Pool Filter Explosions

A swimming pool or spa filter can kill or maim you because it operates under pressure and can explode. A pool filter typically consists of a two-piece tank that has a bottom and a top. A fastener secures the top to the bottom so that the top does not blow off. Some fasteners – such as bolts – secure the top to the bottom better than other fasteners. But some fasteners – such as a clamp – can fail and allow the filter top to blow off with tremendous force. (See photo below.)

For example, in 2004, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 8,500 Sta-Rite and AquaTools brand pool filters because the filters’ fastener “can disengage from the lower tank shell allowing the top shell of the filter to blow off causing injury to nearby consumers.”

Some pool filters are equipped with an automatic air relief valve designed to release air trapped inside the filter so that it doesn’t explode. Unfortunately, air relief valves sometimes don’t work – they fail to release air from the filter. When this happens, the entrapped air pressurizes the filter, which can cause it to explode.

Some ways to avoid injury around a pool filter:

• Stand at least two feet away from the filter
• Never lean over the filter when it is on
• Exercise extreme caution around any pool filter

If you have been seriously injured due to a pool filter explosion, please call us or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. You will speak directly with an attorney at no cost. If you choose to retain our services, we do not charge a fee unless we obtain a settlement or verdict for your losses.