How To Backwash A Pool Sand Filter

Backwashing clears out the dirt and gunk from your pool's filter. Whether y'all take a sand filter or a DE filter, it will demand backwashing from fourth dimension to time. In this article I'll tell yous why you need to backwash, when to backwash and give yous step-by-footstep instructions on how to backwash your pool's filter.

To backwash, a sand or DE filter, turn off the pool pump and attach a backwash hose. And so set the valve to "aftermath", switch the pump back on and let the water menstruation out until it is clear (usually most 2 mins). Y'all'll need to adjacent set the valve to rinse after for about thirty secs. If y'all take a DE filter, you lot'll to refill the DE.

Of course, that was the extremely short version. There'southward more to it than that. In this article nosotros comprehend inground pools, above ground pools, saltwater pools. In addition, you'll find these procedures will work for many brands, including:

• Pentair
• Intex
• Hayward
• Jandy
• RX Clear
• Astral

Use the multiport valve to backwash the pool filter. Moving picture shows a adequately standard pool filter, pump and plumbing.

What is Backwashing?

The image on the left shows regular filtering. The muddy water from the pool comes down through the sand, impurities are captured, then the water travels up through the laterals and standpipe dorsum to the pool. Backwashing is the reverse (image on right). The pool h2o travels through the standpipe and out through the laterals at the bottom, then support through the sand lifting impurities. It then travels out through the waste outlet taking impurities and dirt with it.

Backwashing or backwash reverses the flow of water through the puddle'south filter, lifts upward and flushes the filter medium (sand or DE), and then expels the dirty water via a waste matter line into the footing or drain. Sometimes this is also referred to every bit backflushing.

Backwashing is essentially the procedure of cleaning the pool filter and needs to exist done on a regular basis. More on that later.

In gild to ensure confronting balance blowback into the pool, once you've finished backwashing it is highly advisable to rinse the filter. Just as the backwash lifts and flushes the sand, the rinse reseats the sand in its original position for optimum filtration.

Read on to learn how to backwash your puddle.

Why Should You Backwash?

All DE (diatomaceous earth) and sand filters utilize the aforementioned basic mechanics: when gear up to "Filter", water flows from the pool, through the filter, and back into the pool. The filter medium (sand or DE) inside the filter arrangement blocks debris, dirt, and oil. A typical pool filter multiport system has 6 different settings – Filter, Aftermath, Rinse, Circulate, Closed, and Waste material.

Nonetheless, over fourth dimension, or when you vacuum your pool, dirt and debris get deposited in the filter – the event being that the filter becomes dirty and clogged with contaminants that, if left unchecked, will reduce the filter's ability to clean and if left could restrict the h2o flow and put extra strain on the puddle.

How to Backwash a Sand Filter

Diagram shows the internal workings of a pool's sand filter.

A pool sand filter uses sand to catch contaminants in your pool's water. Pool water is circulated through special filter grade pool sand.

From time to time, you volition need to clean your sand filter by backwashing it. Here's how to backwash a sand filter:

1. Turn off the pool pump.
2. Set the sand filter valve handle to the Backwash pool position and ensure the handle locks in place.
3. Plough on the pump and aftermath for ii minutes or until the h2o in the sight glass (located on the filter) is running clear.
4. Turn Off the Pump.
5. Prepare the filter valve handle to the RINSE position and ensure the handle locks in identify.
6. Turn on the pump and run the rinse process for thirty-60 seconds or until the water in the sight glass is articulate.
7. Plough Off the Pump.
8. Shut the skimmer valves to forestall water from entering the filter from the puddle. Empty the filter skimmer basket and clean out the hair catcher.
9. Re-seat and seal the skimmer basket and pilus catcher.
10. Reopen the skimmer valves.
11. Reset the Filter Valve to Filter and ensure the handle locks into identify.
12. Plough On the Pump.

How to Aftermath a DE Filter

Motion picture shows Diatomaceous World or D.Eastward. which is the filter medium inside a D.East. pool filter.

