What's the shelf life life of these filters if they are unopened? And what about after they have been opened?
504539
They have the expiration date printed on the filter package. Usually a few years. I usually keep them about 2-4 weeks after opening, depending on the spray environment. I keep them in an air tight box when not in use. You can also use zip lock bags; otherwise they will become contaminated. If the environment is not adequately ventilated the useable time can be greatly reduced also.
1659580
Well, I keep them after opening in a ziplock bag and I think sometimes it's 6 months or more before I use them all. Sometimes I put them in the refrigerator in the ziplock bag. Once you've reconstituted them with water however I'd use them within a few days.
928522
Looks as if Robert answered your question on the expiration date, so I'll take the one on how long they're good for... virtually forever. I think the only reason they put expiration dates on something like this is to scare people into throwing away and replacing perfectly good products. I have some canisters that are many years past their "expiration" dates, and they still work fine.
1537997
Unopened, they last a long time and would be good for storage. Opened, they don't. It depends on how humid your climate is, but I'm in a very dry place, and they sog after a few days to a week.
448662
According to the company, they have a shelf life of 4 years. However, there's no way of knowing exactly how long the batch you buy has been sitting around...
456835
3M puts an expiration date on these filters. The date is a few years out. But, there's nothing in this filter that's going to really expire. It just filters out particles. After opening, it should be stored in a clean location. I leave mine to air out for a while before placing into a plastic bag, so moisture isn't trapped inside the filter.
225306
They have a long shelf life. I just keep them unopened in the pantry. Once opened, I store the opened bag in a gallon ziplock bag for several months with no problem.
124063
If the filter is still in the original packaging it wont just poof expire. But the filter inside the unit does need replaced after use I find after about 30-50 gallons of water but have been told as low as 25 and as high as 100 gallons. I think its one of those if the water is clean it pumps more water and the closer you use it together time wise the more it pumps but not exactly sure. Remember to always carry iodine pills for backup.
780498
I am not sure, but they have lasted us about the same time as the original filter supplied by the MFG, about 6 months. We are a family of two.
2036956
Filters will last several years if they stay protected in the original packaging
1828259
I've had mine over a year... no problems. Each cartridge is packed in a sealed plastic "bag" that it seems to me would greatly increase shelf life and prevent drying out... but they are also not "open" until you insert them into the machine so I suspect the shelf life is fairly long.
1337414
Not sure about the shelf life, but I've had mine up to two years if stored in a cool dry place .. maybe even longer, as they are sealed in plastic....
1686333
It depends on the quality of the water being filtered. If the water is murky, the filters will need to be cleaned more often and may last only one year. If the water is clear, the filters may last up to four years.
1551451
Shelf life on the filter is 2 years if kept in a cool dark area. 3 years if kept at these proper conditions and the unit hasn't been dropped or damage. Damage may cause the filter not to collect all of the bacteria and hazards of water collection. I have put mine in a mylar sealead bag with all air vacumed out. This may extend the shelf life. It's worth the try due to the cost. That is just my way of thinking.
2241256
I have had them unopened for up to 2years and has not gone bad. I store them indoors and not in the garage until ready to use.
1227950
I have been using these filters for the f]past 5 years. From information received from the company's website, I have always understood them to last 12 months.
1966436
They appear to last a very long time, as long as you keep them in a sealed bag. It doesn't appear to have an expiration date on them. However, I'm sure they have some sort of arbitrary date listed somewhere.