There’s nothing better than having a pool in your own backyard. You get to lounge by the water on hot summer days and maybe even take a dip to cool off.
Still, one of the worst parts of owning a pool is the cleaning process. It’s not always as simple as draining and refilling the space on a daily basis. So, you find yourself looking at tools like pool vacuums.
This may lead you to wonder, how does a pool vacuum work?
Let’s take a look at what these devices are and how you can use them to clean your pool.
Pool Cleaning
When you first install a pool, you have to add a filtration system to keep the water clean. This system removes any dirt, sand, and other small debris.
With this system in place, you may think that your water will always be pristine. However, that’s not always the case.
If debris falls to the bottom of the pool, the filters may not be able to clean it out. In addition, an object that’s too large for them to handle may fall into water. In these scenarios, you’ll need a pool vacuum.
What Is a Pool Vacuum?
From the name, you can guess that these devices are similar to regular vacuums. The main difference is that they suck in water instead of air.
Pool vacuums rely on the filtration system to clean the water by making use of the filter’s skimming process.
To remove debris, pumps direct the water through skimmers. Inside these structures, there are many filters that help get rid of small particles, keeping the water clear passively.
When you use a vacuum, you connect it to the skimmers, allowing you to take advantage of the pumps to power the device.
Then, instead of relying on passive debris collection, you can move the vacuum pole around.
How to Use a Manual Pool Vacuum
Using a pool vacuum can sometimes be complex. Unlike regular vacuums, it’s not as simple as plugging it in and pressing the ON button.
Setting Up Your Vacuum
To ensure you’re getting the most out of your pool vacuum, you can follow these steps:
-Make sure your filtration system pumps are running smoothly.
-Brush the sides of the pool to remove any accumulated debris.
-Use a net to skim out any floating objects from the surface of the pool.
-Assemble the device (attach the pole and hose to the head).
-Submerge the entire device in the water.
-Allow all the air to escape from the gadget.
-Wait until the gadget is resting on the bottom of the pool.
-Fish out the free end of the vacuum hose.
-Connect the hose to the pool’s return jet.
-Turn on the filtration pump.
-Start vacuuming the bottom of the pool.
-Connecting Your Pool Vacuum to the Filtration System
The only tricky part of this process is connecting the vacuum hose to your filtration system.
The most secure way is to use a designated vacuum inlet. However, if your pool doesn’t have one, there are a couple of ways you can attach the hose.
-Removing the skimmer basket and connecting the hose directly to the inlet
-Using a skimmer vacuum plate
Regardless of the method you choose, you want to ensure that you create a tight seal. You can use clamps to secure the connection. Without this, the vacuum may lose suction power.
Vacuuming the Pool
Vacuuming is a straightforward task. You point the head at the debris and it sucks it up. Still, the pool vacuuming process is a little more involved than that.
The key to getting a clean pool is to work in straight lines. You want to start at one end of the pool and slowly make your way to the other. It’s a good idea for your strokes to overlap a bit.
This method also ensures that you don’t move the water around too much. It may be tempting to move randomly, but this way you’re less likely to miss a spot.
If your pool has depth variations, it’s best to start at the shallow end. This will give you more control over the vacuum pole while you get used to the motion.
While you vacuum, you may notice the water turn cloudy. This is perfectly normal. It means that you’ve introduced many air bubbles into the water.
The only issue with this is that it may make it hard to see the bottom of the pool. To get rid of the bubbles, just let the water settle for a minute and it should clear up.
Packing Up Your Pool Vacuum
Once you’re done vacuuming the pool, it’s time to disconnect the device. All you need to do is turn off the pump and remove the vacuum from the inlet.
Then you want to drain the vacuum head and hose. You can also give them a quick freshwater rinse ahead of storing them away. After that, it’s just a matter of topping off the pool water and testing the pH before you jump in.
Other Types of Pool Vacuums
While manual pool vacuums are the most common, they’re not the only type. These devices range from hand-held to fully unmanned.
Automatic Pool Vacuum
This device is incredibly similar to the manual vacuum. You have to set them up in the exact same way.
The difference is only apparent when it’s time for cleaning. With the automatic vacuum, you don’t have to guide the device.
After connecting it to the inlet, you drop the vacuum into the water and let it run. The gadget will sink to the bottom and move in a random pattern to clean the surface.
It may take a little more time than the manual version, but you don’t have to wait around the pool. You can leave the automatic vacuum running while you focus on other tasks.
Robotic Pool Vacuum
This version of the device is by far the easiest to use. With a robotic vacuum cleaner, all you have to do is plug it in, switch it on, and drop it into the water.
It cleans in a similar way to automatic vacuums, but without all the setup.
The only drawback to these gadgets is that they tend to be quite expensive.
Wrapping Up
How does a pool vacuum work? These devices take advantage of your pool’s filtration system to help you clean the pool more efficiently.
You can connect the vacuum hose to an inlet, and it’ll allow you to sweep the bottom surface. Depending on which type of vacuum you use, the operation will be a little different.
There are manual, automatic, and robotic versions of the device. The manual is the most affordable but requires the most effort.
If you don’t want to spend hours standing over your pool, go with the automatic or robotic vacuums.
