Complete Guide · 44 articles
Pool Filter Maintenance — Run Times, Pressure, Troubleshooting
Pool filter maintenance extends beyond cleaning — it includes understanding run times, reading your pressure gauge correctly, diagnosing problems early, and preparing your filter for winter. This pillar covers all routine and seasonal maintenance tasks for sand, cartridge, and DE filters.
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44 articlesHow Long Should a Pool Filter Run Each Day?
The turnover rate formula - and why 8 hours is often wrong.
Read guidePool Filter Pressure Too High
5 causes of high pressure - and exactly which fix each needs.
Read guideHow Often to Change a Pool Filter
Sand, cartridge, and DE replacement intervals - and signs to change sooner.
Read guideWhy Is My Pool Filter Leaking?
6 leak locations, each with a specific cause and fix.
Read guideWhy Is My Pool Filter Blowing Sand?
Sand in pool from the jets - 4 causes and how to fix each.
Read guideHow to Open a Pool with a Sand Filter
Spring startup checklist - filter first, then chemistry.
Read guideHow Long Does a Pool Filter Last?
Realistic lifespans for every filter component - and signs replacement is overdue.
Read guideWhat Size Pool Filter Do I Need?
Sizing table by pool gallons for sand and cartridge filters.
Read guideHow to Winterize a Pool Filter
Step-by-step winterization for sand, cartridge, and DE filters.
Read guideHow to Clean a Pool Pump Filter
Pump strainer basket cleaning steps - plus when to service the main filter.
Read guideHow Often to Clean a Pool Filter
Cleaning intervals by filter type - and the pressure-gauge rule that replaces guessing.
Read guideCleaning Pool Filter with Muriatic Acid
Acid soak procedure for calcium scale removal - dilution ratio, safety, and when to use it.
Read guideHow to Keep a Small Pool Clean Without a Filter
Sanitizer routine, manual skimming, and drain schedule for filterless pools up to 500 gallons.
Read guideHow Long to Run Filter After Shocking Pool
Minimum 8 hours for routine shock, 24-48 hours for algae blooms - and when to backwash after.
Read guideWhat Does a Pool Filter Do?
How the three filter types physically remove particles - and what filtration cannot do.
Read guideWhy Is My Pool Filter Not Working?
8 causes of filter failure with a step-by-step diagnostic checklist.
Read guideDIY Pool Filter Cleaner - Homemade Solutions That Work
TSP, dish soap, and acid soak recipes for cleaning cartridge and DE filters at home.
Read guidePool Filter Cleaning Schedule - Complete Year-Round Guide
Monthly and seasonal maintenance calendar for sand, cartridge, and DE filters.
Read guideHow to Clean a Pentair Pool Filter
Step-by-step for Pentair Triton II sand, Clean & Clear cartridge, and FNS Plus DE filters.
Read guideHow to Set Up an Above-Ground Pool Filter
Installation guide for above-ground pool filters - hose connections, priming, sand filling, and commissioning.
Read guidePool Filter Cleaning Service - Cost and When to Hire
Professional filter cleaning costs $150-350. What a pro does, DIY vs. service comparison, and when it is worth hiring.
Read guideWhat PSI Should a Pool Filter Be At?
Clean baseline, the 8 to 10 psi backwash threshold, and reading the gauge correctly.
Read guideHow to Clean a Pool Filter
The master guide: sand, cartridge, and DE cleaning in one place, with frequency table.
Read guideHow Much Sand Under a Pool?
Base sand quantities by pool size for above-ground pools, plus leveling and cove tips.
Read guideAir in a Pool Filter
Where the air gets in, how to find the suction-side leak, and how to bleed the tank.
Read guidePool Filter Pressure Too Low
What low pressure really means, the flow restrictions that cause it, and the fix for each.
Read guideHow Long for a Pool Filter to Clear Cloudy Water
Realistic timeframes and the fastest step-by-step plan to clear a cloudy pool.
Read guideHow Much Does a Pool Filter Cost?
Unit, media, parts, and install prices by filter type, plus annual cost of ownership.
Read guideHow to Set Up an Intex Pool Pump and Filter
Cartridge and SX-series sand setup: hoses, priming, sand fill, and first startup.
Read guideSaltwater Pool Filter Guide
Why a salt pool still needs a filter, which type suits it, and how salt affects maintenance.
Read guidePool Filter Multiport Valve Problems
Leaking to waste, a bad spider gasket, sand in the pool: diagnose and fix each valve fault.
Read guidePool Filter Pressure Gauge Not Working
Gauge reads zero or sticks: the four causes, the two minute diagnosis, and the replacement steps.
Read guideHow to Clean a Pool Filter After Algae
Dead algae clogs filters fast: the cleanup routine by filter type and the deep clean that stops round two.
Read guidePool Filter Repair Guide
Every fixable fault routed to its fix, with a DIY vs pro repair cost table.
Read guidePool Filter Parts Explained
Every part named by filter type, which ones wear out, and what replacements cost.
Read guidePool Filter Hose Guide
Sizes, types, adapters, and when to replace the hoses on an above-ground system.
Read guideSta-Rite Pool Filter Guide
System 3 modules, Posi-Flo cartridges, and Cristal-Flo sand: cleaning and parts for every Sta-Rite.
Read guideHow to Prime a Pool Pump
The 15 minute priming routine, why pumps lose prime, and what to do when it will not catch.
Read guideFlocculant vs Clarifier
Which one fits your filter type, and why floc through a cartridge filter is a mistake.
Read guideHayward Pool Filter Guide
The ProSeries, SwimClear and Pro-Grid lineup compared, with model identification and prices.
Read guideHayward Pool Filter Parts
Part numbers by model family, the five components that fail most, and what each costs.
Read guidePentair Pool Filter Guide
Clean and Clear, Triton II and FNS Plus compared, with sizing and price ranges.
Read guidePentair Pool Filter Parts
Pentair part numbers by family, including the 87300400 tank o-ring people search by name.
Read guideJandy Pool Filter Guide
The CS, CL and DEV lineup, cartridge part numbers, and the parts that wear out.
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