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When your pool skimmer has no suction, the cause is most likely a blockage. This can put the entire filtration system of the pool into question, as there will be low water pressure. And if your pool skimmer is clogged, how then do you unblock it? Also, how do you prevent the skimmer from clogging again? 

Check the Valve

The first thing to do to increase the suction is to check for blockage and air leaks. If one of the skimmers does not suck, it would be necessary to remove the basket from the skimmer. Then check if there isn’t a flow control valve at the bottom of the skimmer, which would be almost closed. 

Indeed some skimmers have a kind of valve which more or less obstructs the suction inlet. This is to balance the suction flow rates of the two skimmers. 

So, ensure that the non-return valve works well; that it is not blocked or incorrectly installed. If the problem doesn’t come from there, then there are strong chances that the pipe is blocked.

How to Adjust Pool Skimmer Suction by Unclogging it

For the pool water to be clean, the skimmers suck up the impurities. The skimmers send these impurities into the swimming pool filter (via the swimming pool pump). 

If one of your pool skimmers is clogged, it’ll be difficult for the water to pass through the pool filter for cleaning. This, obviously, is not good news.

In this case, open the skimmer that you think is blocked. This helps you to look at its state thanks to the access hatch, which is located above. Some skimmers are equipped with a small plate under the filter to regulate the flow. And when it moves, it sometimes clogs the hose connected to the swimming pool pump.

If this is not the case, it may be that a clog has formed. This could be the result of an accumulation of waste, and it could be clogging the hose of the skimmer. In this case, it will be necessary to dislodge the clog. 

You can do this by exerting pressure in the pipe in the opposite direction to the suction. This can be done by connecting a hose or an air compressor, which will send water (or air) into the skimmer with enough force to remove the clog.

Caution: These operations require more or less complex assemblies. If you do not know how to do this, it is more advisable to call a professional!

You can also give the filtration system a backwash, especially if the problem persists after unclogging. Quite often, if the system hasn’t been backwashed for some months, a good backwash will bring good pressure back. And we’re looking for about 75 PSI after a backwash to indicate good pressure.  

If the problem persists, check the pool bottom. Is the bottom of the pool loaded with “coarse” dirt? It is safer to remove as much as possible, before restarting the filtration.

How to Prevent a Pool Skimmer from Clogging

In most cases, when a skimmer becomes clogged, it’s because the elements that were in the skimmer basket have reached the pipe. And as the skimmer skims all the impurities and waste (grass, twigs, plant debris, insects, etc.) that are on the surface of the water, a clog can form in the pipe that goes to the filtration. 

It is, therefore, essential to regularly check the condition of the baskets of your skimmers. This is also to ensure that they are not worn or cracked.

Also, small toys do block and clog skimmers. Therefore, after each swim, it is advisable to clean the pool!

There’s nothing like a free-standing or inflatable swimming pool for summer baths when you have a small garden and small budget. These small pools have many advantages. But don’t forget that they also require maintenance, even in the absence of a pump. You could also have a large-sized pool, but the pump appears to have broken down, without plans to shut down the pool. 

Shock-chlorination is an essential and effective method of cleaning the pool. But you need to have the pump circulating the water for this to be effective. In this tutorial, we’ll see how to keep a pool clean without a pump. 

In these cases, to keep the water crystal-clear, free of algae, and to bathe without a problem, you must follow some maintenance guidelines. Here are some tips to have your pool in healthy conditions without a running filter pump. 

• Water disinfection and filtering

If your pool has a small volume of water, renewing it so often is not a problem. Disinfecting it is also not a problem if you have water treatment equipment, either. However, there are many removable pools of medium or large size that do not include a filter. And still, they do not even have an outlet to incorporate one. Changing the water is not an option, since the expense would be huge. So you have to disinfect the water through various chemical treatments.

Thus, it is essential to use chlorine (there are multi-action chlorines that have this function). You also need to use anti-algae and control the PH level. There’s also the need to add flocculant. This helps particles and dirt to fall to the bottom. And then you can clean it with a pool cleaner. You can buy the flocculant separately or check if the chosen chlorine contains it. 

• pH control

It is essential to monitor the pool’s pH level continuously. This measures the acidity and basicity of the water. This level must be between 7.2 and 7.7 to be suitable for bathing. Otherwise, the chlorine will lose its affectivity.

