First, what is an O-ring? An O-ring is a doughnut, or torus shaped seal typically used to prevent the passing of air or fluid. O-rings are used to keep fluid or air IN or OUT of a defined space. This device helps to keep the water tight or air tight integrity of a filter housing or filter application. O-rings come in a wide variety of sizes and different types of materials; Types of Material
- Buna-N®
- Ethylene, Propylene
- Silicon Encapsulated with FEP, an FDA-approved material
- Silicone (Solid)
- Teflon® (Solid)
- Teflon® Encapsulated with FEP
- Viton® (Solid)
To extend the o-ring’s effectiveness there are some things you can do: Remove and inspect the o-ring at every filter change or every time the housing is opened, as well as applying the manufacturer’s approved lubricant. The protectant/gel, usually made of silicon is inexpensive and is easy to apply. If there are signs of any wear or improper form of the o-ring, the o-ring must be replaced immediately prior to restarting the filter system. 
The life of an o-ring varies based on how you take care of it and what it is made of. It is very important to your operation to make sure you have the proper o-ring for your filtration application. If you have any questions on changing out your o-rings or whether you are using the proper o-ring for your system, I invite you to submit a question below or call our team at 1-800-942-7873. Click here to ask us a question!
One of the most common questions we hear from our customers is in regards to how frequently a water filter cartridge should be changed. Whether it’s a standard sediment or carbon filter, every customer has one key priority in mind: How Long Will I Have Dependably Clean, Great Tasting Water? In other words, how can I be sure that my filter is still reducing the impurities that can impact the flavor of my water? Our standard answer: It depends. The frequency of filter changes depends upon your water quality and your water usage. For example, if there are a lot of sediment particulates in your water, then you will have to change your filters more frequently than someone with little to no sediment. If you are a large restaurant consuming large amounts of water a minute or a hospital with large ice machines, then your usage will demand more frequent filter changes. Having said that, we suggest replacement schedules that are generally as follows: 
The most common Everpure Filtration System, mainly seen in the back of the house of restaurants should be changed every 6 months, or every 36,000 gallons. The 
For water filtration on ice machines, sometimes it can be difficult knowing when to change the filters, especially if you see no difference in the ice. But even if the ice is fine, deep inside the machine inches of scale can be forming and ruining your machine. That’s why it is important to keep a filter change out schedule. We recommend every 6 months or however many gallons are specified on the water filters. For the system pictured to the left, the 
Everpure’s CLM line meets all the filtration requirements for the Freestyle machine. It reduces chloramines, chlorine and other offensive contaminants that can adversely effect the taste and odor of the beverage. It’s sub-micron technology reduces dirt and particles 1/2 
This lovely family of water filter cartridges delivers premium quality drinking water for bottleless coolers and drinking fountains. Their unique filter blend uses activated carbon to reduce chlorine taste and odor and other offensive contaminants. Like most of 
More than one billion people around the world, most of them in developing nations, lack access to safe water. The result is that preventable waterborne diseases continue to be a leading cause of illness and death globally. Every day, approximately 25,000 people, mainly children in developing countries, die from preventable waterborne diseases, according to the World Health Organization. Pentair has been in search of a solution that not only brings safe water to communities in need, but also ensures that the solution is sustainable at the community level, taking into consideration the complex economic, cultural and geographical constraints that need to be addressed. The solution also needs to have validating methods and standard practices that can be replicated around the world. To accomplish this, the Pentair Foundation funded a multi-year research program in remote Colón, Honduras. The results of the five year program and the impact on the lives of the people in Colón have been profound. The results demonstrated that sustainable access to safe water and adequate sanitation can be provided cost-effectively, and that the health and welfare of the recipients can be significantly improved. Additionally, to ensure that safe treated water continues to be available beyond Pentair’s initial funding period, a microenterprise business model was established, where the local community owns the water treatment systems and users pay their communities a nominal fee for potable water. The individual user fee is established by the local community to cover the ongoing operation and maintenance of their system. Once installed, the system costs pennies per person per day to operate. Leveraging this success, Pentair is partnering around the world by putting its grants, technology and talent to work for communities in need of clean drinking water. By engaging community partners and equipping them with our extensive product portfolio and technical water distribution systems expertise, we are measurably improving water safety and sanitation worldwide. Understanding that everyone’s efforts add up to more effective answers, Pentair is leading through partnership to find a sustainable solution to the global water crisis. Pentair invites others to join in working toward a world where everyone has access to quality water supply. We are making our findings and models publicly available to other organizations and municipalities interested in replicating these cost-effective methods. By turning industry insights into collaborative proactive plans and on-the-ground tools, we are confident that even the most challenging issues can be solved when we unite around smart ideas. Reference: Pentair.com 
