re familiar with the process, but in case you need to call someone to inspect and maintain the system, there is likely to be a service charge associated with the process. RO filters might also need routine inspection to ensure that the pump is working properly and so are likely to cost more to service.

ALSO READ: Telltale signs your water purifier filters need to be changed

Water purifiers are quite reliable and need little oversight when in constant use. However, as with any mechanical or electronic device, regular maintenance is necessary to make sure that you can extract the most possible life from them. This is especially important in the case of water purifiers as not replacing the filters on time, for example, could lead to major health issues.