Replace a refrigerator water filter every six months or when the indicator light comes on, whichever is first. Change it sooner if the dispenser slows to a trickle or the ice cubes shrink, which usually means it's clogging. Flush the new filter with 1 to 4 gallons, as its instructions say, before you drink the water.
Whirlpool recommends replacing its refrigerator filters about every six months. Your cartridge's own label beats any general rule, though. Some are rated by gallons as well as months, and you replace at whichever limit you reach first.
How do you know when the filter needs changing?#
Whirlpool's guide to when to change the filter gives three triggers: six months, the indicator light, or "as needed." The as-needed part is the one people miss. Here's what the symptoms usually mean.
| What you notice |
Likely cause |
What to do |
| Water dispenses slowly |
Filter clogging |
Replace it, even if it's under six months |
| Small ice cubes, less ice, slow ice maker |
Low water flow, often a clogged filter |
Replace the filter, then give the ice maker a day |
| Water tastes or smells like it did before you had a filter |
Filter is spent |
Replace it |
| Sputtering, cloudy water right after a new filter |
Air in the line |
Keep flushing |
| Small or hollow cubes right after a new filter |
Air in the line |
Keep flushing, discard the first batches of ice |
| No light, no symptoms, six months passed |
Normal wear |
Replace it |
If your home has a lot of sediment in the water, or your household drinks a lot of fridge water, expect to hit the slow-flow stage before six months.
Find the right replacement before you start#
Look at the number printed on the old cartridge and the model number on the label inside the fridge, and check both against the manufacturer's compatibility list. Cartridges that look nearly identical can have different fittings, and some won't seal in the wrong housing.
Off-brand filters are cheaper, and some are fine. Before you buy one, look for an independent certification listing that names the exact cartridge and what it's certified to reduce. A filter that only says "compatible with" tells you it fits, not what it removes.
Write the part number in your reminder. "Fridge filter, part number on the old cartridge" is a lot less useful on shopping day than the number itself.
How to replace a refrigerator water filter#
The exact release varies by model: push-button, quarter turn, pull-down door or a cartridge in the base grille. The overall steps are the same.
- Check the manual for whether you need to shut off the water supply first. Some models ask for it.
- Put a towel under the filter housing. A little water usually comes out.
- Release the old cartridge with the button, twist or latch your model uses. Don't force a stuck filter; recheck the manual.
- Take the protective caps off the new filter and make sure the O-rings are in place.
- Slide or twist the new filter in, in the direction shown, until it locks. On Whirlpool's push-in style, if it doesn't slide in easily, rotate it until the notches line up with the grooves.
- Flush it (next section).
- Check for drips around the housing, then reset the indicator light the way your manual describes, and note the date.
Resetting the light doesn't do anything to the filter. It only tells the fridge you've put a new one in. Reset it without changing the filter and you've just turned off the reminder.
How to flush a new refrigerator water filter#
Whirlpool's flushing instructions explain why this matters: flushing pushes out trapped air and the loose carbon dust left over from manufacturing. Skip it and you get sputtering, cloudy water and small or hollow ice cubes.
- Hold a large, sturdy container under the dispenser.
- Press the lever for 5 seconds, then release for 5 seconds. Expect spurting while air comes out.
- Keep going, 5 seconds on and 5 off, until the water flows steadily.
- Continue until you've dispensed the full amount for your filter. Whirlpool says this ranges from 1 to 4 gallons depending on the filter. Its everydrop Filter A needs 1 gallon; most of its other filters need 4.
- Empty the container whenever it fills. The flush water can go on houseplants.
Fridge without a dispenser? Whirlpool says to make and throw away three full containers of ice instead.
After flushing, give the fridge about 24 hours to chill the water again. Whirlpool also suggests dispensing some water weekly so it stays fresh.
What happens if you don't change it?#
Mostly, the water slows down, the ice maker struggles, and the filter stops doing the job it was sold for. Past its rated life a cartridge can't be counted on to reduce what its label says. It won't announce that. The water will look the same.
If the taste is still off after a new, properly flushed filter, the filter isn't the problem. Talk to your water supplier, or the fridge manufacturer if the water line itself might be at fault. And if you carry the water around in a bottle all day, make sure the bottle is clean too; here's how to clean a reusable water bottle.
Filter changes are a good time to wipe out the fridge and, every so often, look at the condenser coils. A ChoreLists.com reminder every six months with the part number in the notes covers the whole job.