Big Berkey Water Filter Questions

Question 1

What is the cost of delivery and where are the Berkeys sent from?

Accepted Answer

All Berkey orders are sent from the Netherlands and it is free delivery to anywhere in the EU and UK.

Question 2

Do all Berkey systems include a set of Black Berkey filters?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all Berkey systems include a set of Black Berkey filters and all necessary parts.

Question 3

How often should I clean my Big Berkey Water Filter?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended to clean your Big Berkey Water Filter every couple of months as calcium carbonate can build up in the lower chambers. If you would like to calculate how long your filters will last please see the: Black Berkey Filter Replacement Calculator

Question 4

Does the Big Berkey come standard with 2 Black Berkey filters and can it be expanded to hold 4 Black Berkey filters?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Big Berkey Water Filter, and all the other Berkey Water Filter Systems, come with 2 Black Berkey Filters. The Big Berkey can be expanded to 4 Black Berkey Filters and can be set up with 2 or 4 Black Berkey Filters. The advantage of 4 filters is a faster flow rate and a longer lifespan.
You can also order the Big Berkey with 4 Black Berkey filters and keep 2 Black Berkey Filters in reserve as replacement filters.

Question 5

We live in rural France and we have problems with pesticide contamination of our mains water. Our daily usage for drinking would be around 8 litres. Which of your systems would be most effective?

Accepted Answer

We would suggest the Big Berkey which has a capacity of 8.5 liters would be most appropriate in your situation. The Berkey systems all come standard with 2 Black Berkey filters and the only difference is capacity and the number of filters which can be installed in the larger systems.

Question 6

I am concerned that the stainless steel containers could lead to leaching of nickel into the drinking water. Has any research been done into whether this happens?

Accepted Answer

Several studies indicate that nickel leaching may occur with 304 stainless steel however it is an extremely small amount (parts per billion) and typically it only occurs in an acidic solution, during cooking, etc. The purified water in a Berkey system is not acidic and should not cause any leaching to occur. Just to emphasise Berkey purified water becomes more alkaline after passing through the Black Berkey filters. Please see the reports on the National Center for Biotechnology website.

Question 7

I'm wondering if the Berkey system removes fluoride from the water?

Accepted Answer

The standard Black Berkey Filters do not remove fluroide. In order to do this, you would need the extra PF-2 Fluride Filters. These can be brought as a discounted accessory with every Berkey Water Filter System and are attached to the Black Berkey Filters.

Question 8

Just want to say thank you for our Berkey which we got from you in January, we are very happy with our Berkey. We live in an area with very hard water and we would like to know if it can affect our Berkey. When do we need to replace the filters and do we need to clean both containers regularly? We have found there are marks of limescale inside of both. Also does the filter remove limescale for drinking water or not?

Accepted Answer

Yes you will have some calcium carbonate build-up in the lower chamber and it's a good idea to clean it every couple of months. The limescale is in itself harmless, it&rsquo;s just a mineral build-up. I can't say how it will affect the filters as the mineral make-up of every local water is different. If your flow rate remains more or less the same, then there's no problem. No the filters do not remove calcium carbonate (scale). If you would like to calculate how long your filters will last please see the: Black Berkey Filter Replacement Calculator

Question 9

We wondered if the Berkey filters also remove hormones from the water? They sound fantastic, but we are also keen to find something that removes hormones as well.

Accepted Answer

The Black Berkey filters have not been officially tested for the removal of hormones so I can make no claims for their elimination. Unofficially I can say that the likelihood is very high. Please see the report regarding hormone removal by GBC carbon filters which are virtually the same as the Black Berkey filters and they attained a removal percentage >98% in various tests.

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