To know the exact figure, it is best to have a pH tester. To increase or decrease the pH, it is best to have a pH increaser like the Clorox Pool pH Increaser or a pH reducer such as the Pool & Spa pH Reducer. 

• Chlorination

Chlorination is essential if you want to disinfect your pool and keep it ready all summer. It is very inexpensive and quickly destroys bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. It must be kept between 0.6 and 1.5 mg/l and is sold in various types: liquid, tablets, granules.

The maintenance of a swimming pool without a filter requires two elements. These include suitable chlorine treatment and a complete water change once a week. To do this, regularly check the pH and balance of the water, thanks to suitable test strips. You can buy treatment kits that are ideal for your pool and are complete. They should consist of chlorine or active oxygen tablets, an anti-algae product, test strips, and a flocculant. 

How to Circulate Pool Water Without a Pump During Chlorination?

Invest in a chlorine diffuser. The water is most likely to be frozen in the absence of filtration. Hence, the water will not be able to circulate. The chlorine will only be able to dissolve with a diffuser. 

Never throw your chlorine directly into the water, but place the pucks well in the diffuser to avoid damaging the liner and your health. 

To guarantee flawless maintenance, you will need to drain your pool water once a month for free-standing pools. For inflatable pools, you should drain it once a week. 

At first glance, changing the water when it is dirty does not seem ecological or economical. But when you know that the average price of a cubic meter of water is around $3.19, filling a small pool that is 2 meters in diameter and 40 cm deep, can cost you just under $5. 

Avoid filling it to the maximum to spend less. And when the water is dirty, collect the untreated water to water the plants in your garden. So, there’ll be no mess, and you will be able to keep clean water in your small pool. In the end, changing the water every week will even cost you less than putting in treatment products. 

How to Circulate a Large Pool Without a Pump During Shock-chlorination? 

So, when it comes to a large pool without a pump, emptying the water frequently isn’t an option. Neither will chlorination be effective with a diffuser and without a pump. 

The best thing to do is to apply liquid chlorine in the pool. Then, you have to circulate the pool manually with the use of a telescopic pole or paddle. This will ensure the chlorine disperse well. 

But you may be asking, how long can a pool go without a pump? It all depends on the type of pool and the chemical levels in the pool. Your pool can keep running for a few days with no problems while without a pump. However, know that a standard pool needs a pool running for at least once in 24 hours, or you might notice an algae bloom. So, it’s best to have your pump ready as soon as possible. 

Depending on the temperature you need your pool to swim, leaving your pool overnight affects your heating costs and the size of your pool’s heater. Naturally, people recommend the normal temperature for your pool water between 78o F and 82o F.

However, keeping your pool at around 78o F would enable you to save cost on energy consumption, but your pool would be too cold for kids and the elderly, so you need to raise it to at least 80o F.  

Now, if you want to use the pool the next morning, keeping the pool heater off at night would not be useful as the night weather would rapidly cool down the pool’s temperature, leaving the heater to burn at a higher rate when you want to use the pool.

You may want to get the pool hot in the morning by turning up the heat, but this would only reduce the heating efficiency and increase the heat loss from exhaust gases. You might have been if that “should I leave my pool heat pump on all the time?”. Now, if you want to solve your pool heating challenges, you have to read on.

Is it Better to Run a Pool Pump at Night or Day?

This is a question on many people’s minds because it keeps them confused about the decision to take. However, here are the facts. Running your pool pump at night is an excellent option to choose and even cheaper, but it is not sufficient and may cost the pool owner time and money.  It would also aid in the growth of algae because they need heat to grow, which is not the best option.

 The best option to take is to run your pool pump within a specific time of the day for a calculated period. So say you want to run the pool in the afternoon, you can run it for at least an hour in the afternoon at a specific temperature of heat and store the energy by covering your pool with a solar blanket afterward.

The only time it is good to run your pump at night is to carry out a major chemical cleanup such as algae treatment.

How Long Does it Take to Heat a Pool?

The required time it takes your pool to heat up depends on several factors such as heat pump size, air temperature, pool size, and material used to heat the pool. However, the overall time it takes a pool to heat up usually lies between 24 to 72 hours, which heats the pool by 20o F.

