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Berkey Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Berkey purifier compare to other water filters on the market ?

Berkey does excellent in independent head to head water filter comparison reviews.

Which size Berkey water  filter system do I need and how many Berkey filters do I need in my system ?

How do I know when it is time to replace the Black Berkey filters in my system?

The manufacturer suggests 2 methods. The first method is:

1. Multiply the number of Black Berkey filters in your system by 3,000 gallons to get Total Life in gallons for all filter elements within the system.
2. Next keep track of how many gallons of water you normally use in one day this is Total Use.
3. Then divide the Total Life by the Total Use. This will be the approximate number of days your filter elements will last before they need replacement.
4. Next, calculate the future date for replacement. Write that date on a sticker and attach it to the bottom of your system for future reference.

Example: If you had a family of 4 and each person drinks 1/2 gallon of water a day you would use 2 gallons a day. A two filter system lasts 6000 gallons. Divide 6000 by 2. This gives you 3000. Thats 3000 days before you would need to replace your filters. 3000 divided by 365 days a year would be 8.2 years filter life!

Your Black Berkey filter elements will never stop working; the filtration rate just slows down. This brings us to the second method. If after cleaning your elements they do not filter any faster; it is time to replace them.

We are on well water. Do we need to add the PF-2 filter elements?

No. The PF-2 fluoride reduction elements should only be used if: ...you are on city water...you have confirmed with your city that they are adding fluoride to the water...you want to remove the fluoride. The PF-2 elements are not needed if you are on spring water.

What are the basic differences between the Berkey Light and the stainless steel systems?

The Berkey Light model is designed for outdoor use therefore it is about three pounds lighter in weight than the equivalent capacity of our stainless steel system. This is the only difference, all Berkey models produce the same high quality purified water. The Travel Berkey system is also designed for outdoor use and is the smallest of the stainless steel systems. It is compact enough to fit inside a suitcase, because unlike the Berkey Light system, the upper chamber nests within the lower chamber during travel. This is the preferred system when mobility is a big issue.

The four multi use filter systems are designed for indoor everyday use so they are heavier and larger than the above systems but these systems can also be used outdoors or during unexpected emergencies when a source of potable water may not be available.

I have been using my system for about 6 months and the flow rate has slowed down considerably. Do I need to replace the elements?

No. Unlike other filtration elements, the Black Berkey element are re-cleanable. What typically causes the filters to drip slowly is turbidity and sediment clogging the micro-pores of the elements. Simply remove the elements from your system, and clean the Black Berkey element by scrubing the exterior of each element under running water with a green scrub pad (3M or ScotchBrite brand, etc.) or stiff toothbrush. It’s simple to do and takes less than a minute per element.

Many news stations have reported that pharmaceuticals have been found in the water of many cities in the U.S. Do the Black Berkey elements remove drugs from the water?

There are simply too many varieties of pharmaceuticals that could end up in drinking water. By too many I mean it is impossible to test for them all. However, we do know from testing, that the purification process used by the Black Berkey elements remove more pollutants than any other system available on the market today.

I just started using my Berkey purifier system but it is hardly filtering any water at all. Am I doing something wrong?

Typically the problem you are experiencing is due to high water tension, which prevents the air from purging from the micro pores of the new filtering elements. Included with your Black Berkey elements is a priming button and priming instructions. Take out the Black Berkey elements, prime, and re-install.

Is there a way to test my Berkey purifier system to make sure it is working properly?

Yes. You can test the Black Berkey filter elements by filling the upper chamber with water, and then adding a teaspoon of red food coloring for every gallon of water within your upper chamber. If the food coloring is removed entirely, your system is working properly. If not, make sure the wing nuts on the elements are securely tightened then re-run the test.

I just purchased a Berkey system but didn't receive a priming button with my Black Berkey elements. Instead, I think I received an extra black washer in the box. The instructions say to use the tan colored priming button. What gives?

Please check in the box which held your Black Berkey elements. The box should contain two elements. Attached to each element should be a black rubber washer and a wing nut. Also in the box, should be what could look like another single black rubber washer. This is your priming button. It is thicker than the washers and the center hole is smaller. This black priming button can easily be confused with a washer (we asked the manufacturer to change the color of the priming button back to tan).

Do the PF-2 elements replace the Black Berkey elements?

No. The Black Berkey filter elements and the PF-2 elements are used together at the same time. The top of the PF-2 elements screw onto the bottom of the Black Berkey elements (similar to installing a light bulb). The water flows through the Black Berkey elements, then the PF-2 elements. "PF" in PF-2 stands for Post Filter.

I installed my PF-2 elements but my water is a bit cloudy, and why does it have a bad taste?

Insufficient conditioning (priming) may result in an undesirable taste and/or cloudiness in the water. The odd taste is from process dust that may not have been washed free from the elements during the conditioning process. Please remove the PF-2 elements and prime them again for no less than 60 seconds (longer may be needed) on both ends. This should expel any residual process dust and fix the problem.

