What You Need To Know About Your Pool Filter

The key to a clean pool and great circulation lies in your pools filtation system.

One of the things many pool owners overlook is their pool filter and keeping it clean regularly.  

Just like you must keep a clean air filter in your home, it is also important to keep your pool filter clean and replace it when needed.  Check for signs of wear and tear, constant clogging, and poor or slow filtration and circulation to see if your filter needs to be replaced.   

Let’s discuss the most common types of Pool Filters: 

First, you need to determine if you have a Cartridge Pool Filter, a Sand Pool Filter, or a Diatomaceous Earth Pool Filter (DE Filter).  

A Cartridge Pool Filter has one or more pleated cartridges.  This type of filter resembles your car’s air filter.  With a cartridge pool filter, water is forced into the pleats where it catches the dirt and debris, and then traps it within the folds.  As the pressure rises on your filter tank gauge, the flow rate will decrease.  This is when you know it is time to remove your cartridge and clean the filter.  Cleaning this type of filter is very simple, you can hose it off.  However, keep in mind, the pressure of your water will determine how well the cartridge is cleaned.  It is advised to use a high pressure nozzle to obtain the best results.  

A Sand Pool Filter are the easiest to operate and maintain.  Sand filters have a very simple design: water is pumped into the top of the tank, pushed through the sand bed, and then into slotted pipes in the bottom of the tank.  All the dirt and debris is left behind trapped in the sand bed until you reverse the flow and back was the dirt out of the filter tank.  

Diatomaceous Earth Pool Filters, or DE Filters, are the superior filter in terms of particle size and filtering ability.  These are also the most expensive types of filters and are a bit more work to maintain.  DE Pool Filters are equipped with filter grids, which act as the screen to catch all dirt and debris. For more information on how to clean your DE Filter, check online resources, or better yet, schedule service today with one of our techs! 

For best results with ANY pool filter, be sure to clean it monthly and replace when required.