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Pool Filter Cartridges: When to Clean and When to Replace

pool filter cartridges

Proper cleaning of your filter cartridges will not only help keep your pool as clean as possible, but also increase its useful life. You will eventually need to replace the cartridges. Dirt, oils, and minerals build up which cleaning won’t remove. Here are some tips for how to clean a pool filter cartridge, and when to replace your pool filter cartridge.

When to Clean a Pool Filter Cartridge

pool filter cartridges

Filter cartridges should be cleaned whenever the filter pressure gauge increases by about 8 PSI (pounds per square inch) or more above the normal operating pressure, or at least every 6 months assuming your filter is properly sized and you haven’t had any unusually large burden placed on the filter (such as a bad algae bloom or very heavy bather loads).

If you notice a change in your water quality, inspect the filter for damage or tears, and consider cleaning it.

How to Clean a Pool Filter Cartridge

To properly clean a cartridge, you’ll want to first remove any large dirt and debris, and then soak it in a pool filter cartridge cleaning solution to remove built up oils and scum.

use a garden hose to remove large debris

Use a garden hose to remove the larger debris, cleaning between the pleats from top to bottom. The more deeply you clean your pool filter cartridge, the longer it will last. It is not recommended to quickly hose off the cartridge and put it back in the tank. When you clean your cartridges, give it the full treatment each time.

The pool filter wand is a brush that you connect to your garden hose to increase water pressure. This allows you to easily brush the cartridge and have water flow through at the same time.

The Filter Flosser is a high pressure cleaning head that you attach to a garden hose to blast dirt and debris out of the pleats in your filter cartridge.

Once you’ve removed all of the loose debris, soaking the filter in a filter cleaning solution to remove oils and minerals is the next step. Natural Chemistry’s Filter Perfect or In The Swim’s granular filter cleaner are great options.

Natural Chemistry’s Filter Perfect is a highly concentrated, natural enzyme cleaning solution. Add 1 liter of Filter Perfect to a bucket of 5 to 10 gallons of water and soak the cartridge for a minimum of 6 hours, or let it soak overnight. Remove the cartridge from the solution and rinse thoroughly.

In The Swim’s granular filter cleaner has similar dosing instructions, add 1 lb. of the granular filter cleaner to 5 gallons of water; soak for 24 hours, then rinse thoroughly.

They both work well on oils and minerals, but – if your cartridge is clogged with oily residues, use the Filter Perfect, and if you have more of a hard water minerals or metal deposits clogging your cartridge, use our Filter Cleaner product.

Helpful Tips

  1. For best results, allow your cartridge to dry fully after soaking before placing it back in the filter tank.
  2. You can use a tall kitchen trashcan if it’s tall enough; if it’s not, flip it over after 6 hours to soak both ends of the filter cartridge.
  3. Having replacement cartridges allows you to switch cartridges at cleaning time, so you aren’t without filtering during the cleaning and drying process.

When to Replace a Filter Cartridge

replace filter cartridge every 3 to 5 years

Generally, most people replace their filter cartridges about every 3-5 years, but don’t use the amount of time that has passed as the only determining factor. Monitor the performance of your filter. Your timeframe may be longer or shorter depending on the demand placed on the cartridge.

You can determine when to replace your filter cartridge in three ways.

Cleaning Frequency

Pool filter cartridges need to be cleaned when the pressure gauge rises 8 PSI above normal operating pressure. When the time frame between the significant shortening of this increase in pressure begins, it probably indicates the need to replace the filter cartridge.

Keep track of the filter pressure and the date you clean your filter cartridge. When the length of time between cleanings is half of what it used to be, your filter cartridge has reached it’s “half-life”, and it’s time to replace.

Water Quality

check water quality

Another way to determine if your filter cartridge needs replacing is if the water stays cloudy or green despite proper chemical balance. In addition, if you have to run your filter longer or use more sanitizer to achieve clean and clear pool water, then that’s a clear sign that your cartridge isn’t optimally working.

Clean the cartridge first, but if the problem doesn’t clear up in a few days, the cartridge is probably unable to filter the water as effectively as it once did. Each time you clean a cartridge, the fibers separate more, allowing fine dirt and algae to pass through unfiltered. Unicel recommends a new filter cartridge after 12-15 cleanings.

Filter Damage

The third way of determining the need for a new filter cartridge is to inspect it thoroughly every time you clean it, looking for rips or tears in the fabric. Damage to the filter will reduce the potential for sufficient filtering. Replace the cartridge if there are tears or rips in the fabric or if cracks appear in the rubber end cap.

There is another way to calculate the length of time between pool cartridge replacement, and that is the tipping point of filter size versus pool size.

Bigger cartridge filters have longer filter cycles and fewer cleanings per year, and in many cases, requiring only a single cleaning at closing time. Simply put, larger filters will last longer than undersized filters, so go big!

If you have a typically sized cartridge pool filter with 100 square feet of filter surface area per 10000 gallons, your filters should last 2-3 years. If you have double the filter size, you can get nearly double the cartridge lifespan.

