Output is down
Fouling, scaling, a clogged prefilter, or pretreatment issues.
RO Troubleshooting and Maintenance
RO problems rarely announce their cause. We read your system's data, find the real issue, and keep it from coming back.
Request RO SupportCommon RO symptoms
Quality is slipping
Membrane wear, chlorine damage, scaling, or a leak in the system.
Pressure is rising
Deposits or biological growth building up in the membranes.
Pump or alarms trip
Feed supply, interlocks, controls, or a worn pump.
Why it is easy to misread
Temperature, pressure, and feed water changes can look just like fouling, and different problems can show similar symptoms. Raw readings can mislead, so performance data is normally adjusted (normalized) to show what the membranes are really doing. Guessing wrong can mean wasted cleanings, damaged membranes, and more downtime.
What preventive maintenance covers
- Regular performance review and trending
- Cartridge filters and softener or carbon pretreatment
- Chemical dosing checks (see RO chemicals)
- Pumps, controls, and instrument calibration
- Planned cleaning and membrane replacement
Frequently asked questions
Why did my RO output drop?
Common reasons include fouling or scaling, a clogged cartridge filter, pretreatment problems, or simply colder feed water. Telling these apart takes proper review of your operating data.
Why is my RO permeate quality getting worse?
It can be fouling, scaling, membrane damage from chlorine, or a mechanical leak. Each has a different fix, and cleaning will not solve a damaged membrane or leak.
How long do RO membranes last?
It varies with feed water quality, pretreatment, and maintenance. Well-maintained systems can run for years, while neglected ones can fail much sooner.
What does RO preventive maintenance include?
Typically regular data review, prefilter changes, chemical dosing checks, instrument calibration, pump and control checks, and planned cleaning or membrane replacement.
Want a second set of eyes on your RO?
Call 647-355-0944 or send us your recent readings. We will tell you what is going on and what to do next.
Request RO Support RO Service Overview