Are you itching for a glass of water, but your dispenser only gives you a filmy drink that tastes a little funny? That might be a sign that you need to change your refrigerator’s water filter!
Lucky for you, changing your Frigidaire water filter is one of the breeziest tasks you’ll ever do and this guide will walk you through it. We also threw in a couple of tips so you can keep savoring quality refreshments.
So, grab that glass again — we’ll get you a cool drink in less than 10 minutes!
How to Change Frigidaire Water Filter
To replace your Frigidaire water filter:
- Step 1: Push the old water filter in place until you hear a click. If it has a knob, turn it counterclockwise.
- Step 2: Pull the old filter out and insert the new filter.
- Step 3: Prime the water through the new filter.
Replacing the water filter on your Frigidaire refrigerator is as easy as ABC — you won’t need special equipment for it, and it won’t even take five minutes!
As a standard, these water filters are placed in the upper right corner of the interior of your appliance — you won’t miss them! Though some models, specifically ones from Frigidaire’s Professional series, would have theirs in the grille at the base of the fridge.
If you’re having trouble locating the water filter in your fridge, you can always refer to your user manual as a guide.
You might also find that your water filter looks different than the typical push-push model, but it’s nothing to worry about. These filters vary depending on the fridge model you’re using, so some of them might have a knob mechanism instead.
No matter the type of filter you use, removing your old filter and installing a new one will follow the same three-step formula as above.
Tips When Changing Frigidaire Water Filter
An ApplianceGeeked guide isn’t complete without a couple of tips to make the most of this adjustment, so here are more dos and don’ts before, during, and after changing your Frigidaire water filter!
1. Double-check the type of filter your Frigidaire refrigerator model needs.
As previously mentioned, different types of Frigidaire refrigerators will use different types of water filters.
These parts come in different dimensions — like sizes and weights — that are exclusively fit to their respective models, so choosing an incompatible one might do your fridge more harm than good.
A wrong water filter could lead to a leak in your fridge, and in the worst-case scenario, it might leave you with a permanently damaged filter housing.
Before purchasing a replacement filter, be sure to consult your user manual first to verify the type of filter that your fridge needs!
2. Verify the authenticity of your water filter.
Frigidaire refrigerators are quite sensitive to the water filters they use. Aside from incompatible filters from other models, they will also most likely reject counterfeit filters or generic filters.
Using a counterfeit filter will leave as much damage to your appliance as using an incompatible one. It will also significantly impact your water quality.
Genuine Frigidaire water filters boast a three-step carbon filtration system that rids the water of heavier contaminants like lead, chlorine, or pesticides.
This specialized technology isn’t easy to emulate and would naturally be absent in counterfeit Frigidaire filters, leaving your household with poor-quality water.
But not to worry; spotting counterfeits isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Frigidaire has a quick guideline on how to certify the authenticity of the filter you’re using, and we’re listing it down for you!
In general, you have to look out for five things:
- Weight
- Certification Symbols
- Packaging
- Cost
- Online Content
Weight
The specifications of a Frigidaire water filter might vary from model to model, but counterfeit filters typically weigh less than a genuine filter.
This is because counterfeits aren’t made from the same quality materials that make a genuine filter’s three-step carbon filtration system possible.
As usual, you can refer to your user manual for the data set of the filter you need, specifically its dimensions. You can also use the old water filter container or its packaging as a reference — there should be specs printed on either of them.
Certification Symbols
Speaking of printed references, you should also watch out for NSF logos on both the filter container and its packaging.
Public health and safety organizations scrupulously try and test these Frigidaire water filters to ensure top-grade filtering performance. As such, genuine water filters carry NSF Certified logos in both their packaging and container units.
Counterfeit filters might carry missing logos or fake ones. Sometimes, they have no symbols at all!
When inspecting for these logos, remember to check both the filter body and its package.
Packaging
The next time you’re shopping for a new water filter, you might to take a double-take before reaching for that eye-catching, flossy package.
Counterfeit water filters tend to overcompensate with their packaging and will have a glossier and flashier finish than genuine ones. They also lack proper trademarks and, as we’ve mentioned above, logos.
Counterfeit water filters also feature low-quality, often grainy images and discolored, faded texts.
As a quick tip, you might want to hold onto your water filter’s package a little longer. You can use it as a reference when you buy a new filter!
Cost
Counterfeit filters might seem like an appealing deal for their lower prices but remember what you’re paying for in genuine filters: specialized and verified technologies that undergo several tests to meet certain standards.
Counterfeit filters may appear cheaper, but they would not have gone through proper inspection at all. In this case, you’re likely paying less for poorer quality.
Note the average cost of the filter you use so you can estimate a safe price range to keep an eye out for!
Online Content
If you’re purchasing your Frigidaire water filter online, always look for a complete and accurate data sheet about the product. Counterfeits often provide limited and outdated information about the product to deceive users.
