AirAndWaterPurifier.com

Is there a Berkey^® system that will accommodate
large groups?


Yes we offer two systems they are:

What is the most convenient method for filling the upper
reservoir?


Most people use a pitcher to pour water into the upper chamber
however, if you have a spray hose on your sink, using it to
refill the system is a very convenient method.

The water in the upper chamber of my Berkey^®
system does not drain all the way. Is this normal?


Yes it is normal and not unusual for the last 1/2" to 1" of
water to remain in the upper chamber.  By design the water must
pass through very fine micro pores within the elements in order
to pass from the upper chamber to the lower.  The lower the
water level in the upper chamber, the lower the pressure
available to force the water through the micro pores.  You might
have noticed that the system purifies much faster when full than
when half full.  That is because there is more pressure.  The
only way to remedy the problem would be to enlarge the pores
within the filter elements.  That would of course, reduce the
efficiency of the purification elements.  During each cycle the
water left from the previous cycle mixes with the water from the
current cycle and is then purified.  You should not be concerned
about the excess water during normal use however if you
discontinue using your filter for a period of time such as
during a vacation, it would not hurt to empty the upper chamber
before departing.

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


No, unlike other filtration elements Black Berkey^®
purification elements are re-cleanable. What typically causes
the filters to drip slowly is turbidity and sediment clogging
the micro-pores of the purification elements. Simply remove the
elements from your system, scrub the exterior of each element
with preferably a white ScotchBrite pad or stiff toothbrush.
Simply scrub a section of the filter until you see a bit of
black on the white pad then move to the next section.  It’s
simple to do and takes less than a minute. Then re-prime each
element and reinstall them. Your problem should now be fixed.

How do I know when it is time to replace the elements in my
system?


The best way to gauge when to replace the filters is to do the
following:

I will soon be leaving the country. Is there a way to test my
Berkey^® system to make sure it is working properly?


Yes, anytime you plan on taking your system out of the country
we advise that you always perform the following test prior to
leaving. You should test your filters by filling the upper
chamber with water then add a tablespoon of red food coloring
for every gallon of water within your upper chamber. If the red
food coloring is removed entirely, your filtration system is
working properly. If not, check to make sure that the wing nuts
on your elements are securely tightened then re-run the test.

By the way, always prime new purification elements before
leaving the country, as you may not have enough water pressure
to be able to prime the elements at your destination.

I just purchased a Berkey^® system but the system
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 being purged from the micro
pores of the new purification elements.  Included with your
Black Berkey^® elements is a priming button and
instructions for use.  Please remove and prime your purification
elements, reinstall them and that should fix the problem.

I have found that when I boil the water or freeze it into ice
cubes, I sometimes get little white floating things in the
water.  What is this bacterium?


With respect to the little white floaters in the water, it is
not bacteria but rather a problem that sometimes occurs with
hard (heavily mineralized) water. When water is filtered through
your system, the Black Berkey^® purification elements
actually increase the PH of the water.  This is healthful as
Pathogenic bacteria and viruses thrive in acidic environments
and conversely have difficulty surviving in alkaline
environments.  This is also true inside your body.  When the PH
level of the purified water is raised, the acidity of the water
goes down and the water is no longer able to hold as many
minerals in solution.  When this happens the minerals begin to
precipitate out over time and depending on the mineral
composition they will either sink to the bottom or float to the
top.  This process is known as flocculation and the precipitated
minerals are usually referred to as "white floaters".  The
bottom line is that this is nothing to be concerned about, the
white floaters are minerals that were already in your water;
they are now simply visible whereas they were previously
invisible due to their suspension in an ionic form.

I did a TDS reading on the purified water and was surprised to
find that the reading was about the same with the purified water
as it was with the unpurified water. Is my system working
properly?


Yes, a TDS meter measures only Total Dissolved Solids or
minerals; dissolved solids are simply dissolved minerals in an
ionic form.  A TDS meter does not measure the amount of
biological and chemical contaminates.  Black Berkey^®
elements are designed to leave in your water the healthful and
beneficial minerals and to extract only the unwanted heavy
metals such as lead and mercury as well as sedimentary minerals
such as iron oxide and aluminum.  Therefore, your TDS reading
will not change much unless you have a significant amount of
heavy metals or sedimentary minerals in your water.