For inground pools with a sand or DE filter, the easiest way to quickly lower the water level is to place the multiport valve into the waste position and roll out the backwash hose. If instead, you have a slide (push-valve), backwash the filter to lower the water level.
Backwashing can take only a few minutes to complete, but for a typical pool, it consumes approximately 200 to 300 gallons of pool water! So, while your filter is losing unwanted dirt and debris—your pool is losing a ton of water.
Another reason for a leak through the backwash hose is if the spider gasket (spoke gasket) is damaged or worn out. A damaged spider gasket will be unable to carry out its functions. Also, it will take very little water pressure to move a damaged or worn-out spider gasket out of place.
The backwashing process reverses the flow of water to flush out contaminants from a swimming pool filter. It should be carried out until water runs clear through the waste line.
Turn the lever to RINSE, start the pump and rinse for about 15-30 seconds. Stop the pump and turn the lever to FILTER. This is the normal operating position. Close the drain outlet valve and start the pump.
Can You Backwash Too Much? If you backwash your pool too much i.e. time duration and/or close frequency then yes you can cause a lot of problems. Some problems that can arise from backwashing your sand pool filter too much are: Loss of water – 500+ litres of water can be lost in each backwashing cycle.
What Happens If Your Pool Water Levels Are Too High? When your pool water levels exceed the middle part of your pool's skimmer, your skimmer is not going to work properly. The water flows into the skimmer at a higher level, it causes the water to not get skimmed properly.
The quick answer is no. You don't need to drain your pool, as there is no risk to your pool by it being full. The only thing you lose with a pool filled to the rim is your skimmer's surface cleaning action. Overall, it still draws water and the equipment is just fine.
Pool Is Losing 1 Inch of Water Per Day
Losing more than ½” of pool water per day indicates you likely have a leak in your pool's structure or your pool pump system. You should call your pool service for a thorough leak inspection. You might not be able to keep up with refilling your pool at this point.
The most common reason for low or no flow is that the baskets are full of debris. ... *Always turn the pump off before you remove the baskets, if your pool pump is below water level you will need to close the valves in front of the pump and set the multiport valve on the filter to 'closed'.
Pressurized (return) plumbing leaks usually leak a lot of water, especially when the pump is on. If the water loss is larger when the pump is running, the likely culprit is the underground return line.
Simply put, backwash filters will need to backwash once there is noticeable pressure loss through the filter – typically once every 1-2 weeks. A 1.5 cubic ft. model will use about 40-50 gallons of water per backwash, but this water can be re-used (e.g. gardening) given the right system set-up.
For most pools with a sand/glass media or DE filter, the simplest way to lower the water level is to place the multiport valve onto the waste position and roll out the backwash hose. If you have a slide (push-pull) valve, backwash the filter to lower the water level.
It is recommended you have your water level between one-third and one-half up the swimming pool skimmer box opening. If the level is higher than that, it may slow or even stop debris from being pulled into the skimmer box through the plate or valve.
What happens if your swimming pool water level is too low? If the water in your swimming pool is too low, the skimmer can bottom out and suck air into your filter system. And when that happens, you're at risk for burning out the motor on your pool pump.
The main issue that you will have if your swimming pool has too much water in it is the ability for the skimmer to keep the surface of your water clear from floating leaves, grass and bugs. This will only occur if the water levels have risen so much that the entire skimmer beneath water.
An above ground pool relies on water to keep its structure. It is imperative to keep the water level at least more than half way filled at all times. An empty pool on a hot day or even a pool with little water in it can cause the liner to shrink and need to be replaced.
As a general rule, you should be backwashing your pool about once a week or in conjugation with your scheduled maintenance. Another industry standard is to backwash when your filter's pressure gauge reads 8-10 PSI (pounds per square inch) over the starting level or “clean” pressure.
Backwashing a filter too frequently will keep the sand so free of dirt buildup that it will not have the ability to remove the smaller particles of dirt and they will simply pass through sometimes causing cloudiness in water.
Bottom line, the filter must be backwashed on a regular basis to ensure that your pool water is clear. "When do we need to backwash?" - It is recommended to backwash your filter once every 4-6 weeks of regular use.
If you do have this option, it is highly recommended that whenever you have algae, you will need to vacuum to waste. This option allows you to vacuum the algae up and send it out through the backwash line, avoiding getting algae into your filter sand.