How Often to Backwash an Above Ground Pool?
Backwashing your filter is the process of flushing it free of dirt and debris. Pool owners should get into the habit of regularly backwashing their filter as part of their maintenance schedule to keep the filter running efficiently. If the filter is circulating the water properly, it makes the chemicals more effective and leads to clearer pool water. Does this Spark an idea?
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Backwashing Defined
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Backwashing is the process of replacing dirty earth that has collected dirt, bugs and other debris with fresh clean earth. The earth, which is a white powder substance, helps collect particles that are too small to be caught by the pool's skimmer and pump baskets. A dirty filter can get clogged and lead to low filter pressure, which doesn't circulate the water and chemicals properly.
How Often to Backwash
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Backwashing should be part of your regular maintenance routine. The process is just as important as adding chemicals to the pool. The effectiveness of the filter and chemicals go hand and hand. Therefore, to keep the water clean, the filter should be backwashed once per week and replaced with clean earth.
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How to Backwash
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With the filter powered off, turn the release valve located at the bottom of the pump. The water inside the pump will be released through the valve. At first you will notice the chunks of dirty earth being flushed from the filter, along with tiny bugs and dirt particles. Let the water run through the release valve until it appears clear. Turn off the valve. Power the filter on, and add 1 qt. of earth to the pump through the skimmer. Pools with more than 10,000 gallons of water should add slightly more.
Special Circumstances
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Backwashing the filter cleans it out and releases the dirt and debris collected by the earth. You should backwash your filter after vacuuming the pool, especially if the pool bottom was dirtier than usual. When vacuuming the pool, most of the debris sucked up through the process is collected by the earth, which makes it dirty more quickly than normal filter pump operation. This should be done if the pool bottom was really dirty. Many people tend to neglect vacuuming duties. So when the pool is finally vacuumed, the filter usually needs to be backwashed because the excessive amount of dirt has lowered the filter pressure.
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