Besides cleaning your pool filter at your regularly scheduled time, as part of FMP we’ll also check your:

Pool Pump Lids and O-Rings
Pool Pump Baskets
Salt Cell Check***
Filter Gauge
Skimmer Baskets
Skimmer Flaps
Pool Cleaner
Serviceable Check Valves

*Cartridge pool filters usually need to be cleaned 4 times per year. DE filters typically require cleaning every 6 months. Other factors, such as the size of the pool, excessive leaves, or bad weather, may require additional cleanings. Contact us for more info.
**Parts replaced during FMP will be at additional cost. Tax not included.
***If your Salt Cell requires cleaning, an additional charge will apply.

Be careful how you set the top down, you don’t want to damage the air relief or gauge assembly. At this point, you remove the 4 cartridges, inspect for damage and start cleaning each filter from top to bottom. Take your time to be sure to remove as much filtered material as possible. Once clean, rinse the base out, lube the filter o-ring and reverse your process until the filter is back together and you are ready to turn the system on. Please be sure to follow the manufacturer instructions on the filter cleaning process and the proper way to tighten the clamp.

At Dragon Pool Services, we believe that a pool cartridge filter is a great choice for a pool with limited or no nature around it. Because you have to take the entire filter apart to clean and there is no backwashing option, older pools where the nature around it has matured may have to be cleaned more often. Pool cartridge filters typically need to be cleaned 3-4 times per year for regular service. If there is a major storm and some of the rain run-off makes it into the pool, extra cleanings may be needed.

As mentioned above, the internal grids in the filter get coated with the DE to filter the water. These grids must be separated, cleaned and inspected for holes, so that the DE does not flow back into the pool. We recommend cleaning DE filters twice a year. The process is basically the same to get to the grids, as it is to get to the cartridges. It is at this point that the pool filter cleaning gets a bit more difficult. The grids are part of an assembly that are attached to a water manifold and must be assembled in a specific order so that the pool filter can be put back together correctly.

We feel that the DE filter, even though it is harder to clean, is the best option for larger pools and pools with mature plants around them. The backwash feature alone can be extremely helpful during the spring and fall.

During an acid wash, we drain the pool, typically clean the filter, apply an acid/water mixture to the surface of the plaster and pressure wash the plaster. This process usually takes a day to complete. After the acid and pressure washing is done, we will turn the water on to fill the pool. Once you let us know the pool is full, we will swing back by to turn the system on and get the pool running again.
Let us know if you are interested in a free estimate to determine if your plaster could benefit from an acid wash!

Most pool salt systems need to be between 3000-3600 parts per million in salinity and need to be cleaned regularly in order to operate correctly. We recommend having your salt cell checked, at minimum, at the time of filter cleaning (at least twice a year).
For best performance of your salt system, the cell should be checked every three months. During normal operation, calcium can build up on the fins inside the cell. It is very important to keep the cell clean so that it can operate as intended. Most quality salt systems consist of a salt cell, a control system and a sensor system. Having an issue with any portion of the system can prevent chlorine from being made. Other impacts on chlorine production are low or high salinity, low or high water temperature, no flow (possibly from a dirty filter), or bad or damaged parts of the system.