In The Swim carries hundreds of replacement pool cartridges. Our filter cartridge search tool allows you to quickly find your cartridge by part number, size or filter manufacturer. All you need to find a replacement cartridge on our site is the part number and/or the dimensions (length and width).

30 thoughts on “Pool Filter Cartridges: When to Clean and When to Replace

  1. Ivan Caballero

    I need the blk pressure cap that gos inside the filter sits on top

  2. Nick Ferrar

    Can’t get water to stay clear, keeps returning to green. 5500 gallon pool, 175 sq’ element. Element is New this year. Hayward Pump and Tank 20 years old. Chemical balanced but chlorine drops very fast. Use Di-Chlor and non chlor shock. Also a Nature2 Vision insert.

    • Hi Nick, low pH 7.2-ish and high chlorine, shock it to 30 ppm, using 2 lbs of Cal Hypo shock 65% available. Run filter non-stop, 24/7. Use Clarifier after 2-3 days.

  3. My filter seems to run well for 2 weeks and then i have low flow, clean the filter and it runs well again. Thoughts?

    • Hi Mike, it could be that the cartridges are spent and in need of replacement. Increased cleaning frequency is one of the indicators. Have you tried a filter cleaner? The cartridge could be clogged with oils and/or scale.

  4. Jan Anderson

    I have a 30′ round above ground with a cartridge filter. This is the second yr of use and I can’t get much pressure coming back into the pool, and there is hardly any suction into the skimmer. I put a new filter in at the start of swim season, and I clean it almost every week. Pressure runs at 22# all yhe time, no rise, no fall. I am so very frustrated as I can’t figure it out. I do have condensation in the pressure gauge. I’ve always had a sand filter so this is all new to me.

    • Hi Jan, have you tried running the filter without the cartridge in place? It should have much lower pressure, and higher flow. If so, either replace the cartridge or first try to clean it with a Filter Cleaner, or by soaking first in TSP to remove any oils, then rinse well and soak in an 10% muriatic acid solution, to remove any scale. Then try again.

  5. Our pool filters only seem to last about 3-4 months. We have a raised area that fills with water and then overflows into the pool like a little waterfall. After 3-4 months the filter has to be cleaned every two days or the pressure becomes really high in the filter container and the water doesn’t fill the raised section to flow back into pool via the waterfall. The jets will continue to run but with far less pressure. We clean the filter and it will work fine for about 24 hours and then the pressure in the tank becomes reall6 high again. In the pump there ends up with less water cycling and the barracuda stops sucking at the bottom. We just replaced the filter again and it will run flawlessly for about 3 months with cleaning every week. In 3 months we will have the same issue again. Is there a way to clean deeper into the pleats maybe…?or any ideas if there could be something else wrong with pump…?

    • Hi TJ, my first reaction is that the filter may be too small for the pool. I like to see 100 SF for each 10,000 gals of pool water, but even bigger is even better. The trend now is to install pool cartridge filters of 300-500 SF in size. Waterway has some good value in their Crystal Water line of filters. Your filters may also be clogging up with oils and/or scale. Not sure if you have tried soaking the grids in Filter Cleaner? Especially helpful for tanning oils or other greasy substances, some Clarifiers can gum up cartridges. Biguanide sanitizers (i.e. Baquacil) will gum-up filters severely. If your pool water has high levels of hardness, this can also clog cartridges with mineral scale.

  6. Ok . I went to my pool guy and told him I have a 1700 gallon pool. It’s small and it’s for my daughter. My alkaline and ph were way down so he gave me alkalinity increaser. He told me to put a full container of 10 pounds in. I never thought anything of it and figured he knew what he was doing and put the whole thing in. Now my ph and alkaline are sky high. Will ph down lower my chlorine? I figure my alkalinity is about 400-500. Based on the instructions on the Increaser. Which I would have read and not listen to him. He also gave my acid to bring it down but I’m afraid that nothing will help and the only option is draining.

    • Hi Erik, I would drain half the pool and refill. Then test again, and go from there. He must have thought you meant 17000 gallons. No big deal, stuff happens! 🙂

  7. Wayne Bass

    To all
    I have had my pool for 25 years. I started with small pump and small filters(25sqft each x6). Got quite expensive during maintenance periods( usually 2-3 times a year). Recently upgraded to a 220v variable speed with ONE 175 sqft filter. What I do, works well, have two filters at all times. 1 being used and 1 on standby. Expect to buy 1 filter every spring. Simply throw away your oldest filter replace with new. Also, I personally use a 1750 hp pwr washer that gets into those cracks and cleans my filters to new. FYI

  8. I have two “B” sized filters for an intex pool. I usually switch out the dirty one with a clean one then clean the dirty one and let it dry out to switch it with the other filter, and so on. A salesman at a pool supply company told me they are not designed to be dried out once you start using them, they are to remain wet. Is this true?

    Personally, I think he was just trying to sell me a new filter.

