Fridge Water Filter Replacement (Whirlpool, Samsung, GE, LG)

Changing a fridge water filter is the one repair job every owner can do without a single tool. Most people still botch it, or ignore it until the water tastes like a pool. Here’s how to do it right on the four brands in most Bay Area kitchens: Whirlpool, Samsung, GE, and LG.

When it’s time

Six months, or about 200 gallons dispensed. Sooner if you notice any of these:

• Water tastes or smells off (chlorine, metal, or musty)
• The dispenser slows to a trickle
• The filter-status light kicks on
• Ice comes out cloudy or undersized

Harder water in parts of the East Bay eats filters faster. If that’s you, run a four-month cycle instead.

Whirlpool (and its Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid cousins)

These share filter parts across the family. Two hiding spots: behind the kick-plate grille at the bottom front, or the upper-right corner inside the fridge.

1. Base-grille filters pop with a push or a quarter-turn. In-fridge filters twist counterclockwise a quarter turn.
2. Pull it straight out. A little drip is normal.
3. Match the model. Whirlpool runs EveryDrop (Filter 1 through 5, part numbers like EDR1RXD1).
4. Push the new one in and turn clockwise until it locks.
5. Flush two to three gallons.

Reset: hold the filter button (or Water Filter / Light) about three seconds.

Samsung

Usually inside the fridge, upper-left or upper-right corner.

1. Turn counterclockwise a quarter turn, pull out.
2. Drop in the new one (DA29 series, like DA29-00020B), turn clockwise until snug.
3. Flush two to three gallons.

Reset: hold Ice Type and Child Lock together about three seconds. Labels vary by panel, so check yours if that combo doesn’t clear it.

GE

Typically inside at the top, or upper-right corner.

1. Press the release or turn to release, depending on model.
2. Install the correct GE filter (XWF, XWFE, MWF, or RPWFE). These are not interchangeable, so match the exact model.
3. Flush a few gallons.

Reset: hold Reset Filter about three seconds. Heads up: some GE units with the RPWFE filter read an RFID chip. Install a non-GE or non-RFID filter and the fridge shows “Filter Bypassed” and may refuse to dispense.

LG

Inside the fridge, usually top-right or behind a flip-down cover on the upper-left.

1. Open the cover, turn counterclockwise, pull out.
2. Install the LG filter (LT700P, LT1000P, and similar), turn clockwise.
3. Flush two to three gallons.

Reset: hold the Filter button until it clears.

The mistake nearly everyone makes

Slow, sputtering water right after a new filter is not a defect. It’s trapped air. Run several gallons before you decide anything’s wrong. Cloudy first pours are carbon fines, harmless, gone within a gallon or two.

Mistake two is the bargain filter. A loose off-brand filter is the leading cause of the leaks and stuck housings we take apart on calls. OEM, or a certified NSF 42/53 match for your exact model. Nothing else.

When it isn’t the filter

If the water still tastes bad after a fresh OEM filter and a full flush, or the dispenser barely runs with the shutoff valve wide open, the filter isn’t your problem. Look at the water fill valve, the supply line, or a cracked housing. Those are repairs, not swaps.

That’s our lane. If a filter swap didn’t fix it, see our refrigerator repair guide or our refrigeration repair service. We service Whirlpool and every major brand across the Bay Area. The $75 diagnostic is credited to the repair when you book it.

Call (925) 999-4095 or email [email protected], or reach us through the contact page. Founded 2021, CSLB #1136642, EPA #1279674151528, BEAR #50788, BBB A+.

FAQ