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Filters
A clean pool filter contributes greatly to keeping your pool water clear and sparkling, while allowing your sanitizer to work more effectively. Pool filters come in several brands, types and sizes. The choice of filter really depends on the individual pool, its size, usage and location. A clear, sparkling pool looks attractive, operates smoothly, and adds to your enjoyment of your pool.
All filters need to be periodically cleaned over the length of a pool season, daily filter cycles and routine vacuuming can lead to a build-up of dirt, debris, grease, oil and scale that routine backwashing cannot remove. This kind of build-up will lead to reduced filtration efficiency of the pool filter, resulting in cloudy, murky water. Reduced filter efficiency can also encourage algae growth and reduce the effectiveness of your pool maintenance products.
Here is a list of the three different types of pool filters:
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Water is pushed through a bed of filter sand and removed through a set of lateral tubes at the bottom.
The principle behind this filter is that water is pushed through the filter sand, somewhat like an espresso machine.
Dirty water goes in the top and clean water exits out the bottom. As the filter sand becomes plugged with debris from the pool,
the pressure increases on the filter and the water flow drops. Periodic cleaning of the filter involves putting it in
reverse and dumping out the waste water. this is referred to as "backwashing" the filter. Once the filter is backwashed,
you move to the rinse mode and that repacks the sand and then back to filter. This has to be done manually every few weeks.
Once the sand becomes really dirty (every 3-5 years) it is time to be replaced. In terms of particle size filtered out,
sand is the least effective method, it can allow smaller particles to pass back into the pool. A sand filter removes debris
down to about 40 microns in size. This is adequate for pools in most situations.
Water passes though a filter material and the filter captures the debris. They are similar to the water
filters used under the sink. Cartridges have much more available area to filter than sand, so they don't
clog up as quickly and therefore you touch them less frequently. Cartridge filters are designed to run at
lower pressure than sand. This puts less back-pressure on the pump and you get more flow and turnover for
an equivalent pump size. Generally these filters have to be cleaned once or twice a season by taking them
apart and hosing them off. In terms of particle size filtered out, cartridge is somewhere between sand and DE.
Today's cartridge filters filter more finely because the flow rate per square foot of filter material is much less.
The slower the water flows through the filter media, the better it will filter. Cartridge filters remove particulate
down to about 20 microns in size.
DE Filters offer the best possible filtration, but it also requires the highest level of maintenance.
Diatomaceous earth is mined and is the fossilized exoskeletons of tiny diatoms. They are used to coat
"grids" in the filter housing and act as tiny sieves to remove debris. They are very small and as such
can filter out particles as small as 5 microns. Diatom filter areas are sized between sand and cartridge -
around 60-70 sq ft are most common. Once the filter pressure rises, the filter is backwashed just like a
sand filter and then "recharged" with more DE powder. These filters have to be cleaned once or twice a
season by taking them apart and hosing them off, and replacing new Diatomaceous earth. Typically it is
poured into the skimmer and it then coats the filter grids. DE filters run at higher pressures than cartridge
filters and as such can lead to some inefficiency and flow loss. A DE filter removes debris down to about 5-8 microns in size.To have your filter serviced please contact us, or fill out the following form and we will contact you.
