How To Properly Clean Your Pool Filter

Now that Labor Day passed, summer is beginning to come to a close and that means another swim season is over. For many, the upcoming fall season with cooler temperatures are an exciting time but for others, you’re going to miss your pool and the enjoyment that comes with it. With that said, now might be the best time to start the process of looking more into your filter and performing a clean if necessary. Please keep in mind that if you have a filter you can backwash that is not what we are talking about in this blog post. We are actually discussing taking the lid off and performing an inspection or deeper clean if necessary. In the swimming pool industry there are three different types of filters:

  • Sand
  • Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
  • Cartridge

After a long hot summer with increased bather load and increased filter fun times, your filter can be overworked and in need of some serious attention. First off, if you have a sand filter we highly recommend inspecting the sand for clumps, weathering, or smoothness in texture. Any of these might indicate that a sand change is necessary which is usually recommended every three to five years. This is the biggest maintenance required with a sand filter but what about DE and cartridge filters?

When it comes to DE and cartridge you’re going to need to clean them more often and right after a long swim season is a great time to do it. Cartridge filters will get dirty every four to six months and you will need to remove them, hose them down and soak them to get clean. This can be indicated by your filter gauge but it’s better to clean them every four to six months to prevent a dirty pool or potential algae growth. Whereas, with a DE filter they will also need to be taken apart and cleaned regularly because DE will build up and get caked on the grids and manifold. To follow a step by step process on how to clean a DE filter you can CLICK HERE and to follow a step by step process on how to clean a cartridge filter you can CLICK HERE.

We realize that pool maintenance can require a lot of time. If you’re looking for support with your residential or commercial swimming pool in the Las Vegas area, contact us today!