5 Signs Your Pool Cartridge Needs Replacing

Sooner or later you will need to replace the cartridges in your pool filters. It’s vital for keeping them running and maintaining proper hygiene standards. You never know when you need to replace them until something goes wrong, though. You can only roughly predict when they might go wrong. Let’s take a look at the main signs your cartridges are on their last legs.

1. The Bands

If your cartridges use bands to function, they will break over time. You’ll have to change the filter at this point because the bands prevent the pleats from buckling under pressure. They allow the filters to run at their optimal speeds by expanding the surface area.

As a bonus tip, remember to never tell your cleaners to cut their bands. Some contractors say cutting the bands makes them easier to clean. Whilst this might be true, it also makes it easier for the filters to break down.

2. Frayed Fabrics

Polyester media is the most common material used to make cartridges. Over time, they will fray due to the particles and chemicals running across them. Over time, the material will look to have more visible hairs. In the worst cases, holes might begin to appear. It means those materials you’re trying to get rid of will go back into your pool again.

3. Flattened Pleats

The pleats need to stay in their normal shapes or the surface area will decrease. The filter won’t be working properly. If you start to see them flattening, this is a sign the integrity of the filter has been compromised. The only option is to have them replaced.

We should say, some flattening is fine for a while. You do need to start thinking about a replacement in the near future, however.

4. Broken Endcaps

The endcaps on your filters will naturally deteriorate over time. They’ll become weaker and brittle. This is due to the chemicals you put in the pool to maintain the pH levels. There’s nothing you can do to do this. If your endcaps have cracked, this is a sign you have to replace the filter immediately.

Manufacturers create endcaps which wear out before they crack. If you’ve allowed them to get to the stage where they’re cracking a replacement is long overdue.

5. Changing the Flow

You need to look at the differential pressure gauge to determine when a filter needs cleaning. You should read the pressure gauge when new filters are installed and maintain this number. Over time, the pressure will go up. When it reaches 10psi, they need cleaning.

Now the trick to noticing when something goes wrong is by reading the pressure gauge immediately after cleaning. It should decrease back to normal levels. If it doesn’t decrease, or it barely moves at all, the filters are broken and you need new cartridges.

It means so much oil and dirt has embedded in the material cleaning no longer has an effect on it. At this stage, your filter is becoming clogged and eventually it will stop filtering anything at all.

Charlie Wayne is the author of this informative post. He is a freelance writer who enjoys blogging occasionally. He writes on various topics and niches. He suggests his readers to check out PoolCenter.com for some interesting pool maintenance tips.