How often should I clean my filter?
The answer to this question varies from pool to pool.
Some things to consider first:
- Is your pool filter properly sized for your pool?
- How much debris gets into your pool?
- Do you have dogs that love to swim more that you do?
- Do you have a DE, Cartridge or Sand Filter?
- How often do your run your pool?
Again there are a lot of variations to consider, so let keep this simple.
Think about cleaning you filter like changing the oil in your car. Most people recommend changing the oil in your car every 3000 miles. Can you go more than 3000 mile between oil changes? Of course you can. Admittedly, I have been guilty of this.
Generically, we recommend cleaning your residential pool filter at least twice a year. Others may say once per year. Keep in mind that everything that makes its way into the pool your pool gets skimmed or vacuumed into your pool filter, such as dog hair, algae, dirt, sand, grass clippings, were it stays until you remove it by cleaning.
When your filter is operating when it is clean, you actually keep the water cleaner and use fewer chemicals. When the filter is dirty, all the “clean” water passes through a dirty filter and cannot be filtered properly, thus the pool water will not be as sparkly as it would be when your filter is clean.
There is one more way to know when it is time to clean your filter. Your pool filter has a pressure gauge on the fop of the upper tank that marks the filter pressure in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI). When your pool filter is new or freshly cleaned the PSI will register the filters “clean working pressure”. It is important to note that reading so you know what your pool filter’s pressure should be when the filter is clean. As the filter gets dirty the PSI reading will gradually rise. When the filter pressure rises 3-5 PSI higher than the clean working pressure, it is time to clean the filter.
Tip: If you have a variable speed pump, the PSI changes as the speed changes, therefore pick a high speed on the pump and note the PSI on your filter as the “clean working pressure” at that speed. Note the speed you are using to be consistent and accurate.
Lastly, when cleaning your filter, more is better.
