The Learning Never Stops

I’ve been in the pool business for 15 years now and in the outdoor leisure industry for even longer than that.  As with anything, offerings and information are constantly evolving, and new improvements continue to make pool and spa ownership even easier.  What I find remarkable is how much I continue to learn about the products I deal with on a daily basis.

While reading an article recently in the October 2018 edition of Aqua magazine I discovered a valuable bit of information that was right in front of me all this time, but I never really considered before.  The article explored the concept of hydraulic efficiency.  The last decade or so the industry has focused heavily on the efficiency of pumps.  What has seemingly been ignored is the filter type that is used.

For several years now we have focused primarily on selling cartridge filters with aboveground pools.  Once we had an alternative to sand that we could sell at the same price it made sense to give our customers finer filtration at the same price.  This article points to hydraulic efficiency as another advantage of cartridge filters over sand.  It isn’t the media itself that makes a difference, it is actually the multiport valve on the sand filter.  When you eliminate the head loss encountered by the filter valve you can accomplish the same amount of water flow with less effort on the part of the pump.

Naturally, there are a lot more specifics that can be detailed here, but this is strong argument to consider when selecting your filter type.  We frequently have customers that are insistent that they get a sand filter, but this might be the justification necessary to make the switch.  Just something for you all to consider with your pool or your pool of the future.