How often do you backwash a sand filter?

Our pump, filter runs 24/7 along with the heat pump. How often should we backwash the sand filter? This is brand new set up and we are still learning.
As it stands, we have b/w when the PSI was slightly elevated.

Is putting the chemical in the skimmer to breakdown oils, etc.. important? If so, what is a good brand and how often do you use?

You backwash a sand filter whenever you have an 8-10 psi rise over your clean filter pressure.

You do not need any special chemicals to clean the filter. If you want, you can use a little baking soda to scrub it a little, but it is inevitable that your skimmer is going to get dirty. I don't worry about it.

Thank you, that is good to know about the filter. I read that body oils, etc..can gunk up the sand.

Sounds like we are doing the right thing by b/w when PSI raises. We have been doing it around 8 over.

Thanks!

You are welcome!

Another filter/pump question if I may..

We have been running our pump 24/7. How often should we run it? We do have a heat pump, so it obviously needs water through it to work. We turn down the temp during the cooler weeks and increase close to warmer days so the water will be warm enough on the sunny days. On the cooler days without the heatpump running, should we turn off the pump and filter?

You need to run the pump enough to completely turn over your water volume in a day's time. One of the equipment guys around here may be able to tell you, based on your pump, how long that is--but I would think that 8-10 hours a day would be plenty. I have approximately 26K gallons in my pool, and 8 hours is enough time to run the pump, although I just make it easy and turn it on when I get up, and off at dusk.

Janet

Thanks. I did not think it would hurt to turn off the pump on the cooler days if the heat pump isn't running. Our weather is so iffy right now. We can have 3 days of warm weather and then a week of cool (60's) and rain. I can't think of a reason to run the darn thing if we won't be swimming for a week.
The pool store said to run it 24/7 during the summer, so that is what we have been doing. I'm worried we will over work the poor thing!

It is not necessary to run it 24/7 unless you are trying to clear up a water problem. Otherwise, it is just wasting a lot of electricity. But, you really should run it some each day. A pool with no circulation for a week is more prone to an algae bloom.

Good to know, thanks! We have some warm weather coming up (for us anyway, mid 70's, lol) so we will run the filter/pump so we can heat our pool back up. We typically drop it down to mid 70's when we aren't swimming and a few days prior we turn up the degrees to heat the pool. From now on we will run it daily for 10 hrs or so and then turn it off. :)

10 hours per day should be just fine.

Got it. Thanks.

I have a two-speed pump and I run it on low for 12 hours a day. On high, less, but I rarely use high speed.