A DE filter uses Diatomaceous Earth (DE for brusque) instead of sand to catch contaminants. D.E. is a much finer medium than sand and therefore does a improve chore at filtering your pool water. However, in that location is some extra maintenance required when backwashing.

Backwashing a D.E. Filter is similar to a sand filter with one extra stride of topping upward the diatomaceous earth.

Important: earlier you start, brand sure you accept some D.Due east. pulverisation on hand, every bit you'll need to acme up the filter afterward backwashing. DE gets washed out when backwashing.

How to Backwash DE Filters (With Multiport Valves):

1. Switch off the puddle pump.
2. Select the BACKWASH setting on the filter valve.
3. Turn the pump back on and backwash until for 2 minutes or until the h2o runs articulate (y'all tin check this in the sight glass on the side of the filter).
4. Turn the pump off.
5. Select the RINSE setting on the filter valve.
6. Plow the pump back on and rinse for 1-2 minutes. You can repeat steps 2 to 6 a few times if the filter is particularly dirty.
7. Turn the pump off and select FILTER
8. Refill D.E. powder.
   1. Check the manufacturer'southward instructions as to how much. Information technology will likely be 3-half-dozen lbs (or about 80% of the full capacity of the filter).
   2. Usually you will add this to the skimmer (mix the DE with water first) and/or y'all'll add together some D.E. pulverization in the pump strainer and the rest in the skimmer. Again bank check the manufacturer's instructions.
   3. Run the pump on the FILTER setting for 30 minutes or more to allow the D.E. powder to coat the filter grids once again.

How to Backwash DE Filters (With Push-Pull Valves):

The backwashing procedure for DE filters with push button-pull valves is virtually the same as backwashing a DE filter with a multiport valve.

1. Switch off the pool pump.
2. Open the valve to Aftermath.
3. Turn the pump back on and aftermath until for 2 minutes or until the h2o runs clear (yous can cheque this in the sight glass on the side of the filter).
4. Turn the pump off.
5. Shut the push/pull valve.
6. Refill the D.Eastward. powder.
   1. Check the manufacturer's instructions every bit to how much. It will probable exist 3-6 lbs (or well-nigh 80% of the full capacity of the filter).
   2. Usually y'all will add this to the skimmer (mix the DE with h2o first) and/or you'll add some D.E. powder in the pump strainer and the rest in the skimmer. Over again check the manufacturer'due south instructions.
   3. Run the pump for 30 minutes or more to allow the D.E. powder to glaze the filter grids again.

Can You lot Backwash a Cartridge Filter?

Replacement cartridge element from a pool cartridge filter.

Pool cartridge filters cannot be backwashed unlike their cousins sand filters and D.E. filters. Cartridge filters are not designed to run "backwards".

Even so cartridge filters can and should be cleaned on a regular basis. To make clean a cartridge filter you'll need to open the filter upward and remove the cartridge. Rinse and spray the cartridge with the hose every 4 weeks and give it a deep clean every few months.

We take full instructions to deep clean your cartridge filter in our blog hither:
How to Clean Pool Cartridge Filter (Using Muriatic acid)

How Often to Backwash Pool

As a rule of thumb, regardless of if you lot have a sand filter or DE filter, you should backwash your puddle near once a week during swimming flavour. The optimal time is right afterwards you vacuum the puddle. If your pool has had a lot more utilize than normal, information technology may be necessary to aftermath twice a calendar week.

Nosotros recommend this suction cleaner and this robotic cleaner.

Also, if your pool is particularly prone to leaves, more frequent backwashing may be necessary since leaves, other droppings from trees, and contaminants from birds etc. will be entering your puddle.

Yous can too tell when it is time for a backwash by checking the filter's pressure level gauge. Normal operating pressures are between 50 and 170 Kpa (kilopascal) or ten – 25 psi. When the sand gets dirty and clogged upwards, however, the pressure level reading rises.

