How to Change The Sand in Swimming Pool Sand Filters

The clarity of the pool's water depends on the pool filter.

Along with maintaining your pool's pH balance, changing out the sand in your pool's sand filter keeps your pool clean and in excellent shape. The sand inside of your pool's filter helps filter out impurities that can contaminate the pool water, which could leave it cloudy and also help foster conditions for algae growth. The sand should be changed out every 5 to 7 years, and the components of the pool filter disassembled and inspected for signs of wear.

Things You'll Need

• Pool filter sand
• Pipe cutter
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Duct tape
• Shop vacuum
• Cleaning solution
• Threaded pipe fittings
• Straight couplers

Instructions

1. Shut off power to the pool pump at the circuit breaker for added safety. Remove the drain cap from the filter tank. Allow the water to drain completely from the tank.

2. Remove the PVC piping attached to the multiport valve. Unscrew the threaded pipe fittings holding the pipes to the multiport valve by hand or use a pipe cutter to cut the piping away from the valve.

3. Loosen the screws on the multiport valve clamp with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Carefully lift and twist the valve off of the tank while making sure not to pull on the standpipe and laterals with too much force.

4. Place duct tape over the top of the standpipe to prevent sand from entering. Feed the hose of the shop vacuum into the filter tank and turn it on. Use the device to remove the sand until the tops of the laterals are exposed. Rinse the remainder of the sand out of the tank with water.

5. Remove the standpipe and laterals if you wish to inspect and clean these devices. Carefully rotate each lateral until they are parallel with the standpipe, and then gently pull the assembly out of the tank. Inspect each lateral for breaks and replace as necessary. Soak the laterals in a cleaning solution if the devices are clogged.

6. Set the lateral assembly into the filter tank and carefully rotate the laterals into their original position within the tank. Fill the tank with water until it is half-full. Slowly pour the new sand into the filter tank until the tank's recommended capacity is reached.

7. Remove the tape from the top of the standpipe and slide the central pipe on the multiport valve over the standpipe and onto the filter tank. Tighten the clamp around the multiport valve with the Phillips-head screwdriver.

8. Reconnect the piping to the multiport valve with threaded pipe fittings or straight couplers. Set the handle on the valve to "backwash" before turning the pool pump on. Restore power to the pool pump at the circuit breaker. Prime the pump, and then turn it on for 2 minutes to flush out any impurities from the sand media.

9. Turn the pool pump off and set the handle to "Rinse." Turn the pump on once more and observe the sight glass on the multiport valve. Run the pump until the water in the sight glass is clear. Turn the pool pump off and set the handle to "Filter." Turn the pool pump on and allow the pump to operate as normal.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove the filter from the shop vacuum before using it to remove the sand.

References

• Swim University: How to Change the Sand in Your Sand Filter
• Inyo Pools: How to Change Sand in a Sand Filter