HOW TO SELECT THE BEST POOL FILTER

The swimming pool whilst being a place of fun and frolic for everyone irrespective of any age barriers could become a dangerous source of contamination and cause sickness and disease. Water is a very popular medium for the proliferation of disease carrying bacteria and for other insects to propagate. Water is a common source for the propagation of mosquitoes and other parasites. We may not be aware what danger is lurking in the water that we would so happily step into without an iota of concern that we could be treading into apparent danger. It is in this context and the fact that the swimming pool is a stagnant body of water most of the time when unused should open our eyes to the possible dangers we could be subjected to. Water is a good medium to carry disease and sickness.

Hence it is imperative that we ensure a clear, clean and healthy pool is at our disposal before we contemplate of slipping or diving into the water. Commercial swimming pools are monitored very scrupulously by the respective managements and are also prudently screened by the local authorities to ensure they are to accepted levels of safety. Heavy fines or even closure are the norm if any of these commercial swimming pools are found to infringe on the set standards. Hence it could be safely presumed that commercial swimming pools are monitored carefully to ensure that they are safe.

Installation of efficient pool filters

It is domestic or residential swimming pools which need to be carefully and prudently monitored to ensure that they are safe and that onus lies on the individual pool owners who would have them in their backyards. The advent of the above ground pool has revolutionized the overall concept of swimming pools especially in the United States. There are 10.4 million residential swimming pools in the United States and this makes it imperative for appropriate and adequate safety precautions to be initiated by its owners.

One of the most important components in ensuring safe clean, clear and healthy water is always at your beck and call is to install very efficient and trustworthy pool filters. Whether it is an above ground pool or an in-ground pool the filter will play a very crucial role in ensuring the water is safe and healthy. Hence investing on a pool filter needs prudent and careful thought with all salient aspects taken into consideration. Without much of an exaggeration the pool filter could be the kidneys of your pool water filtration system. The pool filters installed in any swimming pool needs to operate at optimum efficiency levels.

To ensure your pool filter operates at optimum efficiency levels it is imperative that it matches and marries with every relevant aspect of your pool. The choices of installing an efficient pool filter is abundant and if you peruse through all information available it is possible to find the perfect combination to fit your pool. To make your quest in finding the best possible pool filter for your use we have listed out the types available for you to select.

Pool Filter Types

There are three types of pool filters that are being used universally with each of them able to extend their own advantages when used in the pool filtration system. Depending on the size of your wallet which would be the initial cost of investment, time constraints in maintenance, and other relevant issues you could decide on either of the three.

There are sand pool filters, cartridge pool filters, and diatomaceous earth (DE) pool filters from which you could select one which should be matching your swimming pool like a hand in a glove. All three of them have been tried and tested over many years with each one of them standing in their own domain delivering exemplary service when installed. These pool filters could be installed in any pool filtration system and hence are universal in operation. We shall look at them as closely as possible for you to make the most educated and prudent choice as to which one of the three would be best for your pool. A pool filter is a very important component in your pool filtration system.

• Sand Filters

Sand pool filters have been universally accepted as the best among the three though it may cost higher than the other two in the initial investment. These sand pool filters employ finely granulated carefully sourced silica sand which is used as the medium in the filtration system. The sand is packed into a canister which brings the water in the pool from the intake and sends it out through the discharge back into the pool. During this process all foreign bodies in the water from the smallest particle up to about 10 microns are trapped by the sand. The tightly packed sand prevents these particles from passing through and even if they do, would be subjected to filtration again when it comes back again. The water is filtered quite efficiently and you would have a very clean, clear and healthy pool for use by your loved ones.

This cycle of filtration ensures every molecule of water is subjected to the filtration process. The circulation of the water on a continuous cycle ensures efficient filtration of the pool water. The sand pool filter whilst trapping larger debris also ensures the smaller one don’t pass through. This in effect increases the overall efficiency of the sand pool filter. Most of the pool filters would provide easy visibility into the chamber to monitor the quantum of dirt, debris, dust and other particles being trapped in the pool filter. This is facilitated by using a transparent cover to look into the filtration process. The sand canister could be easily but carefully opened for backwashing.

