A pool filter is an essential part of a swimming pool. Usually, your pool filter goes without saying that the sand should stay in the filter. Sometimes you see it blowing out sand into the pool. As a result, your pool water turns cloudy, and it makes you worried. Then you might know something is broken or blockage. The most common problem is cracked on the side, one of the most perforated pipes at the bottom of the filter. It catches pool water that has circulated through the sand filter.
Whether the pool filter doesn’t work properly, or a seal that is worn or broken, you have to fix the filter yourself, but it may take a few hours.
How Sand Filter Works
Contents
Large tanks filled and gather with pool and are known as a sand filter. It is thicker than the other play sand. During filtering operation, the sand filter removes all sorts of impurities from the pool water through an inlet, which leads to the water distribution head inside the tank. Water enters the laterals, which have small holes. From here, the filtered water mainly circulates back into the pool.
Even though the pool filter is one of the main types of equipment in maintenance, your pools clean, so it also requires to be kept clean.
Why is My Pool Filter Blowing Out Sand?
Cracked Laterals
The laterals are critical enough for filter operating. Lateral is a series of plastic pipes about six or eight tubes that splaying out in converging types. When one of them cracks anyhow, then sand can quickly enter the return pipe. And the same incident can be happening with a standpipe and can also be cracked. But it rarely occurs as it is made of thicker plastic.
Broken seal
With the help of standpipe and multiport connection of the top filter, the pool sand can get into the filtered water. It happens when the washer is planted. So you just need to replace it.
Broken parts replacement
In this situation, you need to get off the filter when you want to replace any damaged internal parts. And you should also return the sand. On the other hand, your filter will supply fresh pool sand continuously. How much sand you need to provide is depends on the size of the filter. Then be ensuring that it has the right consistency, and in the meantime, you also need a full complement of laterals before you begin the replacement works. How many and what types of laterals you need is also depends on filter size and fault.
Step 1: At 1st turn off the water circulation system and unscrewing the plug on the bottom. Now, wait until the water stop dripping and then start.
Step 2: From the top of the filter, you need to unscrew the collar holding a multiport assembly. And also unscrew the unions holding pipes.
Step 3: In this time, pull off the multiport Assembly. If you want to prevent sand from getting in, then cover up the sandpiper’s end with duct tape. Now it’s time to empty the sand from the filter. You can do the task with the help of a vacuum. It may require some time to finish the task.
Step4: After lifting the standpipe, you need to carefully bend the laterals into a vertical position and pull the manifold out of the filter body. Now clean it and check the cracked laterals. This time you have to replace the cracked laterals. As you are not sure that the lateral is cracked. However, check out the standpipe also and when you notice any fault, you need to replaced or repair.
Step 5: Lower the manifold back into the filter body to bend the laterals. Now fill the filter with clean water. This water helps to damage repairing to the laterals.
Step 6: During the pour, the fresh sand just keeps your standpipe in the center position. You can assist someone as your helper for pouring the sand. While the sand pouring has been finished, then remove the tape from a standpipe.
Step7: This time you check the washing, which is situated on the bottom. If it’s worn or has any fault, then replace it quickly. Next, push back the multiport assembly into the standpipe. Make sure that the collar holds the filter body properly.
Step 8: Immediately set the filter to Backwash and run the pump for a few minutes. It will clear the sand from any debris and garbage. Again run the pump for a few minutes until the clean water comes. Now setup the filter control, and here your task is complete.
How do you fix the laterals on a sand filter?
- Turn off your water supply.
- Remove the laterals from the sand filter by loosening them with a screwdriver.
- Clean out any debris that may have accumulated in the laterals and replace it with new sand or gravel if needed.
- Reattach the laterals to the sand filter, tightening them with a screwdriver.
- Turn on your water supply and check for leaks before using again.
Some Essential Instructions
There have several types of pool filters, and their systems are also different. So your filter system will also have its operating system. So before cleaning it, check the manual book than clean it.
Next, you need to follow the manufacturer’s suggestion. They suggest that a filter pressure of 8-10 psi greater than the clean. So follow up its pressure. If it rises very rapidly, you may need to overlook it.
Another important thing is that try to clean your sand filter when it so half dirt. Because it is easy to clean and consume your time and notice the pressure gauge is working correctly.
How and When You Need to Backwash a Sand Filter
When you need to backwash your sand filter depends on internal things. First of all, you should check the sand filter reading. When it’s reading 8-10Ibs above the clean after backwashing, you have to do Backwash to your sand filter again. This function includes turning a valve so that the water can flow by the filter backwash and flush out all sorts of dirt. So it’s called “Back washing.”
Generally, the pool water flows from top to bottom in a sand filter. That means water enters at the top of the tank. Then pushes down the send between the laterals from the bottom of the tank. While backwashing time, this flowing water system is reverse. It flows from bottom to top, which helps to flush out the trapped dirt from the sand bed.
This filter’s other essential part is the push-pull valve or multiport valve. It has multiple ports with six positions where slide valves have two positions only.
Before turning off the filter valve, you just need to shut off the filter pump. This can prevent the damage of the internal filter parts. And if you don’t shut off the pump, then it would affect much on filter tanks, pipe fittings, and valves. You must keep it here all day long but in backwashing and rinsing. After the backwashing procession, rinse the sand filter tank. Use this rinse setting for 15 seconds after backwashing.
Final Word
While having sand flush back into the pool during regular filtering operation, you may have a broken lateral at the bottom of your filter’s standpipe. Filter manufacturers recommend changing your pool filter every five years to ensure the maximum performance from the filter. You have to change infrequently, that will be reasonably easy to find ways to use the old Sand around and save yourself this trouble. If you want to fix your filter, follow the above instruction.