D.E. Filter problem

[CarlD]

I don't get it. When you backwash, doesn't the sand go down the drain too? Or is the sand inside of a cartridge?

Nope. The sand is dense and heavy and doesn't float up with the rest of the detritus.

How much is installation of a new filter? We are not interested in doing the installation ourselves, and I'm sure if you have read any of my posts heretofore, you would agree that this is a wise decision.

I have no idea what installation costs for just a filter. Personally, I'm really handy (I designed and installed my own pool into my deck) so I cannot imagine paying anyone to fill a filter with sand and attach two pipes to it. I detach those pipes every winter and re-attach them in the spring.

What's an Intex donut?

Ah. It's a starter pool. Intex is a brand, and its donut pools are called EasySet. It uses an inflatable ring, you fill it with water like a kiddie pool, and the ring (donut) floats on the water. The sides belly out to allow the structure to work. It has a small filter, and comes in diameters from 8' all the way up to 24'. That was my first pool. Lots of discount stores sell the Intex and competing brands. We enjoyed it for 3 years and put in a full-size pool.

If your dad had D.E. for 20 years, doesn't that speak to a good D.E. experience?

Absolutely. There is NOTHING wrong with DE. If you are comfortable with DE, there's no reason to switch. But if you find it confusing and difficult, sand is easier.

On the other hand, my dad never had the benefit of the PoolForum, the B-B-B method, or even much internet access. So his pool was never able to be as clean and clear as mine. The last season before he died, they had an algae bloom. The CYA was over 100--all the pucks and di-chlor powder. I got the algae beat, but the problems had multiplied over the years.

I chose sand because I thought that might work best for me. I was right, and have been very happy with it.

What's a good brand, or does brand not matter in filters?

There are lots of good brands. Hayward's probably the best known, and it's good, but that doesn't make it the best.

K

Hope this helped.

[kathgilliam]

No big surprise that the warranty company denied the claim for the filter stuff. I let the company know how unhappy I was with the pool man's method! But I asked them not to chew him out until AFTER he redoes the plumbing on our pump, which is leaking, and IS covered. (go figure)

Our D.E. filter is working! We are so excited. We have discovered now that the filter gasket is wonkus inside the valve. I vacuumed the rest of the D.E. that accumulated into piles in the pool and then when I turned the pump off and turned the valve to filter, it was still sucking water into the waste drain. It's loud, and it's a good thing or I might not have noticed all the water I just paid to put in the darn thing sucking away! So I turned the pump off, went around another turn to filter and this time it went where it was supposed to. At some brave moment, hubby and I will gather our courage to break into the valve and replace the gasket. We are NOT handy, so these things are huge to us.

We cancelled our pool school though--we have learned through our hard knocks this past couple of weeks. So I figure we got out as cheaply as we could.

Now if only there was a plumbing forum that would help me remodel my bathroom!!!!

K

[GHM]

Now if only there was a plumbing forum that would help me remodel my bathroom!!!!
K

http://www.homerepairforum.com/

My favourite (next to poolforum.com)
The people on this site are amazing. (The mod Lazypup is the God of home repair knowlege)

Enjoy
George

[Phillbo]

K,

All warranty companys have what is called a "Cash Out" . Call them and ask about it . Basically they set a cash value for each type of repair / replacement, you can have a check for that amount (minus what is to be paid to the guy you already had out there) and then find a quality company to perform the work. You do not have to use their contractors. Call and ask for the cash out.


My experience came from an airconditioner that went out and needed to be replaced. They were going to replace it with a piece of junk, undersized unit because that is what was on the house when I bought it . I heard about the cash out and took it . took the cash , added some to it and got a nice unit.

The rub comes in the fact that they will deduct a fee for the nut case that came out and destroyed your filter.