How Do Fridge Filters Work?

How Do Fridge Filters Work?

A refrigerator water filter works to remove impurities from your water by adsorbing and trapping contaminants before they flow through the water dispenser or into the ice maker, giving you crisp, clean drinking water. There are several different levels of filtration your filter can offer depending on a few key factors that we will touch on below.

What Does a Fridge Filter Do?

Refrigerator water filters are effective at reducing a multitude of contaminants including unappealing chlorine taste and odor. This is achieved through the use of a carbon block media, which is a material that has a large amount of micro-pores across its surface, allowing it to effectively adsorb and trap contaminants as the water passes through it. We will further explain the different types of carbon media below.

What is an Activated Carbon Block?

Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal, is a type of processed carbon that has many different industrial uses, including but not limited to water filtration. There are as many as 150 different types of activated carbon, which can be derived from materials such as coal, wood, coconut shells, and more. We will explain more about different common types of activated carbon blocks as well as what their purpose is for water filtration.

What is Coconut Carbon?

Coconut activated carbon is a type of carbon media derived from coconut shells and has up to 50% more micropores across its surface than regular coal which is only 50-80% carbon. This makes coconut carbon an efficient option for removing contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from your drinking water, as well as for removing foul chlorine taste and odors. It should be noted that the chemical composition of coconut carbon is different from that of actual coconuts, therefore coconut allergies should not be an issue, though this is not medical advice, and anyone with a coconut allergy should always consult with your primary care physician beforehand.

What is Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC)?

Granulated activated carbon is commonly used for removing organic compounds and residual disinfectants in water supplies through the use of containers that hold particles of GAC. This type of carbon is cheap and mostly effective at removing contaminants, though it can have some issues with water passing through the filter and bypassing some of the loose carbon particles, making it a less optimal filtration solution. Another reason why GAC might not be the right choice for your home is because bacteria can get trapped inside the filter and continue to grow if left for long periods of time.

Which Works Best?

Solid activated carbon block filters (such as coconut carbon) are typically seen as the optimal filtration media for refrigerator filters because of how reliable they are at removing contaminants. Some can filter out as many as 66 different contaminants including pharmaceuticals, waterborne parasites, lead and mercury, pesticides, asbestos and industrial chemicals. All Tier1 Fridge Filters use an activated carbon block derived from coconut to remove unwanted contaminants from your drinking water such as chlorine taste and odor, rust, and sand & sediment.

What Do the NSF/ANSI Ratings Mean?

The NSF/ANSI ratings are certifications provided by the National Sanitation Foundation and the American National Standards Institute to indicate a proven level of filtration. Knowing what these standards mean can give you a quick idea of the filtration capabilities of any given filter with certain ratings. Some common fridge filter ratings include:

NSF/ANSI Standard 42

Able to reduce or remove aesthetic contaminants, including chlorine taste and odor and sediments.

NSF/ANSI Standard 372

Ensures the filter is built with lead-free materials.

NSF/ANSI Standard 53

Can remove or reduce contaminants that are known to cause health effects, such as lead, mercury, bacteria, etc. Tier1 Plus fridge filters are NSF 53 Certified to reduce lead and mercury, as well as volatile organic compounds.

NSF/ANSI Standard 401

Can remove or reduce up to 15 different emerging compounds, including pesticides, detergents, and pharmaceuticals.

How to Find a Fridge Filter

It is important to check local municipal water reports to determine which contaminants are in your drinking water. This will go a long way in helping you pick the right fridge filter for your home so that you can no longer worry about impurities in the water that you drink. There are many different refrigerator water filters depending on your filtration needs, as well as the brand and model of your fridge, which is why we recommend the Fridge Filter Finder to make choosing your new filter a painless process.