When to backwash your pool? Utilize the filter pressure gauge as a guide. It's time to backwash when the pressure rises 8-ten psi above normal or above 80 Kpa.

If the pressure on the estimate is showing five-10 psi higher than normal, information technology's time to backwash.

If you accept already backed washed your pool and the force per unit area is nonetheless high, check out our commodity: viii Reasons Filter Pump Force per unit area is High (And How to Gear up)

When Not to Backwash

If your pool contains an unusually loftier level of dirt (for example, as a result of a nearby construction site, a protracted catamenia of beingness untended and uncovered, or possibly from runoff caused past flooding) it may be advisable to by-pass the filter entirely.

This is also the case if your water had, or has had, an algae problem. Live algae easily pass through the filter sand and re-enters the pool. And the same goes for expressionless algae following a daze treatment. You lot can read more on preventing algae here.

In these cases, instead of vacuuming and backwashing, information technology may be better to vacuum directly to WASTE, and to send the vacuumed water directly down into the drain.

Where to Get Rid of Backwash H2o

When you backwash your puddle there will be quite a chip of water to deal with. You need to have a programme before yous start. A few hundred gallons of h2o flooding onto your neighbors' properly volition probable result in you lot non being invited to their next Christmas party.

Your Yard

Disposing of pool backwash water in your own yard is the recommended option. You'll notice in many states and councils that it is illegal to dispose of puddle water in the bleed or sewer.

Make certain you go on the h2o on your property, though. Some councils issue fines if poolwater runs off.

Will it kill the grass or plants? In most cases, your grass should be fine if you route your backwash water there. You may consider moving the hose around as you are discharging the h2o, so the water doesn't accumulate in one spot.

Also, brand sure information technology's non going to run into your house or anywhere else.

As for plants, pool water will kill some plants but many of them will exist fine, as long as they don't have too much pool water on them.

Gutter or Storm Drain

In many places, it's illegal to discharge pool water into the street, gutter or stormwater drain unless it'south been decontaminated. This h2o will frequently end up in rivers, creeks, lakes and oceans. Puddle water typically contains a range of chemicals that could be detrimental to the local surroundings.

Sanitary Sewer via Cleanout

In some areas, it'due south OK to dispose of pool h2o here. Information technology's not normally OK to have your pool permanently plumbed into the sewer though. Check with your local quango to find out if this is an selection for you.

Important Backwashing Tips

• The one downside of backwashing is that, because h2o is expelled from the organization and sent into waste, is that it…well…wastes water. While this is unavoidable, the key to not overdoing the aftermath process and flushing out more water than strictly necessary is to go on a careful centre on the colour and quality of the h2o in the sight glass.
• Don't backwash more than necessary, or for longer than necessary. Sand filter systems operate most efficiently during the eye of the filtration bicycle. This is partly due to the positioning, at any given time, of the sand in the filter, and partly because of the cyclical build-up of collected dirt and droppings in the filter. The internet event is that too much or to frequent backwashing actually reduces the sand filter'due south efficiency.
• Because backwashing inevitably washes out some of the sand along with the dirt and debris, from time to fourth dimension information technology will exist necessary to elevation upwardly the amount of sand in the filter. When yous practice add extra sand, run the filter organization on RINSE for a minute or so to reduce the amount of sand blowback into the pool. We recommend this replacement filter sand here.
• Finally, absolutely brand sure y'all e'er plow off the pump before you either motility or reset the filter valve setting. If you don't, y'all're going to damage, and perhaps destroy the organization.

Recommended Products

Pool Sand Filter

Replacement Filter Sand

Swimming Puddle Vacuum – Automatic Suction Cleaner or Robotic Cleaner

Related reading:

How to Get Sand Out of a Pool

Cloudy Pool Water: Why & How to Remedy

How To Backwash A Pool Sand Filter,

Source: https://www.myperfectpool.com.au/backwash-pool-sand-filter-often.html

Posted by: wilsonthisity93.blogspot.com

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