Heat pump size:  the size of your pool determines the size of the heat pump that would successfully heat the pool, so to know the size of the heat pump to install in your pool, you need to calculate the size of the pool.

Air temperature: The air temperature is also another factor, but that depends on whether you’re using an air-source heat pump. If you’re using an air source heat pump, the pump will operate efficiently when the air temperature is higher than 50o F. If the air temperature is below this reading, your heat pump would not be able to capture heat from the air.

Pool Size: The pool’s size is also essential to the heating time because the bigger the pool, the more heating time it consumes.

The material used to heat the pool: Different materials have been developed to reduce the pool heating cost. One of such equipment includes the solar blanket. The solar blanket is efficient in heating pools as it reduces heating time and minimizes evaporation, which is a major cause of the loss of heat from swimming pools.

These are the few factors that affect heating time in a pool; however, you should note that each pool is different, and heating times vary.

Conclusion

It is not advisable to heat your pool at night because of the time and energy it will consume. You’re advised to heat your pool during the day for more efficiency, and if you can, buy a solar blanket to retain the temperature of your pool.

Swimming pool heaters are very complex equipment that comes with your pool. It’s such a vital part of your swimming pool because it is responsible for the water purification process where water is pushed through the filter, and all the debris is trapped within the filter. The heater also handles the circulation of water current to prevent the formation and growth of algae.

One common problem with almost every pool heater is that they usually shut off abruptly. This is caused by many reasons which would be examined here. The situation where your pool heater shuts off abruptly is called tripping.

Causes of Pool Heater Tripping off

1. Insufficient voltage

This is a major cause of your pool heater tripping off. This situation occurs when the heater motor does not receive as much voltage as it does. Other causes of insufficient voltage include incorrect wiring, which can cause the heater to trip every five to ten seconds. Another cause may be a bad capacitor or loose wire. These are some of the causes of insufficient voltage to your pool heater. To fix this, you need to call in the professional help of an electrician to check the pump’s wiring for any faults.

2. Impeller complications

An impeller is a spinning tool designed to help the heater pull out water from the filter. When the impeller malfunctions and doesn’t spin the heater ceases to function and starts humming. This malfunction ultimately shuts down the impeller.’

The cause of this is when the impeller is blocked by debris or a piece of clothing. These causes would hinder the movement of the impeller from its normal duties. To get the impeller functional, you will have to remove the pool heater and clear whatever is making it stuck. If you cannot do this on your own, you need to call a professional.

3. Overheating Pump

The modern-day pool heaters are designed to shut off when pool heater running but not heating, causing overheating to the pump.  This is the duty of the thermal overload switches. So if your heater keeps shutting off, you may need to look at your thermal overload switches and change the faulty ones.  

It is also possible that the thermal overload switch is functioning just fine, and it’s the pump that’s just overheating. You’ll need to call in a technician to check the heater to determine the cause of the overheating. If you’re not someone knowledgeable in electrical issues, don’t try troubleshooting the pump.

4. Poor Priming

There are times when the pool heater hasn’t shut off, but due to lack of flowing water, the heater feels like it has. If you experience such a situation, then you need to prime your heater. Priming is the process of letting water flow through the filter and pump of the pool.

5. Excess energy consumption

Excess energy consumption is another cause of your pool heater failure. There are certain times when we run some appliances at home more than others, and these appliances take all the current to function, leaving very little for other home appliances to use. This can cause the power to drop at home, leaving very little current for things like your pool heat pump. And in this case, the pump would not start, or it would shut off abruptly.

To resolve this, you have to balance your home appliance power consumption for the heater pump to pick up. If the power drop is a problem in your local area, you may need to contact your area power company to complain about the shortage of power and ask for a quick fix.

Now, these are the problems that could make your heater pump shut off abruptly. However, suppose you’re knowledgeable about electrical appliances and switches. In that case, you could troubleshoot your pool heater pump yourself using the troubleshooting guide below, but you need to know the brand of your pool heater.

Hayward Pool Heater Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot your Hayward pool heater to keep it from tripping, you need to check if it’s properly installed from the installation manual. Check to see it the electrical hook-up was set correctly by ensuring the breaker is the size of your unit, and the wiring is based on the national electric code.

If you suspect the tripping cause to be from the circuit breaker, but the breaker off, then put it back on. Toggle the breaker switch to see if any of them is short-circuited.