    • June, actually the drying out process helps to kill any bacteria living in the cartridge, and allows the fibers to shrink and tighten up, both good things. It is good to rotate cartridges, as you do.

  9. can I replace only 1 of the filters if they look like they need to be replaced every 3-4 years or do I need to replace all 4 at once? thanks

    • Janine, you could replace just one, but for ‘balanced flow’, it is best to replace all at the same time. It’s also a good idea to have a second set of cartridges, to allow the cartridges to soak overnight in a filter cleaner, clean and then become fully dry, which will kill any bacteria, plus shrink the fibers a bit, tightening up the weave.

  10. I have bought 2 new cartridges every summer for theast 4 years. At the beginning of the next summer the cartridges only work for a couple of days. Then eventually they only work for a couple of hours. I am hosing them down and soaking them in a cleaner but still nothing.

    Are they only supposed to last one season? I have read 3-4 years.

    • Steve, good question. Your mileage may vary. For many inground cartridge filter systems, you can get 3-4 years from the cartridges. On some very large inground filter systems, you can get double that. On the flip side, there are smaller filters that will only last a year, and even very small intex filters that are suggested to be replaced every 30 days. As you have determined, the frequency of needed filter cleanings, aka Filter Cycle, is the best determinant on when to replace the cartridges. For you it happens to be 1.1 seasons. If you had a different, larger filter system, you could get longer life, but for now, it is what it is! So the variables are the size of the filter in relation to the pool (I like to see 100 SF per 10000 gals of pool water), and also, how much is asked of the filters. Are they battling algae 3x per year? High pool use? Low filter runs, poor sanitation and water balance practices? Other factors can also contribute to shortened filter life, like a pump that is too powerful for the filter, or very aggressive, high pressure cleaning of the cartridges, which separates the fibers, and high levels of scale and oils in the water will clog the fibers.

  11. I changed my cartridge with a brand new one and its not filtering or sucking …baskets are clean can’t figure it out…

    • Hi Joe, perhaps the pump impeller is clogged? Or there may be an air leak, something loose – in front of, or before the pump, drawing air instead of water…?

  12. Ken Rebers

    I have now soaked my four 7 x 27 cartridge filters in a 1 qt to 8 gals water mic for 15 hours. My pool was drained and will not be ready to get everything up to operating condition for another 9 hours. What do you suggest I do with the filters at this time?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi ken, pull them out, hose off real well, and let them dry in the sun.

  13. I HAVE A CARTRIDGE FILTER FOR MY INGROUND POOL. ALL FOUR OF MY FILTERS WERE DAMAGED TERRIBLY. WHAT IS CAUSING THEM TO COMPRESSED TO THE POINT OF REPLACEMENT. MY CURRENT FILTERS ARENT MORE THAN 4 MONTHS OLD

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, filters that become crushed from pressure could be a result of a return side valve (after the filter) being closed suddenly, blocking water flow and creating a water hammer effect inside of the tank. This could also happen if return side pipes or check valves were clogged, or if pool returns were plugged, and the pump started. It could also be caused from a replacement pump, which is larger and too powerful for the filter design flow rate. I suppose if the fabric becomes extremely clogged with heavy amounts of oils or scale, very heavy amounts, it could also cause collapse or splitting of the end caps.

  14. Cajan Nelms

    I’ve noticed small little pin holes on one end of the cartridges, does it matter if they go at the top or bottom when I’m reassembling? There only on one end.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Cajan, I’m not familiar with that cartridge, but I would suspect they would go on the bottom, where the manifold collector sits. If your manifold connector sits on top however, face the holes up. My theory is that the holes assist in allowing water to exit the cartridge (most of it is through the center hole though), and into the collector. If your filter collector only fits inside of the center hole and doesn’t cover the entire diameter (and the small holes), then I would think that these holes may be for air release / air relief for trapped air. In such case, facing holes upward would allow for the air to escape. Hope that makes sense!

  15. I bought a pool pump and it has a strainer. Can I replace the strainer with a filter cartridge and run the pump? I have a small 1750 gallon pool. The filter cartridge pump was not working so I bought this pump with a strainer. I’m just hoping I can use a filter cartridge. If not, what do I need?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Mike, the larger pump will likely be too powerful for the small filter that you have now. Depending on the size and flow rates that the pump produces, you would select a filter that can handle the water flow. If you identify the pump, you can look at the associated Flow Curve for that pump, and assuming a small amount of resistance for your piping and filter, you can approximate the top end flow of your pump, then you can select a filter whose ‘Design Flow Rate’ matches the flow rates of the pump. In answer to your question, you can’t really remove the strainer and attach a filter to the pump, having a strainer is a good thing, but most pumps are designed to push water into filters, not pull water through them, under suction.

  16. Jenna Hunter

    I have noticed that our pool has been turning a light green this past week. It was awesome to learn that one can Use a garden hose to remove the larger debris, cleaning between the pleats from top to bottom. I am no professional so I will be sure to leave it to one to help my pool water not turn green!

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