Maintaining Your Berkey for Better Health
Owning a Berkey water filtration system brings peace of mind and health benefits to many families. However, to ensure that your Berkey continues to provide pure and fresh water day after day, regular maintenance and proper storage are essential. At Aqua Health Products, we understand the importance of keeping your filtration system in perfect working condition.
That’s why we are committed to offering you practical tips and solutions for maintaining and storing your Berkey.
How to Clean Your Berkey
Cleaning your Berkey is much simpler than it seems! Follow these basic tips and enjoy a clean and efficient water filter:
Clean the lower reservoir of your Berkey once a month with water and dish soap, or more often if you feel the need.
Clean your Black Berkey elements as needed when you notice a slowdown in the system’s flow. Remove the elements by unscrewing the nuts, scrub the outside of the elements under running water using a scrub pad or nylon brush. After cleaning, re-prime the elements to expel air from the micropores before reassembling the system.
NEVER use dish soap or any other product to clean the elements.
In areas with hard water, limescale deposits may accumulate in the reservoirs or the spigot. To dissolve the limescale, soak the affected areas in vinegar or a 50-50 vinegar-water solution for about 15 minutes. Remove the softened limescale with a sponge or soft brush and rinse with soapy water.
NEVER soak the Black Berkey elements in vinegar or any other cleaning product. Clean the surface by scrubbing under the clearest running water possible with a nylon scrub pad or nylon brush.
Replace PF-2 fluoride filters once every 3,800 liters (1,000 gallons) or at least once a year.
The standard spigot and the spigot with a water level indicator can be disassembled for cleaning. The spigot has a cap on the top, just below the lever for dispensing water. Unscrew the cap and remove it with the lever. Rinse the various parts in water, brush with a toothbrush, and reassemble the spigot. Although the cleaning process for the spigot is simple, be meticulous when reassembling the spigot to avoid damaging it.
How to Store Your Berkey System
It is important to take care when storing your Berkey system according to the manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure easy and quick access to pure and sanitary water when you need it.
For short-term storage (2 to 4 weeks), remove the Black Berkey elements from the upper reservoir, shake them over a sink with the stem facing down to remove as much water as possible, then place them in the refrigerator in a bag or airtight container.
This allows the elements to remain saturated with water so they won’t need to be re-primed. If the elements flow more slowly than usual when the system is restarted, simply re-prime them until the surface of the element is completely covered with water droplets (see the “Priming Black Berkey Elements” section above).
For longer-term storage, it’s essential to completely dry the Black Berkey elements before storing them. Like any other object, if the elements are still damp when stored, this could lead to the growth of mold or bacteria inside the filters, rendering them unusable.
Shake the filters to remove as much water as possible, then place them on a windowsill in direct sunlight for 1-2 weeks to let them air dry. Turn them occasionally to ensure all sides dry evenly. If you don’t have access to direct sunlight, place the filters in a warm, well-ventilated area and let them dry for a longer period.
Once the filters are completely dry, place them in a bag or airtight container to protect them from dust and ambient moisture, and store them in an accessible location for easy access during an emergency or your next trip.
NOTE: Dried Black Berkey elements will need to be re-primed before being put back into use.
How to Test Your Berkey
Your Berkey® system is powerful enough to remove red food coloring from water. This unique feature allows you to test your system to ensure it is functioning correctly.
Fill the upper reservoir with water.
Add one teaspoon of red food coloring for every 4 liters (1 gallon) of water. If the red food coloring is completely removed from the treated water in the lower reservoir, your purification system is working properly.
When Should You Perform the Red Food Coloring Test?
When initially assembling your Berkey® system.
Periodically, to ensure the system is functioning properly.
When restarting a stored Berkey.
Before traveling with your Berkey.
Can I Use Something Other Than Red Food Coloring to Test My Berkey?
RED is the only color of food coloring that doesn’t contain minerals. Since Black Berkey elements allow minerals to pass through, other colors of food coloring will pass through the filters and won’t indicate whether the filters are working correctly.
Similarly, other substances (like beets, chlorophyll, etc.) should not be used to test the effectiveness of a Berkey, as they also contain minerals that will pass through the filters. Additionally, putting anything other than water in the Black Berkey elements can reduce their lifespan.
Do not use anything other than water (and red food coloring for testing) in your Berkey. If you want to add minerals or other supplements to your Berkey water, add them to the treated water you collect from the system’s spigot.
Instructions for the Red Food Coloring Test