The sand pool filter is equipped with a pressure gauge which would increase when the filtration process collects the filtered dirt, dust and debris. This is due the pressure build up within the filtration chamber with the collection of foreign matter other than the sand that is prevalent within. When the pressure increases by about 8 to 10 psi (pounds per square inch) it would be time to clean up the pool filter. The cleanup is easy but would take some time and is referred to as “backwashing”. This is a process where the pool pump is reversed in operation and the dirt and debris are washed out and cleaned up. The frequency of backwashing would depend on the quantum of dirt and debris collected in the sand canister. The sand could last for about five years before it would need to be replaced hence maintenance cost is at a minimum other than the time spent on the backwashing. Sand replacement could be a costly endeavor though it occurs once in five years. The use of sand filters is proliferating across the United States in the recent times.

Sand Filter Pros:

• Low maintenance costs
• Efficient filtration
• Sand replaced in about five years
• See through lid on sand canister
• Pressure gauge to apprise on cleaning process
• Easy to install

Sand Filter Cons:

• High initial investment
• Backwashing could be time consuming
• Sand replacement is arduous and costly

• Cartridge Filters

These are pool filters which use cartridge filters to trap the debris and dust that are prevalent in the water. The water in the pool is passed through the filter which consists of a washable cartridge filter. The filter is easily visible through the transparent lid and once it is clogged with dirt and debris the cover could be flipped opened and the cartridge removed. The cartridge could be held under running water and thoroughly cleaned and then replaced. These cartridge filters have limited life times and could get damaged when always washed under flowing water. When it is damaged they would need to be replaced. Replacing cartridge filters could be a costly affair and depending on the quality of the water in the pool and the levels of contamination the maintenance costs could increase. Frequent replacement of the cartridge filter could be a drain on your wallet. Some brands of pool filters could have very expensive cartridges. Hence keeping this aspect in mind before you decide on the pool filter would be a prudent way of approaching the issue.

The cartridge filters use different materials in its manufacture. Whilst some may use polypropylene others use woven cloth or even polyester materials. Whatever the material that is used regular replacement is quite an expensive endeavor. The materials used in the manufacture of the filters are tested for strength and durability and if used carefully the cartridges will last for a long period. Cartridge filters are easily available but could be costly on the long term. Very minute particles may not be trapped in the cartridge filter but may be trapped with the regular water circulation. If it is convenience that you want at a price then it is a cartridge pool filter that you should be installing.

Cartridge Filter Pros:

• Easy to detach
• Long term usage
• Transparent lid
• Easy to observe when clogged
• Convenient to clean
• Easy maintenance
• Washable

Cartridge Filter Cons:

• Frequent cartridge replacement
• Costly maintenance
• Some minute particles could pass through

Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) Filters

This is a naturally occurring substance that is ground to the sizes needed to employ as a filtration medium. These are fossilized remains of billions of organisms and hence act as a very strong filtration medium. The popularity of Diatomaceous Earth of DE is fast becoming popular as a cost effective and efficient pool filtration system. It has the ability to trap debris, dust, dirt, insects and any other foreign particle in that water up to five microns. It is this that has propelled DE to be the best pool filtration medium. Using the DE filter carefully could be good for operation for around 5 to 10 years. The initial cost could be higher than the other two but it is the practicality and the efficiency as a pool filter that has propelled DE to the limelight recently. This is a good time to decide on a DE pool filter.

Special care should be taken to ensure that DE does not mix with the pool water and if it does it should be removed forthwith. Swimming in the pool when DE is present could be dangerous that is because we could inadvertently swallow the water. Similar to the sand pool filter the DE pool filter should also be backwashed which should be done once in 4 to 6 weeks depending on the state of the dirt and debris collected. If by chance DE mixes up with the water it is necessary to remove it immediately. Switching off the pool pump and sucking it in and backwashing will take the DE out.  It may be required to check out the level of DE in the canister of the pool filter and top it up is there is a requirement. DE is fast becoming the first choice for many pool owners due to its versatility in use. Water filtered out of a DE pool filter will be clear, clean and healthy compared to any other type of filter that is available. Places where pools are vulnerable to a large quantity of debris then it would be a DE pool filter which would be the most ideal. If you are replacing or upgrading your pool filtration system then it should be a DE pool filter you should be looking at. Its versatility would overwhelm you as it has many advantages wrapped around it.

D.E. Filter Pros:

• Provides a super cleanup of your pool
• Removes particles as small as 10 microns.
• Long term use without replacing DE
• Needs backwashing
• Can last for 5 to 10 years
• Traps particles as small as five (05) microns
• Easily installed

D.E. Filter Cons:

• DE could be dangerous if swallowed
• Backwashing needed which is a very long process.