Swimming Pool Skimmer Issues

If your pool pump doesn’t seem to be working, the problem could be at the pool skimmer. The first thing I check is obvious. Is the water level at the right spot in the pool, usually halfway up the tile line, or if you look at the skimmer opening the water should be filling the opening halfway?  Low water can of course cause the pool pump to lose its prime. Next, is something blocking the skimmer? A pool toy or pool float maybe or there may be a twig or debris stuck in the weir gate keeping that in the closed position. The weir gate is the white plastic device in the front of the skimmer and if it is in the closed position when the pool is running it will prevent water from getting to the pump.

I then check the skimmer basket to make sure that is free of debris. If it is full of leaves that will prevent the pump from priming also. Nest, check the pump basket to make sure that is free of debris as well. If the pump basket is full of debris the pool pump will not prime. If all of those issues look fine we then move on to some other common issues. 

One common problem is that most skimmer baskets do not have a built-in weight. They tend to float up when the pool turns off and this can allow leaves and debris to get under the basket. When the pool turns on this debris will go into the skimmer and get sucked into the pool pump basket. Worst case the pool pump basket gets full of debris when this happens. A terrible case scenario is that the skimmer line gets clogged with debris. This means you will need to blow the line with a drain bladder or hire a plumber who uses C02 to blow the lines. 

A simple solution for the floating basket would be heavy rock. River rocks work best because you can find flat rocks that are wider than 2” in diameter. Why such a large diameter? The skimmer hole is 1.5” in circumference so if by some accident the skimmer basket were to tip over the larger rock won’t fit into the opening and won’t get sucked down into the skimmer line. The basket is unlikely to tip over but you can never be too careful. Always use a larger rock than the skimmer opening. 

Particle debris like St. Augustine grass can also get through the skimmer basket and into the pump basket as well. A good way to prevent that is with a Pool Skimmer Sock or a Filter Saver Sock. This is a panty-hose type material insert that will trap all small debris and prevent it from passing through the skimmer basket. I use these on most of my service accounts. You would also leave the rock in the skimmer basket under the Skimmer Sock.

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If you have a suction side cleaner connected to your skimmer in the past you would need to run your pool without a skimmer basket. There was just no room for both in the skimmer. The Hole in One Basket solves the problem of your pump basket clogging up with debris when you attach a Suction Side Automatic Cleaner at your skimmer. The idea is simple. The hole in the bottom allows the cleaner hose to slide through the basket and connect to the skimmer line. All surface debris is trapped in the Hole in One Basket just like a standard skimmer basket. A simple solution to a big problem. Keep the flow.

http://holeinonebasket.com/

You would use the same skimmer adapter or regulator that came with your cleaner. So, installation of the Hole in One Basket is easy. No complicated adjustments to get the right fit. No Vacuum Plates to adjust or install. Just line it up so that the hole is over the automatic cleaner’s skimmer adapter and put the lead cleaner hose through the hole.

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