How To Chemicaly Clean A Swimming Pool Cartridge Filter

—Tips and guidelines for smart filter "housekeeping" to help ensure efficient filtration

Keeping your pond pool water looking and feeling good requires regular cleaning of your pool filter. Fortunately, for those with a cartridge-blazon filter system, maintaining the elements—the tubes of folded, accordion-like fabric that goes inside the filter tank—is piece of cake to do.

Clean a pool cartridge filter: step by step

The role of your pool filter is to capture small pieces of debris floating in pool water and screen them out. Over time, dirt builds up in the cartridge elements, and information technology needs to exist cleared out.

Get-go, decide if your filter needs to be cleaned. When the filter estimate shows that the PSI (pounds per square inch) is more than 8 to 10 PSI higher than what's normal for your filter, it'southward time for some housekeeping.

Hint: You can bank check your owner's manual for the correct PSI range, but the best arroyo is to know what's "normal" for your pool when operating with its specific features and equipment configuration. To obtain this baseline, bank check the PSI when the cartridge is brand new or right after you have performed a deep cleaning on it. (described beneath in department six).

To clean your cartridges, follow the elementary steps outlined hither. Also included are some tips for avoiding pitfalls and making the job every bit easy every bit possible.

1. Turn off the arrangement.

Rule #ane is to never work on pool equipment while it's running. And so, always start past making sure the pump is turned off.

Next, bleed the filter tank of air past turning the air relief valve to the open position. Never effort to open the filter tank while there is still pressure in the organization; doing so could damage the filter—or worse, cause a personal injury!

ii. Open the filter tank .

Adjacent, remove the clamp that secures the chapeau on the tank. Virtually modernistic filter tanks use an O-band to agree the top and lesser pieces together. O-rings are easily removed past pressing up on the release tabs and turning counter-clockwise.

If you have an older model of filter, it may have metal clamps that are fastened with screws. If you lot're non sure how to remove it, check your possessor'southward transmission or contact your local pool service company.

Hint: If you can't find your owner's transmission, the manufacturer'southward website will likely accept a downloadable version.

3. Remove the cartridge(southward) from the tank.

Once you have the clamp off, carefully pull the superlative section off your filter tank. Depending on the brand and model of filter, it may contain a single large cartridge element or upward to iv smaller ones. Remove all of them, and set them aside to be cleaned.

Most units with one large cartridge will lift right out of the tank without unfastening whatsoever attachments. Smaller filters may have elements with attachments that concur them in place. Refer to the owner's transmission for instructions on removal.

4. Cheque cartridges for wear and tear.

With regular cleaning, a adept quality pool cartridge filters should last iii to five years before needing replacement. Ultimately, your puddle'south use and lawn conditions will also impact your filter's lifespan.

Each time you perform a cartridge cleaning, it'southward a adept thought to do a quick visual check for cracks in the plastic housing, tears in the pleats, or other signs of impairment.

Even small tears tin can reduce the cartridge's ability to filter the water. Therefore, replacing a damaged ane is recommended so your filter achieves optimal performance.

5. Remove droppings from the cartridge material.

The near common approach for cartridge cleaning is to apply water—a difficult spray from a garden hose. In a few minutes, the water will rinse abroad droppings from between the folded cartridge pleats.

Brainstorm at the top of the cartridge, and work your way toward the lesser. After rinsing the entire cartridge, plow it upside downwardly and echo the procedure.

If you take a small pool, pocket-sized cartridge, and strong hands—and if your cartridge isn't also muddy—you might be able to create a hard enough spray by holding your pollex over the end of the hose. Still, in virtually cases you will desire a nozzle attachment that tin can produce a water stream that's strong enough for a thorough washing.

If you find that a regular hose nozzle fails to remove all the debris, attempt a high-pressure model that'south designed for household projects like washing cards. Y'all can find these types of products at hardware stores or online.

Want to save water? Some pool owners like to remove dirt from the cartridge fabric with an air compressor. These devices produce concentrated a concentrated stream of air and they are available in portable models for household tasks like inflating tires.

Hint: Learn how to choose an air compressor model for your needs hither. If y'all are using a loftier-ability system, keep the air to a moderate flow—under 20 - 30 PSI—so it won't harm the cartridge material. (If you are unsure, look at how hard the air is blowing; it should not be so forceful that it creates deep depressions in individual cloth folds.)

Even if the air does not remove all of the dirt, it will requite your spray hose a head start; less water will exist needed overall to finish the task.

Other tactics for removing stubborn debris and reducing water use

If clearing out all of the debris from the pleats is difficult using only water, an air compressor, or the two in tandem, other methods might be warranted. One is to augment the cleaning with a gentle brush or device designed for dislodging dirt from cartridge filters.

A discussion of circumspection: Since brushing can article of clothing downwardly cartridge textile, exercise and so sparingly. Brush only in the tough spots where dirt is caught deep in the folds and use the softest touch on that accomplishes the task.

Another dirt-busting strategy is to allow the cartridge—and clingy dirt—to completely dry out prior to cleaning. Some pool owners discover that dry debris comes off more than hands with a few shakes of the material. The same dry-out process can exist used for routine cleaning to save water; with much of the dry clay shaken off, a shorter rinsing is needed to finish off the remaining dirt.

Typically, this "dry" approach requires keeping a second set of cartridges on hand. While set A is drying out, use set B within your tank. Alternating at each cleaning. (Similar keeping extra lightbulbs on hand in home, y'all might find having a backup set of cartridges is convenient—you'll exist gear up whenever information technology's time to supplant them.)

