Short answer
Our guidelines are about 3 months for travel sets, about 6 months for large-capacity sets and about 4 months for head-type shower filters. These are guidelines: a cartridge may need replacing two to three times sooner depending on water quality and usage.
For a distributor or retailer, the housing is a one-time sale and the cartridge is the repeat order. That makes the replacement interval one of the most useful numbers on a product sheet, and one of the easiest to misstate. This guide sets out the guideline we use, how the three cartridge systems differ, and how to talk about the interval without promising a date.
The guideline interval for each product
| Product | Refill | Fits | Versions | Guideline interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel shower filter | Travel refill | Travel sets | Basic / Limescale | About 3 months |
| Large-capacity home set (Gen 3) | Gen 3 refill | Gen 3 home sets only | Total Care / Limescale Care | About 6 months |
| Head-type shower filter | Head and body refill | Head-type shower filter | Head and body, replaced separately | About 4 months |
These are guidelines, not promises. A cartridge may need replacing two to three times sooner depending on water quality and usage. When you print an interval on a package, a shelf card or a product page, print it together with that sentence.
Each refill matches its own housing
There are two cartridge systems for the finished sets, and a separate pair for the head-type filter:
- Travel cartridges fit travel housings.
- Gen 3 cartridges fit Gen 3 housings only.
- The head-type shower filter has one filter in the head and one in the body, and the two are replaced separately.
Cartridges are swapped by hand. Because they do not cross over between systems, a store that carries more than one line should keep refills sorted by housing and ask which housing the customer owns before selling a refill.
What the customer sees
In clear housings the media changes color (white, yellow, brown). Deep brown means it is time to change. This gives your customer a visible cue in addition to the calendar.
On travel and large-capacity sets, run the shower for about 5 minutes after fitting a new cartridge, before first use.
Planning reorders
At the guideline intervals, one installed set needs about four travel refills a year, about two Gen 3 refills a year, or about three replacement cycles a year for a head-type filter. Use these as a starting point for a first forecast, not as a sales promise.
Real reorder rates will differ by market, because the interval depends on water quality and usage. We do not yet publish a breakdown by water type, so the best data you can collect is your own: record the date of first sale and the date of the first refill purchase for each market, and compare them with the guideline.
If you also collect hardness data for your markets, the guide on finding water hardness data explains how.
How to talk about the interval
- Say "about 3 months," "about 6 months" or "about 4 months," according to the product. Do not turn these into ranges.
- Add that water quality and usage can make replacement come two to three times sooner.
- Do not tie the interval to a specific water supply or a measured result. We do not publish test figures for cartridge life.
- Do not describe a shower filter as a drinking-water purifier. Water Healer shower filters are designed for shower water only.
FAQ
How often should I replace a Water Healer shower filter cartridge?
About 3 months for travel sets, about 6 months for large-capacity sets and about 4 months for head-type shower filters. A cartridge may need replacing two to three times sooner depending on water quality and usage.
Do all cartridges fit all housings?
No. Each refill is made for its own housing. Travel cartridges fit travel housings, and Gen 3 cartridges fit Gen 3 housings only. The head-type shower filter uses a head cartridge and a body cartridge, replaced separately.
How will my customer know it is time to change?
In clear housings the media changes color (white, yellow, brown). Deep brown means it is time to change.
Can harder water shorten the interval?
Water quality is one of the two factors we name, together with usage. Our guideline does not yet break the interval down by water type, so the safest statement is the general one: a cartridge may need replacing two to three times sooner depending on water quality and usage.
How do I plan refill orders?
Start from the guideline interval for each product, then adjust with your own reorder data by market. Tell us your expected quantity per order with your quote request and we will discuss the refill plan together with the sets.
Sources
This guide uses Water Healer's own published guideline figures and no outside sources.
- Water Healer, Refill cartridges
- Water Healer, Specifications
- Water Healer, FAQ
General information only. Water supplies and rules differ by country and by city. Confirm local figures with your water utility or authority.