Frigidaire’s official website will have all the up-to-date information you need, or you can always refer to your old filter’s packaging for the specifications you should watch out for.
If the site you’re purchasing the product from doesn’t present the same data or is missing any information, you might want to try looking someplace else instead.
3. Know where your Frigidaire water filter is located.
As we’ve mentioned above, the location of your Frigidaire water filter will depend on the model you’re using. The location also determines how you’ll install and remove it.
Most models have theirs in the upper right-hand corner of the interior, but some might also have them in a grille on the base of the fridge.
Some models also use a push-push design for their filters. If you have this type of filter, this is what you need to do to remove it and install a new one:
- Step 1: Push the filter body in place until you hear it click, then carefully slide it out of its housing.
- Step 2: Install the new filter with its nozzle facing the fridge. The bottom of the filter body should be facing you, and the ridge on it should be aligned with the groove at the top of the filter housing.
- Step 3: Once in position, push the filter in until you hear it click again. This might require more power than when you removed the product.
To verify that the water filter is securely in place, it shouldn’t slide easily when you try to pull it out without pushing it in first.
Meanwhile, some models might use a knob design on their filters instead. For such models, here is what you need to do:
- Step 1: Rotate the knob of the old filter counterclockwise. Some models need to be rotated for only 90° while some may require a 180° turn to release.
Keep rotating the knob until you hear a click or until it stops turning, then slide the filter out to remove it.
- Step 2: Insert the replacement filter in place and turn the knob clockwise until it clicks or it can’t be turned anymore. Ensure that the filter container doesn’t slide or wobble when you try to pull it out without turning it.
| Quick Tip: If your Frigidaire refrigerator features an ice maker, we recommend turning that compartment off first before replacing the water filter to avoid any leaks. If you’re using a Gallery model or any similar model that uses a control panel touchpad, you can turn off the ice maker by doing the following: • Step 1: Tap on Options on the control panel. • Step 2: Use the arrow buttons to scroll down to the Ice Maker option. • Step 3: Press the plus (+) or minus (-) sign to turn the ice maker off. Wait for a couple of seconds until the panel chimes and blinks to signal you that the setting has been saved. • Step 4: Afterward, press Option again to exit. To turn the ice maker back on, follow the same steps as above. Meanwhile, if your Frigidaire refrigerator uses a wire signal arm instead, simply lift the wire signal arm to a 90° or until it locks in position — and voila! Your ice maker is off! Alternatively, you can also turn off the water supply to the refrigerator until you’re done replacing the filter. |
4. Prime your new water filter.
Once you’ve replaced your old water filter, don’t hurry to drink from it just yet!
Newly installed filters may take some time to activate their filter element, so the first couple runs of dispensed water from them may have tiny particles or sediments floating around.
They’re mostly harmless, but they’re also not very pleasant to taste. To help your new water filter settle in, prime it by running at least 2 gallons of water first before taking a sip!
| Quick Tip: • Even though you can’t drink the water you’ve just primed, it’s still plenty safe to recycle. • As mentioned, the sediments in the water are benign, so you can still use the water for other chores — like watering your plants! |
5. Reset the water filter light.
Some Frigidaire refrigerator models come with an indicator light that signals you when you need to replace your water filter.
A water filter has an average lifespan of about 6 months, but if your household is prone to heavy consumption of water or if the water in your area is particularly hard, then you might need to replace the filter as often as every 3 months.
Either way, if you’re using a model with a display panel, the appliance will typically send you a warning if the filter’s already near the end of its lifespan.
Once you’ve replaced the filter, this signal doesn’t go away on its own, which means you’ll have to do it manually.
The good news is, it’s super easy to do! Here’s how:
- Step 1: After priming your water, locate the water filter light. For some models, you only need to press this button for about 3 seconds to reset it.
But if your model doesn’t have a filter reset button, tap on Options instead.
- Step 2: Once in the Options menu, use the arrow buttons to scroll down to the Water Filter setting.
- Step 3: Press and hold the Set button for about 5 seconds or until the text beside it flashes and disappears.
Afterward, exit this menu by pressing the Options button again, then you’re good to go!
And there you have it!
Replacing your Frigidaire refrigerator’s water filter isn’t complicated at all — you don’t even need to bring out your toolbox for it!
It doesn’t take great effort to remember, either. In no time at all, you might find yourself changing your water filter out of muscle memory.
As a final quick tip: replacing your old filter is also the perfect opportunity to check your water supply line for any leaks (frigidaire refrigerator leaking water on floor).
A leak from the general direction of your old water filter might indicate damage to it, so you best keep an eye out for this issue as you’re swapping them out.
If you do encounter a leaking issue, don’t worry; as always, ApplianceGeeked has just the guide for you!
