Swimming Pool Filters – Types and Maintenance

There are three types of swimming pool filters that are available in the market for swimming pool owners to consider when they are purchasing new pools. There is the standard sand filter for pools, which filters the dirt out of the water as it passes through the filter. Silica sand is normally used in these filters and the dirt will be caught between the sand particles. As the space fills up between the particles of sand, smaller and smaller particles of dirt from pools are caught between the sand particles. The pressure increases inside the filter as the dirt builds up and backwashing is required to flush out the dirt from the filter in a scrubber action by washing the water backwards through the filter. The dirty water is then exhausted through a separate hose reserved for this purpose. The silica sand should be replaced every few years to keep conditions optimal for a swim.

The second type of swimming pool filter is via a cartridge filtration system, which works well to keep waters clean for a swim. It works much the same way as the sand filter, except that it is able to filter smaller amounts of dirt from the swimming pools water. Scrubbing the cartridge with a high-pressure garden hose can clean the cartridge. Soaking the element with tri-sodium-phosphate and then rinsing it with a garden hose also works well.

The third type of filter that is used for swimming pools is diatomaceous earth and will filter pool water down to three microns, making it clean to swim in. This is one of the newest style of filters on the market. These filters can also be cleaned by backwashing and draining the dirty water to a waste line. The filter can also just be replaced instead of cleaning the filter.

Check out pool filters for more information.

Author Notes:

Paul Richardson contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.pools-n-pool-accessories.com. A great resource for pools and pool supplies including reviews, how-to's and news.