A man's hand holding a stack of money above a swimming pool, with the water reflecting sunlight.

It’s remarkable in all ways to have a swimming pool in your home. You can swim a few laps whenever you want, can host parties by the pool, or just soak and relax in it after a long day. However, with the privileges of pool ownership comes the need for regular maintenance to ensure the pool functions at optimal capacity.

There is so much involved in a swimming pool’s maintenance; an essential aspect is servicing the swimming pool filter. It’s because the swimming pool filter does just what the name suggests.

It filters out and captures all the dirt, debris, hair, and even bugs in the water, including fine particles like body oil, sunscreens, and bacteria. So much passes through the filter, so it gets clogged with time. The clogging, in turn, leads to increased pressure inside it, poorly flowing water, and muddy or cloudy pool water.

These are signs that it’s time to service your swimming pool filter. Filter cleaning is essential because pool filters don’t only clean your pool water but also evenly distribute the pool chemicals.

So you need a clean and properly functioning filter to keep your pool safe for swimming this season. Besides, you save money with regular maintenance as a well-maintained filter won’t end up malfunctioning and requiring a replacement.

Read on to find out all you need to know about servicing your swimming pool filter.

Steps Involved In Cleaning a Pool Filter

The method and steps involved in cleaning pool filters depend on the type of filter in your pool.

In the case of a cartridge filter, you need to:

Switch off the pool pump and filter
Remove the cartridge and check if it’s damaged. If yes, you may have to replace it.
If not, clean by spraying water using a nozzle or a stiff brush and garden hose. If the filter is filthy, soak the cartridge in a filter cleaner like muriatic acid for about 12 hours, and then rinse with clean water.
Weekly cleaning is always better as it prolongs the filter’s life.

In the case of glass or sand-based filters, you need to backwash them whenever the pressure gauge levels increase by eight to ten PSI. Backwashing involves reversing the water flow to lift and remove the accumulated dirt particles.

While sand filters are easy to maintain, it requires regular maintenance, which can be a hassle for busy pool owners. Besides, you need to change the sand semi-regularly.

In the case of DE or diatomaceous earth filters, it needs to be taken apart and cleaned once per season. However, this dangerous process can lead to chemical damage, electric shock, or even an explosion.

So it’s better to leave this filter cleaning to someone qualified and professional.

How Often Does A Pool Filter Need To Be Serviced?

It is always better to clean the filter as often and as much as possible as filters get dirty quickly. And once clogged, it can lead to costly repairs.

However, various factors also determine how often pool filters need servicing like:

The filter type- You must clean DE filters once a season, while sand and cartridge filters need regular cleaning based on usage.
The number of people using it where it needs more frequent cleaning if more people use the pool
A bad algae bloom

There are some telltale signs to look out for to know it’s time to clean the filter like:

A noticeable change in water quality like murky and cloudy water
An increase in filter pressure by 10 PSI than the starting pressure

Generally, swimming pool filters need to be cleaned more regularly in swim season and less frequently during the offseason. And oversized pool filters require a professional cleaning 3-4 times a year, while undersized pool filters need cleaning more than once a month.

How Much Does It Cost?

On average, a swimming pool owner spends between $1200 to $1800 every year for pool maintenance depending on various factors like:

The pool type
Types of filter
How regularly the pool needs cleaning
The material and labor cost for any repairs involved
If you use special chemicals in the cleaning process
If there’s any chemical balancing involved
The pool’s seasonal opening and closing.

Professional pool guys generally charge $132 per month to clean your pool. However, if you opt for a one-time cleaning before a pool party or special event, you must pay about $235 per service call.

The costs for cleaning and maintaining the pool filter are, however, well worth it because a clean filter leads to:

Reduced electricity bills
Healthier and better pool water
Reduced risk or chances of algae outbreaks and skin infections
Reduced stress on the filter, thus leading to fewer repairs and prolonged life
Prolonged filter pump motor life as the minimal resistance from the filter facilitates easy pool water movement through pool pumps

So if you have a pool and have always wondered how much it takes to service a swimming pool filter, you should now have your answer! Nothing should now be keeping you from cleaning and maintaining your pool and pool filter anymore!