Service

Millions of Americans enjoy their swimming pools at home every day. Of course, along with the fun comes a bit of responsibility. It’s important to take care of your pool and maintain the water and equipment. Performing maintenance regularly will make your pool safe and enjoyable for years to come. One thing you might not think about that much is your pool filter’s pressure. 

What is the pressure of your filter, and why does it matter? Let’s take a look.

How to Find the Pressure of Your Pool Filter

When water is flowing normally through your pool filter, you’ll see a normal reading on the filter pressure gauge. This reading will be in the range of 10 to 25 psi (pounds per square inch). You can set the baseline for normal pressure when you first install the filter, and everything is clean and running as it should. 

You should check the filter pressure once a week to ensure that it’s within the normal range for your pool. If it starts to rise or drop, it’s a sign that something could be wrong. If you notice an increase of more than 10 psi or a decrease of more than 5 psi, it’s time to take action.

Why Does Filter Pressure Change?

A filter pressure outside the normal range is an indicator that something is wrong. It can either be too high or too low. If there’s an abnormal reading, but you can’t find anything wrong, you might need to replace the pressure gauge, which is easy and inexpensive.

High Filter Pressure

Your filter pressure will go up if something is slowing down the flow of water. Oftentimes that means that the filter is dirty and needs to be cleaned. If that doesn’t help, or if you’ve had your filter so long that it’s very difficult to clean, it may be time to change the filter entirely.

Air pressure will also be high if there is air in the circulation system, which can happen when the pool water is too low. It can also occur if you turn your pool pump off for a while while you’re on vacation or just cleaning the pool. All you need to do is use the air release valve to remove air from the system. 

Low Filter Pressure

Sometimes your pressure will be lower than normal, which indicates a blockage in the system before the filter. Look at the skimmers, pump basket, and drain covers and remove any debris. 

Other times, there’s a leak in the pool pump. You may be able to repair it, or you might have to replace the pump. 

Keep an Eye on Your Pool Filter Pressure

Seeing the wrong pressure on the gauge is an early warning sign that something is wrong with your pool. When you correct it right away, you can save yourself thousands of dollars in damaged equipment and expensive repairs.

Contact a Trusted Pool Service Company

Find a local, professional pool company with a great reputation if you have any concerns regarding your pool filter and its performance. They can offer the guidance you need.