Longevity logo

RO Cleaning Frequency: When Should RO Membrane Be Cleaned?

Although all of these larger issues are a huge problem, the issue of pollutants has actually permeated into even the smallest parts of our daily lives, like the water we drink.

By Carlos FoxPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
Like
RO Cleaning Frequency: When Should RO Membrane Be Cleaned?
Photo by mrjn Photography on Unsplash

What images does your mind conjure when you think of pollution? Large smoke clouds from power plants, greenhouse gases, maybe even melting ice caps or an Amazon rainforest on fire. Although all of these larger issues are a huge problem, the issue of pollutants has actually permeated into even the smallest parts of our daily lives, like the water we drink. This is where reverse osmosis (RO) can come into play: it can remove the harmful contaminants and ensure clean, crisp water for drinking.

What is RO and why is it important?

In short, RO is a water purification process where the solvent (water) passes through a porous membrane to separate out deposits and other foulants that may otherwise be consumed from unfiltered water. By forcing the water through a membrane surface, you can effectively remove pollutants without the use of cleaning chemicals. It's a more organic way of ensuring clean drinking water.

Now you may be asking yourself, "Why would I need to clean my water? Is tap water not good enough?" The answer to that depends on where you live. According to information shared by Insider and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 187 countries in this world where tap water should be avoided if possible. Having access to RO water could ensure safe drinking for you. With RO membrane cleaning, you can rely on the filtration system to remove foulants and maintain a high ph cleaning.

What types of RO are there?

Believe it or not, there are different approaches to RO. One that has a high level of success is deionization, a process though which minerals, contaminants and other foulants in water are exchanged with hydrogen and hydroxyl. Through this chemical process, an ion exchange is utilized to swap out the contaminants, before it recombines to form water again. Similar to distilled water, this process of water filtration and cleaning can produce extremely pure water.

If you're interested in installing an RO system in your home to make purer water through foulant removal, deionization would be a great way to start!

How often should you clean your RO membrane?

Now that you've got your RO system all set up, you should know how and when to clean the RO membrane. The RO membrane and system will eventually need to be cleaned to ensure that it can still function properly and purify your water. If you notice a significant decrease in normalized permeate flow, normalized permeate quality, or normalized pressure drop (these are measured between the feed and concentrate headers) you'll know that it's time to give your membrane a good cleaning. A periodic cleaning of your membrane with a safe cleaning agent will make sure that whatever type of fouling you're dealing with can be handled and your water will stay clean.

According to Hydranautics, if you're ever uncertain, a rough estimate of how often you should clean your RO membrane is about every three to 12 months. Some common particles and foulants that you may find in your cleaning include: calcium carbonate scale, sulfate scale of calcium, barium or strontium, metal oxides of iron, manganese, and aluminum, silica scale, colloidal deposits, organic material of natural origin or man-made origin, and bio-slime, mold, or fungi.

This may feel intimidating, but there are plenty of companies and contractors with years of experience in standard cleanings for RO membranes and systems. If you're feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of cleaning your RO system, you can check out a local contractor's hours of operation and schedule a cleaning.

RO is, ultimately, a great way to ensure you're getting the cleanest possible water. It'll collect the pollutants and minerals that could get you sick as well as improve the overall ph of your drinking water.

advice
Like

About the Creator

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.