What causes high pool pressure?

Author: Braxton Bauch Sr.  |  Last update: Friday, June 24, 2022

High swimming pool filter pressure is usually the result of a lot of particles being filtered out of the swimming pool water. When pressure rises it is time to backwash the filter if you have that option with a sand or diatomacesous earth (DE) filter.

What do I do if my pool filter pressure is high?

The most common reason for high pressure on your filter pump is a dirty filter. Whether you have a sand filter, DE filter or cartridge filter, dust and solid particles will slowly clog your filter causing the pressure to rise. To fix this, backwash your filter or in the case of cartridge filters, hose it out.

Why is my pool pump pressure so high?

High pressure usually indicates a dirty pool filter, time to backwash or pull out the filter cartridge for cleaning. Be careful with high filter pressure, as filter tanks can rupture with deadly force.

How do I lower the pressure on my pool pump?

Relieve the pressure by turning the air relief valve on top of the filter counterclockwise. Water will spray out of the valve while the pressure gauge decreases to 0 psi. Take note on how your basket is positioned within the pump. Use a garden hose to rinse out the debris.

Why does my pool pressure keep rising?

The most common cause of high pressure in a pool is a dirty filter. Take cartridges as an example, as the material sives dirt from your pool water, the cartridge fabric more and more clogged. The clogging means the water has fewer and smaller perforations in the filter media to squeeze through.

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What is normal pool pressure?

The size of your pool, the size of your pump, and the condition of your pool water directly impact pressure readings. Generally speaking, a pressure reading between 10 – 25 psi can be considered normal.

Is 30 psi too high for pool pump?

Also, seems like you are waiting way too long to clean the filter. We generally recommend cleaning when the pressure goes up 20-25%. So that would would be around 19psi not 30.

Can you backwash too much?

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.

At what PSI should I backwash?

In most high-rate sand filters, it's time to backwash when the pressure differential reaches 18 to 20 psi. But if the system has only an inlet pressure gauge, you should backwash when the pressure increases by 8- to 10 psi from initial post-backwash readings.

What PSI should my pool sand filter run at?

Your filter may be clean and normal at 9-10 psi, but your neighbor's filter gauge could run higher, and be clean at 15-16 psi. Some systems with very low resistance can run very low pressures, barely registering, while other filter systems can run quite high, pushing 30 psi when the filter becomes dirty.

What causes a pool filter to lose pressure?

It could be a clogged pump basket, impeller, pipe, or skimmer basket. It could also be a closed or broken valve before the pump. In some cases, the pump may have an air leak and is drawing in more air than water. This can reduce filter pressure (and filtration ability).

How long should you backwash a pool?

After the hose fills with water, backwash your sand filter for 2 - 3 minutes, or until water runs clear. Shut off the pump motor and push the T-handle back down into locked position. Turn your pump back on and note the lower pressure.

Do you lose sand when backwashing?

When you first install a sand filter or renew the sand, you may indeed get a small amount of sand coming out when backwashing, rinsing or filtering. Often, excess sand gets into the wrong places when refilling and will sand to come out into the pool or out of the backwash hose. But it should go away after a few runs.

What does backwashing a sand filter do?

The process of backwashing dislodges trapped debris and contaminants, flushing them out through your value's waste line or a hose that is connected to the pool pump. When the filter media is clean, the pressure gauge is lower and water can easily flow in and out of the system.

What happens if you put DE in a sand filter?

Although DE powder is used for filter grids, it can be added to sand filters. When the powder is added to the sand, the sharp edges of the DE powder enhance the filtering process of the sand by capturing tiny dirt particles during the filtering process.

How do you know if your pool impeller is clogged?

How to Tell if Your Pump Impeller is Clogged
  1. The pump is making cavitation noises – loud, low grinding noise.
  2. The filter pressure is about half of what it normally reads.
  3. The pump basket doesn't fill up with water (as seen through a clear lid).
  4. The water in pump is slowly moving, or swirling.

Which way should my pool Jets face?

The jets should all point in the same direction, ideally at a 45-degree angle that's directed toward the bottom of the pool. One way to remember it: Point the jets at 4 o'clock or 7 o'clock and ensure that the jets are not pushing water toward the skimmers.

Why is sand blowing back in my pool?

If you see it blowing out into the pool, something is broken. The most common problem is a cracked lateral, which is one of the perforated pipes at the bottom of the filter that catches water that has circulated through the sand.

Do you rinse or backwash first?

The 'Rinse' setting should be used after backwashing and again run just for a minute or two. On this setting the water is flowing through the filter in the normal direction but once again is being sent to the waste pipe rather than being returned to the pool.

How many hours a day should you run a pool pump?

The rule of thumb is generally 8 hours, although it could be anywhere from 6-12 hours, depending on your pool's size. Each pool is unique, so to keep your pool pump efficient and effective, you need to figure out exactly what your pool's turnover rate is.

What's the difference between rinse and backwash?

Rinse runs water in the same direction that normal filtering does. Backwash runs it through the sand in the opposite direction. Rinse is to clear any dirt out of the clean side of the sand before you start sending it back to the pool.

How often should you backwash a pool?

Low flow = poor circulation which will lead to algae in the pool. 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.

What happens if pool water level is too high?

If the water level is too high the debris floating next to the opening may pass by without being pulled into the skimmer. However if the water level is too low it may cause the skimmer to suck air into the system. If this happens you may run the risk of burning up your pool pumps motor.

Why does my above ground pool pump keep losing pressure?

Anything that restricts the water flow on the suction side of the pump will cause low water pressure. That includes a blockage between the skimmer and the pump as well as pipes that are too small. To check for a blockage, remove the skimmer basket and check for debris in the pipe.

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