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When Should You Clean Your Cartridge Pool Filter?

clean-pool-filterHow often you clean your pool filter is going to depend on many variables, however, we can often tell when a pool filter cleaning is required by paying attention to the signs our pool provides us. A pool filter spends its entire life sucking up the almost invisible particles in our pool and trapping them in what is known as “pleats”. Over time, these pleats begin to clog up, and thus the flow is restricted and the filters capacity to remove foreign objects from the pool is diminished. Left untreated this can become a serious issue and lead to the most dreaded issue a homeowner can face: a green pool. 

To understand when to clean your pool filter, we must first be aware of the symptoms of a clogged pool filter. For the more savvy pool owner, a simple look at the pressure gauge on the top of your filter housing can be a dead giveaway of an upcoming filter cleaning. In most instances, you will be striving to maintain the pressure within 10 psi above what is normal for your filtration system with a clean filter. As the pressure rises the need for filter inspection and cleaning is imminent. 

For those of us who are less technical and require more obvious signs, we can still determine when a filter cleaning should be performed. Pool water that is beginning to look a bit cloudy is often a sure sign that either the chemistry of the pool water is not right or that we are dealing with a clogged filter. Pool return jets, the jets that push water back into the pool and are often on the walls, can be indicative of a flow restriction issue. If you’re used to seeing the swirling water around your return jets it should raise an immediate red flag when the flow is not as it used to be. 

If you’re already dealing with a green pool, you must CLEAN YOUR FILTER. Algae in your pool filter will always guarantee a clogged pool filter and if you wish to get rid of that algae it MUST BE FLUSHED OUT OF YOUR FILTER. This process must be completed at least once a day until there are no more traces of algae in your pool or else the algae will be able to maintain a foothold in your pool and be able to creep back in. The only way around this is to maintain an incredibly high level of chlorine in your pool which comes with its own host of problems and is not an ideal solution. 

In the end, a pool filter can only be cleaned so many times before the life of the filter is gone and the filter must be replaced. Usually, a pool that is used often can expect a lifespan of about a year to a year and a half. Pools that are not used often can expect a longer life, sometimes up to the three-year mark. A surefire symptom of a pool filter that is outside of it’s cleaning life is when cleaning it has little effect. If your pool filter looks the same after you cleaned it as before or if your pressure remains higher than normal it is most likely time to replace the filter. 

If you are unsure of your pool filters condition, or just need some help with taking it all apart and cleaning it. We at Sharkbite Pools are here to help. Please give us a call at (941) 281-5900 to schedule a consultation and let us help you bring your pool back to a beautiful oasis for you and your family to enjoy. 

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