Make The Right Choice for Your Pool Pumps and Filters

Pool pumps and filters are important components of maintaining your pool in optimal condition for full enjoyment.  Pumps drive the water of your pool through the filter and chlorination to maintain clean and sanitary swimming conditions.  Filters remove particles to clarify your water.

There are many brands of pumps, offering strainers baskets that are easier to clean, motors that are quieter, motors with variable speeds to save electricity.  Hayward, Pentair, Purex Triton, Jacuzzi, and American Products are a few brands available.  Pumps can be purchased in one, one and one-half, or two horsepower models.  The pump size needed for your pool depends on the number of gallons your pool holds.  Pumps should turn the water over in your pool one and one-half times a day for optimal cleaning.

There are not only several brands of filters, more importantly there are three types; the cartridge, sand and DE.  Type of filter installed often depends on the area of the U.S. in which you are located.  There is no explainable reason for these preferences by region but they do exist.  The proponents of each type will defend their choice against and oppositional view, and in their mind, come out the winner.

Here are the basics regarding filters.  Sand filters are the most inexpensive to operate.  They also allow smaller particles to pass through. The cleaning method is a “backwash” of the sand with the water being expelled outside of the pool.  Cartridge filters boast a much smaller particle entrapment than sand and are still relatively east to clean.  Inside of the filter housing is a cartridge, similar to an air filter on a car, but much larger.  These filters can be washed down and gently scrubbed on a weekly or twice weekly basis and reused.  The filters will, however, need to be replaced on a yearly basis, or more frequently dependent upon how often they are cleaned and how much debris passes through your pool.  The DE (diatornaceous earth) filter has the finest particle filtering of any of these filters.  It will filter out particles down to 5 microns.  The cleaning is much like cleaning of the sand filter, with the exception that you wash away the DE and must replace it each time.  Replacement is usually done by pouring the necessary amount of DE through the skimmer with the pump running.

When you are in need of a new pump and filter, for installation on your pool, consider the following; the size of the pump and filter originally placed on your pool may not be correct. Is quiet operation or variable speeds the most important feature for you in a pump? Which type of filter is most desirable and affordable for your needs?  Would you prefer sand, cartridge or DE? There is a lot of information regarding sizing available to you from retail pool stores and manufacturer’s brochures.  Your local pool professional will be glad to help you make these decisions.  The information above will help you be an informed consumer.