When a pool filter starts acting up, you will need to determine what the underlying problem is.
This includes focusing on how the pool filter is impacting the water in the pool.
A problem that some pool owners will encounter is when the pool filter starts losing pressure after an hour of being on.
If the pool filter is losing pressure after an hour, the most common reasons include debris in the pump strainer basket, a clogged pool filter, or a damaged pump impeller. In some cases, there will be an air leak in the pipe.
Wherever there is a blockage, this is where you will have to go to fix the problem.
Until then, the pool filter is not going to maintain the pressure and it will falter. You have to be careful when it comes to how the pool filter works.
This article is going to look at how to fix a pool filter losing pressure after an hour and how to do it the right way.
Table of Contents
How To Fix Pool Filter Losing Pressure After An Hour
1. Check For Debris In The Pump Strainer Basket
The pool strainer basket has to be a good place for you to start.
This is noted for getting blocked with debris as time goes on.
If the pool filter has not been maintained for a while, you are going to start to see these types of blockages and it is not going to work until you remove them.
Check the pump strainer basket to see how bad the debris is.
This will make it easier for you to regulate whether or not the problem starts from here. If it does not, you will need to look at the next part of the filtration system.
A lot of mistakes are made when it comes to how the pool filter works and that’s what you are going to want to avoid.
If the pump strainer basket is clogged, this is the reason your pool filter’s pressure keeps faltering.
2. Inspect The Pool Filter
You will also want to go straight to the source when it comes to a pump filter that loses pressure right away.
In general, the pool filter is going to be the reason for this happening.
When the pool filter is damaged and/or clogged with contaminants, it is going to start acting up. If there is too much debris in the pool filter then this is the sole reason for what is happening with the pressure in the pool.
You will need to get rid of the contaminants or debris in the filter as soon as possible.
This is the only way to make sure the pool filter does work and the water pushes through as it needs to. This is what the filtration system in the pool is all about.
3. Check For Air Leak In Pipes
One of the more common reasons people note when it comes to a pool filter losing pressure is when there is an air leak in the pipes.
If there is an air leak, you are going to have to check underground.
This is going to be close to the skimmer box and you will want to figure out where that particular air leak is.
This is going to lead to bubbling and you are going to lose pressure in the pool.
Until the air leak is corrected, this is going to continue to happen. It is in your best interest to look at each part of the piping to see where the air leak is in the pool.
4. Check The Pump Impeller For Damage
The last thing you want to do is look at the pump impeller.
This is an integral part of the system and something you do want to assess in greater detail.
The premise is to see if the pump impeller has been damaged.
This blade moves water in the system and it has to be in good shape. If it is not, the blade is not going to turn at the right speed and that is going to immediately drop the pressure in the swimming pool.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to consider these details as you look at a pool filter that loses pressure after an hour.
If the pool filter loses pressure after an hour, start by checking the filter for a blockage. Next, inspect the pump strainer basket for debris and make sure the pump impeller is not worn down. In some cases, there will be an air leak in the pipe that has to be addressed.
Your goal should be to see which of these problems is causing the pressure to drop in the pool.
As long as you do this, you will feel confident in how things turn out and the pool is going to be fine.