If the pool heater is running but not heating, ensure the heater thermostat is turned high enough. If it’s not as high as it should be, tune the thermostat to a higher heating temperature.  

Pentair Pool Heater Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot your Pentair pool heater to keep it from tripping, you need to check the pH level of your pool because incorrect water chemistry will damage your pool’s gas exchanger and cause the heater to trip.  Ensure the water chemistry is balanced or get heaters that are less corrosive to water chemistry.

You should also maintain your pool filter because a buildup of debris in the filter can cause the Pentair pool heater to trip due to irregular flow of water. Also, check the pressure sensors too as they only function when the filter is clean, aiding the free flow of water.

Rheem Pool Heater Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot your Rheem pool heater to keep it from tripping, check to see if the control panel power lamp is on. If it’s not, you have to switch off the breaker to reset it then switch it back on.  Ensure that the breaker is working properly before you call for service.

Check to see if the thermostat and the pool setting are correct. Ensure that both temperatures have been set properly and higher than the present water temperature. To know if they are set properly, the three lamps on the heater would illuminate, and the fan would start working.

Understand that this heater would trip if the remote position is not on the pool selector switch or there is no remote control system attached.

Jandy Pool Heater Troubleshooting

One of the major steps in troubleshooting your Jandy pool heater is to verify if the circulating pump is switched on. Also, make sure that there are no water flow restrictions to the Jandy heat pump. 

Then let all important valves are open and placed in proper positions to allow normal water flow to the Jandy heat pump. Check and ensure the skimmers and filters are clean. When you’re done, you should also check for water level in the pool.

By following these steps, you can easily troubleshoot your Jandy pool heater without much stress.

Conclusion

Ensure that the necessary settings needed for the heater to function are set correctly, and different parts of your heater are not malfunctioning to ensure that the system does not trip.

Diatomaceous Earth for Pools is one of the different pool filters available to use by pool owners.  This pool filter is common among pool owners because it’s more compact than the other two filters and is perfect for filtering small debris out of your pool. But is diatomaceous earth toxic to humans? Let’s find out!

What Does Diatomaceous Earth Do?

Diatomaceous Earth, known as DE, is a type of pool filter made of chemically active fossilized minerals formed around dried up water known as diatoms. These diatoms look like algae and are made of silica. During the production of DE, they come out with void spaces, which make them perfect for filtration.

This filtration material is quite active at filtering your pool, but it poses a threat to your swimming possible if not handled properly as they’re prone to give off dust. If this dust is not addressed properly, they can enter into your pool.

Filtering your pool with DE cleanses the water from every impediment and makes it clean because it removes the tiniest of dirt, which gradually affects your pool. When you put in diatomaceous earth into your pool, they coat the filter cloth, and when water passes through the filter, they trap all the dirt passing through, leaving the water perfectly clean. When you want to clean the filter cloth, you reverse the water flow.

Why is Diatomaceous Earth Perfect for Filtering Your Pool?

Diatomaceous Earth is created in a powdery form that looks like a stack of sponges under a microscope. 

And like a sponge in water, traps every impurity that passes through the filter. This filtration system makes diatomaceous earth the best among the different types of filters.

Cleaning the DE filter can only be possible with heavy-duty liquid pool filter cleaner because of the types of content they wipe off the filter, such as organic materials, body oils, suntan lotions, and natural minerals. This cleaning process will make the DE filter last longer and perform excellently.

Types of DE: Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade Uses

There are two types of diatomaceous earth known as the food grade and pool grade. The pool grade is well popular because of its functions, which are well known. The food-grade is also popular but not as popular as the pool grade.   

The pool grade DE is calcined, which changes the chemical compound from silicon dioxide to crystalline silica, thereby hardening the diatoms. The changed chemical compound is then used for filtration purposes but is very toxic, so it should be handled with care and in PPE equipment.

The Food grade DE is not calcined but made up of a large quantity of amorphous silica. This grade of DE is less than 1% crystalline silica making them perfect for the production of animal feed or insect control substances.

Is Diatomaceous Earth Toxic to Humans?

This answer to this question is complicated because diatomaceous earth is produced in two forms: the food-grade and the filter grade. The food-grade type is considered safe for human use and consumption because it is low in crystalline silica. However, the filter grade form is rich in crystalline silica, making them very toxic to human use.

