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More lessons learned

I have spent the last several days fretting over my malfunctioning pool filter. The entire bottom of the pool is filled with the diatomacious earth (DE) that lines the filter.

I didn't really have the money to spend to have someone come look at it and I have never serviced that type of filter. So after hours of searching the internet for pool filter maintenance tips and a couple of trips to the pool store I decided to take on the job my self.

I carefully removed the housing to the filter, half expecting the thing to blow up. After reading all the warning labels on it you would think the thing is filled with plutonium. With Reagan's help I got the filter disassembled and over to the pool store for replacement parts. I was feeling kinda proud of myself after getting it all reinstalled this evening. All I had left to do was turn on the pump and recharge the filter with DE.

So I dumped 12 scoops of the stuff down the skimmer, just like the pool guy said. I then went to tuck my wife in and finish up some dishes that were scattered about the kitchen. (Yep we actually ate dinner tonight. With all the kids awake, no less.)

For some reason I decided to take one more look at the pool before turning in. I don't know why, but I am glad that I did. When I opened the back door the first thing that I noticed was the unusually loud noise of the pool pump. It is normally a barely noticeable hum. And on top of that I heard the sound of splashing water coming from the pump area. I knew that couldn't be good news.

No where did I read that you should not run your pool cleaner (it has its own dedicated pump) while you are recharging your DE filter. If I had read something about it, it may have read something like this: WARNING: IF YOU RUN YOUR POOL CLEANER AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU PUT DE DOWN THE SKIMMER THE LINES TO YOUR POOL CLEANER WILL BECOME BLOCKED WITH THE DE POWER AND CAUSE YOUR PIPES TO EXPLODE.







If I could form complete sentences, I would say that your pipes are going to burst and the water right here will be about up to my knees. Good luck Dad.









Yep, I was feeling pretty smart even after spending $200 in parts. I was feeling pretty smart until I was standing ankle deep in water next to my pool pump, a flash light in one hand and scratching my head with the other. Wondering "Where is all that water coming from?"

By the time I get done with this project I will no doubt have been better off calling someone who knew what they were doing. I only hope that the only break in the line is the one that I can see by the pump. I don't even want to think about a broken line underground.

But, now I know. Chalk it up as an other lesson learned.

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