Cleaning your water filter and unclogging your kitchen tap.

The water pressure from the kitchen tap is very low. Look at the picture on the right. Is it due to the mains' low pressure or is the rocket filter clogged? What else can cause the low pressure?

No need to call a plumber. The plumber will charge you RM60.00 (USD18.00) just for the transport fees. Check the faucet outlet filter and the central filter unit. This can be done quite easily by DIY.

Cleaning the water filter, the stainless steel rocket type, is not as easy as claimed by the vendor. The instructions for the back flush cleaning are simple and easy. You just have to turn a few lever valves. This goes well for the first two years of usage. Subsequent years however, do not produce the same effective results.

If you are using the kitchen tap with an outlet filter, you will encounter problems with water pressure. Sand, pebbles and carbon particles are trapped in the tap outlet filter, thereby reducing the water pressure. To rectify this problem, you can either replace the tap or dismantle the filter and clean it. It is very difficult to clean this tiny filter (see picture on the right).

This proved that the rocket filter itself has a defect. The water filter is supposed to filter all unwanted materials, yet sand and carbon from the filtering element can reach the kitchen. This is caused by the defective filter element separators in the filter unit. To overcome this problem, I have to install an additional ceramic carbon filter in the kitchen for drinking and cooking.

The irony is that I have spent more than a thousand ringgit installing the rocket filter to get rid of the mud and other particles but I still get sand and carbon elements in the filtered water. I am still looking for an “ideal and practical” filter.. Is there any in the market? Or can anyone invent one?

The sand and pebble filter element is supposed to be the best organic filter. But now, there are filters with pulp and ceramic elements in the market. However, I would not try another filter until it is proven to be practical!