If you are heading out of St. Louis for a trip, a reverse osmosis system can sit quietly for a while, but a few steps before you leave keep the stored water fresh and make the return easier. This guide covers the choice most homeowners face, the steps for each option, and how to restart the system when you get back.
Decide: keep it running or shut it down
For a short absence, many homeowners leave the system on. The storage tank holds a supply of treated water, and the membrane makes little or no water while the tank is full. For a longer absence, shutting the system down is usually the safer choice, because water that sits still in a tank and in the filters can develop an off smell or taste by the time you return.
Shutting down before a long trip
- Close the feed valve that supplies the reverse osmosis unit from your cold water line.
- Open the reverse osmosis faucet and let the storage tank drain until the flow stops, then close the faucet.
- Close the small valve on the storage tank line if your system has one. Your owner's manual shows where it is.
- Turn off the water supply to your refrigerator ice maker if it is connected to the reverse osmosis line.
- Leave the pre-filter cartridges in place. Do not change them just because you are leaving.
Once the system is shut down, the drain line should stay dry. If you see water dripping from the drain or a fitting after you close the feed valve, the valve may not be sealing fully. Note it and have it checked before you restart.
Leaving the system on for a short trip
If you are away only briefly, leave the feed valve open and the storage tank full. Before you leave, run the reverse osmosis faucet for a moment to confirm that water is flowing normally. Make a note of the date so you can compare the taste and smell of the water when you return.
Protect the equipment from cold snaps
St. Louis winters can bring hard freezes, and a cold basement or crawlspace can get cold enough to damage a unit. Keep the equipment space heated and set your thermostat to keep the house above freezing while you are gone. If you cannot keep heat on in that area, drain the unit completely, including the storage tank, and close the feed valve so no water remains in the lines.
Restarting when you get back
- Open the feed valve slowly so the pre-filters and tubing fill without a sudden surge.
- Open the reverse osmosis faucet and let it run until the storage tank refills and water flows steadily. Let the first water go down the drain rather than using it for drinking or cooking.
- Check the drain line, tubing and fittings for drips. Tighten any fitting that is weeping, and call a qualified service technician if a leak continues.
- Reconnect the ice maker supply and let the first batch of ice melt away.
- Check the cartridge replacement schedule in your manual. If the trip was long, a filter may be due sooner than you expect.
What a smell or taste check can tell you
A quick smell and taste check can alert you to a change, such as a musty or chlorine-like odor after a long shutdown. It cannot tell you what is in the water. A change in smell or taste often points to stagnant water, a worn filter or a dirty tank, and running the system longer and checking the filters usually clears it up. If the water still seems off, or if you want to know what is actually in it, a state-certified lab can run tests that your senses cannot.
Questions to ask before you leave
- Is the equipment in a space that stays above freezing while the house is empty?
- Who will check on the house, and do they know where the feed valve is?
- Do you know which valves to close, and have you written them down?
- Is the drain line clear and attached securely?
- When were the cartridges last changed, and is any of them due while you are gone?
Taking a few minutes to work through these steps before a trip keeps the system ready for you when you return to your St. Louis home, and it gives you a clear starting point if anything seems different when you turn it back on.