Dealing with Pools that Get a Ton of Leaves
If you have a pool that gets a lot of leaf debris each week or service pools with heavy debris, there are a few things you can do to make it at least manageable. I will review some things that will help you the most with a heavy debris pool.
This sounds simple, and it is probably the thing that will help the most, but it is one thing many customers do not want to do. Trim the trees and keep them trimmed back every season. Trimming the trees around the pool can go a long way in eliminating excessive leaf debris. It is probably way overdue if you haven’t had your trees trimmed in years. Cutting the trees removes all the leaf debris that would fall into the pool over time and will also prevent a lot of the leaves that would fall in from overhanging branches. I have had many clients also take a tree or several trees out because managing the debris was a losing battle. But simply trimming the trees around the pool will help.
A device that I love and works surprisingly well is the PoolSkim. It is a simple device that you connect to one of your pool’s return lines and acts as a secondary skimmer. You will need 1 ½” threaded return lines to connect the PoolSkim, but once combined, it uses the return jet to trap debris into a bag. Amazingly, you will see an 80% or more drop in the total leaf debris not only on the surface but also on the bottom. The PoolSkim will pick up the leaves before they can drop to the bottom of the pool.
To learn more about the PoolSkim, https://youtu.be/BLtN702NrJQ
Once the debris falls to the bottom of the pool, a conventional manual vacuum attached to your pool system will usually not be effective. The waste is generally too large for the vacuum head. The cheapest way to pick up the leaf debris is a Leaf Bagger or Leaf Master. This device is designed to use water pressure to push debris into a large bag on top. They work surprisingly well. You would attach a garden hose to the Leaf Master, attach the Leaf Master to your standard pool pole, and drop it to the pool bottom. Turn on the garden hose and watch the debris be blasted into the bag on top. Very practical and easy to use.
To learn more about the Leaf Master, https://youtu.be/KT4Yo2H4EY4
If you do service for a living, the Leaf Master is great, but to maximize your time, you are better off investing in a Vacuum System. This is a device that has been around for about 15 years and works off of the same concept of a Leaf Master but on steroids. It is powered by a 30 lbs. thrust motor, think powerboat, and a large battery, much like the ones found on boats and power wheelchairs. You can typically run a vacuum system for hours before recharging the battery. This means you can quickly vacuum multiple heavy debris pools and save tons of time on your route. These are very handy for wind-prone areas like mine, where the Santa Ana winds make a mess of everything from October through February.
There are a few popular vacuum systems, and I have videos of the three I use.
Riptide Vacuum System: https://youtu.be/7G0WBEmc6fs
Bottom Feeder: https://youtu.be/XmX24Ggszv4
A vacuum system is a significant investment, with prices starting at $1,000 and going up to $1,700, but in the long run, they will pay off. Even if you are a homeowner with a heavy debris pool, a vacuum system is a way to go over spending the money on a Robotic or Pressure Side Cleaner. For the exact cost, you can purchase a Power Vac or Riptide with a battery case and easily vacuum your pool each week—something to consider if your collection is trashed with debris.
A pool that gets a lot of debris each week can be a real pain to keep clean. But with the right equipment, you can make quick work of it.
Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/
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