Some pool maintenance questions are basic. How often do I clean it? What stuff can I put in it? These questions sound like they should have an easy answer, but they are essential for a healthy pool. One of these questions, and one of the most important, is how often should you change the pool filters. Filters are key to keeping your water clean. If you can maintain your filters, you have half of your pool maintained.
So how often do you need to change your filters? It depends on the type of filter that you have. There are three general types of filters. There are cartridge filters, which are filters composed of mesh nets, sand filters, which are tanks full of silica sand, and Diatomaceous Earth filters, which are cartridge filters where the mesh is covered in diatomaceous earth. Each type of filter needs different types of care.
DE Filters
DE Filters can benefit from being cleaned 2 times a year and then backwash the DE filters once a month. During the backwashing sessions, you can check the cartridges for tears, flattened cartridges, and frayed. The cartridges would have to be replaced at that point.
Cartridge Filters
Cartridge filters need to be soaked and gently rinsed every 3 to 5 weeks. The cartridges can be frayed, flattened, or torn so you can inspect them when you rinse them. They should be replaced then, but as a general rule, the cartridges can last 2000 hours. You can count on most cartridges lasting 1 to 2 years depending on pool size and use.
Sand Filters
Sand can be cleaned through backwash every couple of months to clean out the oils and such from swimmers so that the sand doesn’t clump up. You should check the level of the sand once a year to make sure that the tanks aren’t losing sand. Provided your tank is the correct size and in good shape, you should not have to replace the sand for the life of the pool.
Professional cleaning of your filters regardless of type will help you maintain your pool at its best. If you want help with your filters, contact us. We are glad to clean and fix them.