Pool filters seem like they are wonderful, self-contained machines. Keep yours running and your pool water stays sparkling! Of course, the filter has to be maintained in order for it to work, and one of the best ways of maintaining it is by backwashing your pool filter.
What It Is
Backwashing is a process by which water is run in the opposite direction than is normally done in order to push debris off the cartridges or other filtering material. The exact method a person uses to backwash will depend on the type of filter you use for your pool. It might require many steps or it might not. Regardless of the method, doing this will leave your filter clear so that it can go back to keeping your pool water clean. Most professionals recommend doing this when your pressure gauge registers 8-10 pounds more psi than it did when you last cleaned your filter.
The Benefits
Filters gather not only all the bits and pieces that fall into a pool, such as leaves and dirt, but it also collects the things that come into the pool with your guests. Sun tan oil, lotion, dirt, and grease all slough off of swimmers and swirl around in your pool water until it goes through your filter, where it all gets caught in the cartridge or other filter mechanics. That’s how your pool keeps from becoming a bacteria haven. However, your pool filter is made of porous material that acts as a net. When the net’s surface gets full of grease and debris, it won’t catch anymore. The pressure from trying to catch debris when it is full will stress parts and shorten its life.
Backwashing prevents this. The force of the water going backwards through the pores of the material will knock away the gunk that has formed on it and push all the debris into the waste hose. The resulting water will be gross and require special handling.
Fortunately, Aquanomics Pools fully understands the value of backwashing your pool filter
and can readily set up a schedule to do it for you. If you want your pool as clean as it can get, contact us. We’ll help you out.