Can I filter sea (salt) water through my Berkey system?

No. The concentration of salt in sea water will more than likely ruin the elements fairly quickly.

I have a water softener installed in our house, can I filter that water through my Berkey?

Some people do, but we do not recommend it. It is best if you put water in your Berkey that has not gone through your water softener (the excess salt will likely shorten the life of the elements).

In case of an emergency, can I take water from our pool and filter it with my Berkey system? Will all the chlorine be removed?

Yes. The Berkeys can make chlorinated pool water safe for consumption. However, keep in mind that such a use will cause the elements to wear faster. So, you should only do so in case of emergency.

Which of the three methods of water filtration, reverse osmosis, distillation or Berkey purification is the healthiest for drinking purposes?

With respect to the healthfulness of the water, most health experts that are up to date on current research are no longer recommending drinking RO or distilled water on a long-term basis because these methods remove all the beneficial minerals from the water making the water an acidic "hypotonic" solution. A chemist will tell you that any time a hypotonic (de-mineralized) solution comes into contact with a "hypertonic" (mineralized) solution, the minerals within the hypertonic solution will transfer out and into the hypotonic solution until equilibrium is achieved. What this means is simply that when one drinks hypotonic water, the minerals in the blood and lymphatic system, which are hypertonic, transfer into the hypotonic RO or distilled water that is consumed and the minerals are flushed out of the body upon urination.

In an effort to re-mineralize, the blood and lymphatic systems then begin to scavenge for minerals from other parts of the body, such as bones and other organs, and this process repeats itself every time de-mineralized hypotonic water is re-consumed. Several studies suggest that people who drink de-mineralized water (hypotonic) over a long period of time tend to be more prone to degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis.

Berkey purification systems do not remove the beneficial minerals from the water but they do extract harmful heavy metals such as lead and mercury as well as sedimentary minerals such as iron oxide. Therefore, the TDS (total dissolved solids) reading will not typically change much unless there are a lot of heavy metals or sedimentary minerals in the source water.

With respect to maintenance, how does reverse osmosis, distillation and Berkey purifier systems compare?

All Berkey models are easy to disassemble and clean. The lower chamber should be cleaned by hand in dishwater occasionally. The Black Berkey elements may need to be cleaned typically after 6-12 months of use.

Distillation systems remove minerals from the drinking water. These minerals build up on the surface of the comtainer and need to be soaked and cleaned with vinegar solution to remove the scale.

Reverse osmosis systems can have up to four filter elements, with each needing to be changed at differing intervals from four months up to two years. This requires that the water pressure be shut off and part or all of the system to be disassembled for maintenance. Additionally, the bladder tank should be washed with a chlorine solution at six-month intervals to kill any colonizing bacteria.

What is the pathological removal capability of a reverse osmosis system vs. the Berkeys?

Reverse Osmosis does not remove pathogenic bacteria and that is why it is often necessary to add an additional UV light to the system. However, the UV sometimes does not kill all the bacteria because any turbidity in the water can create shaded spots preventing some bacteria from being exposed. Typically, the UV is installed before the bladder tank; however it is in the bladder tank that bacteria usually colonize. Therefore, if the bladder tank is not sterilized on a regular basis, it becomes a source for bacteriological contamination that is never exposed to UV. Additionally, the carcasses of the dead bacteria remain within the drinking water with an RO system whereas they are removed by the Black Berkey elements.

With respect to cost, how does reverse osmosis, distillation and Berkey systems compare?

With respect to upfront cost, RO systems typically are the most expensive due to the cost of the system and the additional expense to have the system plumbed in. Next in cost would be a distillation unit. A Berkey system will typically be the least expensive of the three.

With respect to cost per gallon of water, calculated upon the cost per gallon for replacement filters and energy costs, distillation systems and RO systems properly maintained typically cost between 35-65 cents per gallon. A Berkey system typically costs about 1.6 cents per gallon.

What is the difference between the Black Berkey purification elements and the white Ceramic filters?

Let me start by giving you brief history about Berkey. Berkey is the original North American distributor for British Berkefeld, a company who makes the finest ceramic water filter available. These ceramic filters are excelent at removing harmful bacteria from sediment heavy, contaminated drinking water. It soon became clear to Berkey that a more powerful filter was needed, one that not only removed bacteria but was also in addition able to remove chemicals, viruses, heavy metals fertilizers and a long list of additional contaminants from your drinking water. After many years of research Berkey developed the Black Berkey purification element. This filter gives you all of the benifits of the ceramic filter with the added abilities mentioned above. Black Berkey purification element signifigantly raised the bar to a level that no other gravity flow water filters are curently able to attain.

What is the difference between a water filter and a water purifier.