Pool filters are an absolutely essential part of ensuring your pool is a fun and safe place for people to enjoy time in the sun. In addition to getting leaves and other debris out of the water, filters also ensure the removal of calcium, dirt, and oils, among other unwanted substances. Pool filters are relatively low maintenance in nature (that is, compared to other elements of the pool), but still do require some attention to ensure optimum performance. Read on as we discuss how often you should clean your pool’s filters.
About Pool Filters
Pool filters are able to trap dirt, bacteria, bugs, and other unwanted substances and ensure it does not go back into your water. These filters sit on the sides of your pool and work in the background as you and your family enjoy the time in the water. There are several types of pool filters that are commonly used in residential and commercial pools. These include cartridge filters, D.E. filters, and sand filters. We will go over how often to clean each one of these and how to know which type of filter your pool has.
Though it can feel a bit like overkill to clean the thing that is doing the cleaning in your pool, cleaning the filter is essential to optimum performance. This will ensure no clogging, which makes the filter itself less effective. Cleaning the filter also ensures the chemicals you put into the pool are spread appropriately. When the filter is not clean, the chemicals can stay in one place or not dissolve at all.
How Often is Often Enough?
Now that we know we have to clean our pool filters to ensure chemicals are spread appropriately and that water quality is good, let us discuss for each type of filter how often it should be cleaned:
Sand Filters
As their name implies, sand pool filters utilize sand to trap unwanted particles and other substances as the water comes through the sand. This sand is specially shaped and sized for pool cleaning. With sand filters, the best way to clean them is by a process called backwashing, which is just the water backwards through the sand. Backwashing a sand pool filter should be done when your filter gauge reads 8-10 pounds higher than when it was clean. Depending on how old the sand is, this process is typically done every month.
D.E. Filters
D.E. filters, which are short for diatomaceous earth filters, are a highly effective filtering option. This uses a softer type of rock that is the principal ingredient in the filter. This rock is able to filter out all kinds of unwanted bacteria and dirt from pools. These filters should be backwashed every one to three months of use, or when the filter has built up 8-10 more pounds of pressure from the time it was cleaned. Depending on how long the swim season is for your pool, it may be a once or twice a year clean for you.
Cartridge Filters
Unlike the other two types of filters, cartridge filters use a small cartridge, similar to a printer, to filter out unwanted items from the water. These are meant to be more disposable in nature and need to be cleaned every two to six weeks. Cartridge filters should be cleaned weekly or monthly, depending on how big your filter and pool are. Another factor is cleaning frequency is how often your pool gets used. These do not need any backwashing, unlike the D.E. and sand filters, but they do get fully taken apart when being cleaned so that the parts can be soaked in a cleaning solution.
McCallum’s Pool Service Can Help
If you’re looking for some help in getting your pool’s filter cleaned on a regular basis, allow us to help. Our team at McCallum’s Pool Service has been around the block with all types of pools in our community. With over 23 years of industry knowledge and experience, our owner, John, prides himself on ensuring a quality and safe swim experience for his customers and their families. We proudly service over 300 customers on a weekly basis with our knowledgeable and professional pool staff. As we grow to serve more of our community, our promise is to continue to offer quality services at affordable prices that you and your family will love.
Call Us Today
If you’re in the Phoenix area and need some help with next steps for your pool filter, give us a call today at (480) 734-2495. We’d love to be able to help with a free estimate or consultation about what your pool needs. We hope to speak to you soon!