If y'all opt for dry method, you can let the cartridges outside in your backyard. Merely don't proceed them in sunlight for an extended period. A few hour is okay (and even benign equally ultraviolet rays help impale whatever algae on filter textile). However, overexposure to UV radiation tin deteriorate the textile and its housing.

A give-and-take of caution: If your pool water is non properly maintained and / or calcium levels in your local water are particularly high, this dry out-out method may create bug: When water with high calcium levels (as well as other minerals like copper or manganese) evaporates from the cartridge material, the mineral content is left behind on the material, possibly embedding into the fibers. (See more beneath on mineral deposits and removing them.)

half dozen. Degrease or deep clean the cartridge.

Hosing and the other methods described above will remove big debris from the cartridge. However, these strategies are non always enough to handle stickier substances like algae, sweat, sunscreen, and trunk oils that seep into the cartridge fabric—and interfere with its efficiency.

If your puddle and spa become a lot of employ with swimmer's bringing in these kinds of "bather wastes" (as they are known), it'southward a expert practice to periodically perform a deeper cleaning. This actress step will provide a more than thorough removal of clay and debris and help maintain the filter's effectiveness.

The most common way to accomplish practiced results is with a commercial pool degreaser or cartridge cleaner (some brands combine both into a single product). These are available at hardware stores, puddle supply stores, and online.

To apply, spray the product directly onto the cartridge. Be sure to cover all of the surface areas betwixt the pleats. Leave the compound on for the recommended amount of fourth dimension. Then, thoroughly rinse it off with a hose. If the buildup on the cartridges is particularly dumbo and nasty, consider soaking them overnight.

In that location is no hard-and-fast dominion here regarding frequency. Some pool owners deep make clean every other time—which may mean simply once per year when pool and spa apply is loftier. Others volition examine the filter materials to come across if fabric seems sticky or coated, and only if it is, volition they use a degreaser.

Tip: If you are willing to the extra mile for enhancing equally of filter's effectiveness and lifespan, consider using a degreaser each time you make clean the cartridge. Doing so takes some endeavor and at that place is a cost to the production. However, information technology volition clear the materials more than thoroughly, and the more than articulate and permeable the cloth remains, the amend it can new clay and help go on water sparkling articulate.

Special procedure for mineral removal

If your pool water contains loftier amounts of calcium, deposits may form on the filter materials. This issue tends to be express to certain municipalities around the land with "hard water". These deposits look similar the rough, white blemishes you see on surfaces like rock and puddle tile.

Past bottleneck up some of the space between the fiber filaments, the permeability of the textile—water's ability to pass through it—is compromised. As with a muddy filter, the mineral-heavy fabric works less efficiently.

To address this outcome, you can use a production that you probable take on manus for pool water maintenance: muriatic acrid. Unless your owner's manual advises against doing so, this chemical—in a diluted form—tin exist used attack the hard built upwardly.

In a bucket or big trash can, make a mixture of one part hydrochloric acid and thirty parts water. For condom, exist sure to add together the acid to the water—NOT the h2o to the acid! In addition, wear appropriate protective gear.

When you place the cartridge into the acrid bath, in that location may exist some fizzing. This is the calcium reacting with the acid (and with any organic thing such every bit body oils). The reaction may go on for a few minutes. When it stops, yous tin can let the cartridge soak another 10 to 15 minutes, then it'due south time to thoroughly rinse the cartridge with a hose.

A word of warning: Some pool owners regularly employ hydrochloric acid for routine cartridge maintenance, but some experts advise confronting doing and then except in special cases for calcium removal. The reason: If in that location are mucilaginous bather wastes in the cartridge, the acid tin actually lock any oils into the cloth, clogging it up.

vii. Reassemble the filter tank.

Once your cartridges are clean, return them to the within of the filter tank. Reassemble any attachments if necessary. Set the superlative portion of the filter tank firmly back in place, and tightly shut the O-ring (or other clamping mechanism).

Turn the air release valve back to the closed position. Turn on the pump to make sure everything is functioning properly.

Hint: Applying a small corporeality of a silicon-based lubricant to the O-band will help extend its serviceable life.

8. Test the filter'southward air pressure.

With the pump running, open the filter's air relief valve to release any backlog air in the system. When water consistently sprays out of the valve, there is no more air in the system. Bank check the filter force per unit area to make sure information technology's falling inside the proper range for your filter when it's clean.

Additional cartridge maintenance tips

To obtain the best possible performance and longest life out of your pool filter cartridges:

Do:

• Read your filter owner'south transmission, and clean filter elements co-ordinate to the instructions specific to your brand and model.

•Regularly check your pool water chemical science, and go on information technology properly balanced at all times.

•Clean cartridges only when it's truly necessary—when the pressure is viii to 10 PSI higher than what'southward normal for your filter.

•Minimize the formation of organic build up on your cartridges with an antimicrobial pool filter. If your cartridges are not made with Microban®, consider ones with this production protection when it's time to buy replacements. The compound inhibits microorganisms from multiplying into a slimy film on cartridge material.

Don't:

•Apply a stiff brush to clean the pleats, as this can harm them. Utilize a soft-bristle 1 or other device that'south fabricated for gently lifting off droppings defenseless in between the folds of material.

•Over rely on brushing. The single biggest enemy of cartridge article of clothing is brushing the material. Even a specialty tool for cartridge cleaning breaks down the material slightly each time its bristles or parts hitting the fabric.

Properly caring for your pool filter cartridges every bit indicated can save yous money in the long run. Above all, well-maintained filter cartridges will aid keep your pool h2o looking likewise adept to resist.