BACKWASHING by AARON LYNN

The question of when to backwash your sand filter brings many answers from pool cleaners and I would guess I must have heard them all by now, so what do I think about backwashing?

I hear it all the time that you should backwash regularly, but actually it makes sense not to backwash more often than it’s necessary.

You backwash to flush out the dirt trapped by the filter but a dirty filter will probably prove more efficient than a sparkling clean one, it will trap more as it is harder for dirt to get through.

But you don’t want your filter so dirty that the water can’t get through, so before you reach that point, backwashing has to be done.

Backwashing simply reverses the flow of the water through your filter and sends it to waste. So when you backwash you probably dump about 100 gallon of water out of the pool with the dirt from the filter!

So when is it necessary to waste so much water?

The easy answer is, Backwash when it’s needed!

If you want to know when it’s needed, check your pressure gauge, and if you haven’t got internal problems with your filter that should be the best indicator.

If your gauge is showing a pressure rise of around 10lbs above the clean pressure, then it’s time to backwash.

Another indicator might be a significant reduction in the flow rate which you can notice at the return jets.

Backwashing unnecessarily or too often will reduce the effectiveness of the filter.

How to Backwash the right way:

• Make sure you have enough water in the pool, particularly if you don’t have a main drain.
• Turn off your pump and rotate the multiport to backwash
• Turn on the pump and leave it running until the sight glass shows clear water (usually a couple of mins. is enough). Once it’s clear turn off the pump
• Now rotate the valve to rinse and run the pump again for 20-30 secs. to clean out the lines.
• Turn off the pump and move the valve to filter and you are ready to filter.
• Start the pump and take a pressure gauge reading so you have a reference point for the next backwash cycle. Mark the gauge if it will help.
• Check the pool water and top it up if necessary

Someone may want to argue about it but the reality is, it’s a matter of common sense and the old adage of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” springs to mind.

Enjoyed what you have read then subscribe and get lots more information to help you with all your swimming pool needs contact aaron@greeng1.com