Pool Filter Valve Settings Explained: Filter, Backwash, Rinse, Waste, Recirculate

The Six Valve Positions and What Each One Does

Sand and DE filters use a multiport valve - a rotary valve with a handle that selects between flow paths through the filter. The handle points to a labeled position on a port ring. The most common multiport valves (Hayward, Pentair, Jandy) have six positions.

Important: Always turn the pump off before moving the valve handle. Moving the handle under pressure can crack the valve body or shear the internal gasket.

FILTER - Normal Operation

Use for: All normal pool operation - swimming, routine circulation, standard vacuuming.

Water flows from the pool, through the pump, into the top of the filter tank, down through the sand or DE media, out through the laterals at the bottom, and back to the pool through the return jets.

This is where your filter should be almost all of the time. The pressure gauge reading in FILTER mode is your baseline - write it down when the media is clean and use it to judge when backwashing is needed (typically when pressure rises 8-10 PSI above baseline).

BACKWASH - Cleaning the Filter Media

Use for: Cleaning sand or DE filter media when pressure rises 8-10 PSI above baseline.

BACKWASH reverses the flow through the filter. Water enters from the bottom (through the laterals), flows upward through the media to agitate and lift debris, and exits through the top of the tank to the waste line.

The backwash port should be connected to a waste line or hose pointed at a drain. Backwash until the sight glass (on most valves, a small clear window) runs clear - typically 2-3 minutes for sand, slightly longer for DE.

Always follow BACKWASH with RINSE - never go straight back to FILTER.

Full procedure: How to Backwash a Pool Filter

RINSE - Re-Settling the Media After Backwash

Use for: The 30-60 seconds immediately after every backwash cycle.

After BACKWASH agitates the filter media, the bed is disturbed and fine particles are suspended throughout the tank. RINSE runs water in the normal direction (top to bottom) for a short time while routing it to waste instead of back to the pool. This re-packs and re-settles the media without sending turbid water to the pool.

Run RINSE for 30-60 seconds, until the sight glass runs clear, then switch to FILTER.

If you skip RINSE after a backwash, expect cloudy water from the returns for the first 10-15 minutes of normal operation.

WASTE - Bypass to Drain

Use for: Vacuuming algae blooms, lowering the water level, or draining.

WASTE sends pool water directly out through the waste line without passing through the filter media and without returning to the pool. This is how you remove water from the pool rather than just filtering it.

Vacuuming on WASTE: If you are vacuuming a green pool with heavy algae, the algae is fine enough to pass through the filter media and return to the pool - defeating the purpose. Vacuuming on WASTE sends the algae-laden water directly to waste. Your water level will drop throughout the process - keep a garden hose running to maintain the level above the skimmer.

For routine dirt and leaf vacuuming, FILTER is the correct setting. Use WASTE only for algae cleanup.

Lowering water level: After heavy rain overfills the pool, switch to WASTE and let the pump run until the level drops to the middle of the skimmer mouth. The pump draws faster than BACKWASH and does not require the filter media to be bypassed in the BACKWASH direction.

RECIRCULATE - Circulate Without Filtering

Use for: Distributing chemicals, short-term pump use during filter maintenance.

RECIRCULATE bypasses the filter media but returns water to the pool. The pump runs and water circulates, but it is not filtered. This does not clean the water - it only moves it.

When to use it:

• You are adding a chemical (shock, algaecide) and want it distributed before the filter engages
• The filter media is temporarily out of service
• You are priming the pump after a repair and do not want to force unfiltered water through the media

Do not run RECIRCULATE for extended periods as a substitute for FILTER. The pool will not stay clear without filtration.

More detail: What Does Recirculate Do on a Pool Filter?

CLOSED - Full Shutoff

Use for: Isolating the filter during maintenance, winterizing.

CLOSED shuts off flow through the filter valve entirely. Use it when disconnecting the filter from the system, draining the tank for media replacement, or isolating the filter head during winterizing.

Never run the pump with the valve in CLOSED - the resulting pressure build-up will blow the valve or burst a fitting.

Quick Reference: Which Setting for Common Tasks

Common Mistakes

Going from BACKWASH straight to FILTER: Results in cloudy water from the returns. Always run RINSE for 30-60 seconds between BACKWASH and FILTER.

Vacuuming algae on FILTER: The algae passes through the media and returns to the pool. Use WASTE for green pool cleanups.

Running pump on CLOSED: Pressure builds rapidly with nowhere to go. Even a few seconds can crack the valve body or pop a fitting.

Moving the handle while the pump is running: The internal gasket takes the full pump pressure impact. This is the most common cause of multiport valve failure. Turn the pump off first, every time.

Related Guides

• How to Backwash a Pool Filter - full backwash procedure with timing
• How to Backwash a DE Pool Filter - DE-specific backwash and recharge
• What Does Recirculate Do on a Pool Filter? - detailed recirculate guide
• Pool Filter Pressure Too High - diagnosing pressure problems
• Backwashing Guide - all backwash topics