Are you wondering whether to change the sand in your pool filter? With varying opinions in the pool service industry, it can be challenging to know what to do. Our advice focuses on practical and economical solutions: if your pool is working well, don’t spend money unnecessarily—whether on new sand or a new filter. However, if you’re encountering persistent issues, consider a more effective filter system instead of putting more money into your sand filter.
Avoid Wasting Money on Ineffective Solutions: A Pool Service Warning
One common pitfall we see is people spending considerable money on new sand to solve issues like cloudy water or algae, only to discover that the problem persists. In some instances, those same individuals wind up investing in a new filter soon after—essentially wasting the money spent on new sand. Therefore, our pool service advice strongly leans towards moving away from a sand filter, rather than spending money on new sand.
If your pool has been well-maintained, your water chemistry is balanced, and your filter system is consistently backwashed as needed, you might not necessarily benefit from new sand. If your existing sand is struggling to trap fine particles, new sand might offer the same limitations. Sand filters often struggle to capture fine particles and deal with algae, even when they’re brand new.
Although sand filters are not the most effective at dealing with fine particles, they can still be suitable for some pools that don’t have high filtration demands.
Pool Service Advice: When Investing in a New Filter Makes Sense
If persistent issues such as cloudy water and algae are plaguing your pool, our pool service expertise suggests that upgrading to a more efficient filter type—like a DE (Diatomaceous Earth) filter—may be a more cost-effective and long-lasting solution. DE filters are superior at trapping fine particles and are generally better equipped to manage algae issues.
Scenarios Where Changing the Sand Could Be Justifiable
- Long-term Neglect: If the pool was not properly maintained for an extended time, the sand filter may become overwhelmed with algae and clumpy inside, making it tough to clean the sand with backwashing. If your pool always maintained well with your sand filter prior to the neglect, draining your pool and doing a sand change may be all you need, rather than a new filter. While changing the sand might be a cheaper fix, we generally recommend putting the money towards a more efficient filter system for long-term benefits.
- Preventative Measures: If you have not been experiencing maintenance difficulties you may want to change the sand for preventative reasons, but even then, our default pool service advice is: if it’s not broken, why fix it? If you are looking for improvement in filtration, we recommend putting the money towards a more efficient filter system for long-term benefits.
Final Pool Service Thoughts
Our goal is to provide pool service insights that help you make informed, economical decisions. If you’re facing persistent issues, remember that replacing the sand may be a costly endeavor that doesn’t solve the underlying problems. In such cases, the smarter investment would be in a new, more efficient filter system. We’re here to guide you through these choices, ensuring you get the best long-term value for your money. Happy swimming!