You also need to handle diatomaceous earth with care as not to inhale it.  Because it doesn’t only irritate your lungs, it also causes silicosis, a condition of inflammation and scarring of the lungs, which is common among miners.

On the other hand, even though the food-grade type is not harmful, inhaling it over a long period can also damage the lungs.

How Much Diatomaceous Earth for Pool Filter?

The quantity of DE for the pool filter depends mainly on the size of the pool and pool filter.  So the bigger or smaller your pool is, the larger or lower the amount of DE you use. The quantity of DE used depends on how dirty your pool is and how regularly you backwash your pool.

The average size of a DE pool filter is about 30 sq. Feet by 60 sq. Feet. To determine the quantity of DE to use with such a filter, note that for every five sq. foot, your pool needs 1 lb. of DE. So a 30 sq. Feet pool would require 6 lb. of DE.

Do not overfill the filter of your pool with DE except stated in the filter’s manual. Also, ensure you follow all the directives on the filter to ensure you properly install the filter or your filter could malfunction, and its warranty may become void.

Conclusion

When inserting the DE into the filter, you should note the level it stopped to observe when the level reduces to the extent that it needs changes. The more you backwash the pump, the more the DE drops, so always remember to open the filter and check your marked level.

As a pool owner, knowing when to maintain your pool is essential to the operations of your pool. If your pool is not appropriately managed, it may develop specific issues that will make the pool inhabitable. One of such problems is a malfunctioning sand filter.

To ensure that your sand filter is functional, you need to look out for signs that indicate that it’s operational or not.  If you’re not sure of the signs to look out for, you’ll need to keep reading as we’ve created a list of signs to tell if your sand filter is bad and the process of changing sand in pool filter.

Signs that Your Sand Filter is Bad

1. Slow sand filter

The first sign to know that your filter is bad is it has a slow filter which is evident when your pool becomes cloudy. Your filter can become sluggish and still function properly. The only way to know that there’s a problem with the filter is that it will not be filtering debris.

If you notice this happening in your pool, you need to test the water chemistry of your pool and ensure that it is balanced. After checking the water chemistry, check the backwash valve.  Ensure that this valve functions correctly. If you haven’t found any problem with both, then consider changing sand in the pool filter.

2. Leaking multiport valve

Even though a leaking multiport valve doesn’t affect the sand filter directly, it’s still a part of the sand filter and needs to be checked. The sand filter has a spider gasket located inside that makes the constant flow of water possible to its right ports.  However, when the spider gasket slacks, water passes through other ports, causing an issue for the multiport valve. When this happens, your sand filter will not function properly, so this should be one of the places to look at if your sand filter becomes bad.

3. Broken Laterals

Another sign that your filter is bad is when the laterals get broken. This would cause sand to return to your pool when you turn on the filter valve.  If this is the case, you need to check the lateral to see if it’s broken. To check the lateral, you need to remove the sand media from the pool filter. Asides checking if the lateral is broken, you need to check the air bleeding tube.

4. Filthy sand filter

A dirty sand filter can also make your sand pool filter malfunction. To know if the filter is dirty, your backwashing cycle would become shorter. When you notice this, you have to check if your filter is not clean enough. If you don’t know how to check for this, you can go through a Hayward sand filters manual to know the right steps.

The filter is dirty, the pool water won’t flow through the sand filter media; instead, it would create a way for itself around the side of the filter and return to the pool. You should change a black pool filter sand to enable water to pass through the sand media.

5. Valve Failure

Any of the valves on the filter system can fail at any time, which can lead to a bad sand filter. These valves are the multiports that are located on the top or side of the filter system. However, the most common cause of valve failure is when the gaskets inside the sand tank fail. When the valve fails, you need to call a professional to look at it and recommend a solution.

6. Tank Failure

The tanks on the filter system can fail when the valves are shut off from the backwash lines. However, this may not be the only cause of tank failure as when tanks of cheaper versions are used to design your filter system, it can lead to tank failure and pool filter leaking from bottom.  Either way, you need to check which of this is the cause and find how to rectify them.

Conclusion

These are the few signs that can show if the sand filter is bad, and as a pool owner, you need to know how you can tell if your filter is becoming faulty. Knowing these signs at the back of your mind would help you keep your sand filter operational.