A 10 psi rise means bump, not disassemble

A 10 psi rise over clean is exactly when you should bump the filter, not tear it down.

That pressure jump just means the DE cake is loaded with dirt and doing its job. The bump handle knocks the grids, breaks up the cake, and flushes the junk out through the backwash line. Takes two minutes. That’s the standard maintenance move.

Fully disassembling every time you see 10 psi is overkill. You’re pulling grids, hosing them down, maybe soaking them in acid or cleaner, and hoping you don’t crack anything. That’s for when bumping stops working — pressure won’t drop, or the flow stays weak. It’s also for deep cleaning after a chemical cleanup or algae bloom, not routine dirt.

So keep it simple: bump it, watch the pressure drop back near clean, and move on. If it doesn’t drop, then you take it apart.