Backwash is just a fancy word for flipping the flow of water through the filter. Instead of water going in one direction and leaving crud behind, you reverse it. It’s like shaking out a rug instead of just wiping your shoes on it.
If you skip this, your filter gets lazy. It clogs up, starts working twice as hard, and eventually throws a little tantrum in the form of dirty water or low pressure. Nobody likes a cranky filter.
Think of it this way: your filter eats tiny particles for breakfast. Backwash is its way of saying, “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” Polite filters do this on a schedule. Yours is probably waiting for you to notice.
