How to vacuum your pool
Supplies needed:
- Vacuum pole (recommend 8-16' extendable pole, will work for almost any pool type)
- Vacuum hose (factor in the length, width, and depth of the pool). Hoses come in 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" diameter. The most common hose diameter is 1 1/2", however for smaller above ground pools they may take 1 1/4" hose. I also highly recommend purchasing a hose with a swivel cuff on the vacuum end.
- Vacuum head
Vacuum head for an vinyl liner
Vacuum head for a gunite pool
Additional supplies:
- Vacuum plate that goes over the skimmer basket. Note: placing the vacuum plate over the skimmer basket saves the time of frequently emptying the pump basket.
There are some basic steps to vacuuming your pool. Key tips are: Filling the hose before attaching it to the skimmer Having the proper vacuum plate for your skimmer, keeping the skimmer basket in place when vacuuming not only saves times, but also prevents sucking large debris into the lines. Patience! Vacuuming at the right pace gets the job done right.
Once you have all the supplies, it's time to start cleaning:
- Assemble the pieces hose, vacuum, pole, vacuum plate.
- Fill the hose with water (this is easiest by using the pool return jet). This prevents the pump from losing it's suction, or prime.
- If you pool has a main drain or more than 1 skimmer, shut off flow from the main drain and other skimmer(s) to get full suction.
Other tools for cleaning:
- Brush
- Leaf rake
- Leaf skimmer
Now you are ready to start the next phase in maintaining your pool!