You recently became the proud owner of a brand new pool! You are so excited! However, you don’t know how to exactly keep your swimming pool water clean. The pool filter is one of many factors that will help keep your swimming pool clean! Keep reading to learn how to properly clean your pool filter.
How to Successfully Clean a Pool Filter
Pool filters help keep your pool clean and sanitized by filtering out dirt and debris that has either fallen in the pool, or bacteria that has grown in the swimming pool. However, how do you end up with a perfectly clean pool filter? Well, how often you should clean your swimming pool filter depends on the filter and condition of the pool water. As a general rule of thumb for any type of swimming pool filter is to take a reading when the filter is clean, then clean the pool filter when the pressure rises about seven to ten pounds. Know that no matter which filter you have, when it becomes clogged with dirt and debris two things happen. First the pressure rises and second the overall pool circulation drops.
Cartridge Filter
Generally, cartridge filters need to be cleaned every two to six weeks. One of the most important factors that affect the life of your cartridge filter is too much water flow. This is because too much flow significantly shortens the life of the filter and certainly lowers the efficiency of the filter. How do you clean a cartridge filter? Simplest of the three methods, cartridge filters can be washed off by hose. After you wash it off, soak your cartridge filter in filter cleaner for twelve hours.
Sand filter
Most sand filters need to be back-washed after building up around five to ten pounds of pressure. This usually occurs between one week to four weeks. Note: If you have a painted pool, you should remove and replace the sand in your sand filter once a year. Otherwise, replace the sand and check the filter every four to five years. Sand filters are the lowest maintenance of the three options. This is because when you backwash your sand filter you don’t lose any of the sand.
DE Filter
DE or diatomaceous earth filters need to be back-washed between the first and third month of use. Otherwise, the DE filter would be back-washed at five pound of pressure. Once a year you are going to want to completely disassemble the Diatomaceous earth filter and thoroughly clean it. However depending on how often your pool is used throughout the year, you may need to clean the filter more than once. Diatomaceous earth filters your pool by straining debris through the DE. After back-washing the DE filter you will need to replenish any of the DE that was lost.
- Cartridge filters are pressure washed with a garden hose and then subsequently soaked for twelve hours in a filter cleaner.
- Sand filters require back-washing after a build up of filter pressure.
- DE filters require back-washing after a build up of filter pressure, as well as a replenishment of the diatomaceous earth.
