by SRekha

Created on: February 28, 2010

Swimming pool filters operate for longer time ensuring clean sparkling water to swim. Pool filters tend to accumulate a lot of grime, dirt and grease in the process of purifying the pool water. Hence it is mandatory to regularly rinse and backwash the swimming pool filter to keep it in good working condition.

How often should you backwash the pool filter?

This depends on the plumbing, the size of the filter in use and the number of people swimming in the pool regularly. With increased usage of the swimming pool, the filter absorbs more wastes and requires a backwash. When the pressure indication on the filter reaches the given specification level, it should be backwashed.

Why should you backwash the pool filter?

The free floating dust particles and other waste materials in the swimming pool are filtered by the pool filter so that you can swim in clean waters. Pool filtration also defends the bathers and the water against the harmful bacteria, mold and algae. These can cause skin allergies and are dangerous to the bathers. However, a good filter ensures protection from these bad elements. Hence, you should backwash the pool filter at least once a week to keep it in good working condition. Backwashing removes the free flowing dirt materials in the filter and unclogs the filter.

How to backwash the filter in your swimming pool?

Always remove the pool filter electricity supply. It is important to backwash only after turning off the power supply to the filtration system of the pool. The backwash valve is provided just next to the pool filter.  When the handle of the valve is moved to the backwash position, the dirty water in the filter is removed using a backwash hose.

As the water gets backwashed, it can be viewed through a clear window which is attached to the backwash hose. Once you find the water getting clear, the initial backwashing process is complete and the filter can be stopped.

After a few minutes, the backwash valve should be switched on again for two to three minutes. This re-filtering backwash procedure gets rid of the remaining dirt in the filter. Repeating this process one more time ensures completion of the backwash process and cleans the pool filter.

If the pool looks cloudy, it is advisable to repeat the backwash process a few more times to clear the pool.  In simple words, backwashing of the swimming pool means removing the earlier Diatomaceous Earth powder and adding new supply of Diatomaceous Earth or D.E. to the pool water. The new supply of D.E can be added using a pool skimmer.

Silica sand is used in most above ground pools to remove the organic and other wastes in the swimming pool. The entire backwash of the swimming pool depends on the power of the pump used in the pool. Usually the entire process is done with 8-10 minutes. Some amount of water goes out of the pool during the backwash. Hence after the backwash of the swimming pool is over, you can add more water and switch on the pool pump.

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