Investing your time and money into purchasing a water filtration system for your industrial needs is a big commitment. Like any other vital piece of machinery utilized within an industrial process, you want to ensure your water filtration system continues to operate at peak efficiency throughout the system’s life. But understanding how (and when) to maintain your filtration system can be easier said than done.
What Makes Servicing Your Industrial Water Filtration System Important?
There are several reasons why you’ll want to keep your industrial water filtration system up to date in terms of service and maintenance. One of the most important reasons is to keep your water supply safe. Whether you’re working in pharmaceutical, food and beverage, or other industrial sectors, maintaining worker and consumer safety is always of the utmost importance. Properly maintaining your water supply is one simple way to keep both the people working for your company and customers safe and happy.
Another reason you want to keep your system regularly maintained is that having to deal with unexpected downtime on top of paying for the completion of repairs out of the blue can quickly add up. The last thing any business owner wants is to encounter problems with their equipment at the wrong time; when you have a large order or many customers are relying on you to deliver their products on time, having to leave those customers hanging unexpectedly can leave a bad taste in their mouths. Regular maintenance of your system is one of the most crucial steps you can take to prevent unplanned downtime and save your business money.
By keeping your industrial water filtration system maintained, you maintain the efficiency of that piece of equipment. Additionally, because your system doesn’t need to work as hard to meet the requirements of your application, you save on energy costs that can otherwise add up. While additional energy expenditures can be difficult to detect, they can have a huge overall impact on a business within a fiscal year.
Preventative Maintenance is Key
One of the easiest ways to ensure your system continues to run efficiently is through regular preventative maintenance practices. You’ve probably heard throughout your life that it’s better to be proactive than it is to be reactive. The same principle applies to maintenance on your industrial filtration system. Preventative maintenance helps you keep up with the service of your machine, makes maintenance a routine, and often clues you into issues with your equipment before they become something more serious that may impact your business.
Taking care of potential issues before they arise ensures your machinery operates properly and provides peace of mind that you’ve done your due diligence to keep your system running as it should. Think of preventative maintenance as a vitamin for your industrial water filtration system. Instead of waiting for your system to become ‘sick’, you’re providing it with all the things it needs to stay healthy and function properly. While sometimes preventative maintenance tasks can seem like overkill – after all, at the end of a long day it may not seem worth it to ensure all of your valves are closing as tightly as they should be – but the positive impact on your equipment and your system as a whole is typically reward enough to continue to perform these preventative tasks.
How Often Should You Service an Industrial Water Filtration System?
The frequency of servicing your industrial water filtration system depends on several factors, particularly the type of filtration you’re using.
- Reverse Osmosis Systems: This type of filtration system utilizes a number of filters, including a reverse osmosis membrane, to purify water. Some systems can have more than three filters, each responsible for a different function. While the specifics regarding the replacement of these filters may change slightly, a good rule of thumb is to change them at least once a year. The membrane filter will also need to be changed, although these filters are most commonly replaced every 36 months.
- Ultraviolet Systems: UV systems utilize UV rays to eliminate microorganisms present in water, eliminating the need for chemical treatment. After a significant amount of use, the bulb and sleeve of the filtration system can become coated with sediment, reducing the efficiency of the filtration system. Bulbs for this type of system need to be replaced annually, and sleeves should be cleaned regularly before replacement every 24 months.
- Sediment filters: A fairly rudimentary type of filtration, sedimentation filtration is often the first type of filtration system water encounters in an industrial setting. Depending on the load the sedimentary filters used are dealing with, expect to need to replace filters every 6-12 months.
- Ultrafiltration and nanofiltration systems: For both types of filtration, regular maintenance is crucial. Preventative maintenance and cleaning practices help extend the life of filter membranes, keeping them from requiring replacement for longer periods.
ESA for Your Water Filtration System Needs
The professionals at Engineering Sales Associates are here to help you develop and stick to a preventative maintenance schedule when it comes to your industrial filtration equipment. If you have any questions or need help determining the right type of maintenance for your industrial filtration system, please contact ESA today.