An above ground pool is much easier than an in-ground pool when it comes to installation, and luck is on our side since the simplicity still applies to the maintenance part, and also cleaning. Why do you need to vacuum the pool when there is an automatic cleaner? How to vacuum an above ground pool properly? Everything you need to know about using a pool vacuum and how to vacuum an above ground pool is in this article.
Why You Should Vacuum Your Above Ground Pool?
There are many situations that get us in this situation. You might have known that the water becomes cloudy over time and decided to use flocculent to prevent it from getting worse. The flocculent will draw the little particles together, and the clumps will gather on the bottom of the pool. The only solution is to vacuum them out of there.
On a side note, we all love to swim in clean and shiny water. If you neglect the pool, you are giving algae and bacteria a golden opportunity to infest and wreck everything up.
What Tools Do You Need to Vacuum a Pool?
A pool vacuum head
Although the vacuum heads are designed to snap onto every pool-cleaning poles, you still need to consider carefully since some heads are not entirely safe for your vinyl liner. Another detail to note is the weight of the head so it won’t float and fluctuate on the surface.
A telescoping pole
It connects to pool skimmers, nets, and hooks. But you should ensure it can reach the farthest corners of your pool.
A garden hose OR a vacuum hose + a skimmer plate
Still, they are universally connectable tools that need to extend as far as possible.
A vacuum plate
You can use the skimmer basket instead of the pump strainer basket, which means you don’t need to switch the pump on and off repeatedly.
How to Vacuum the Pool Manually
#Assemble your pool vacuum with the garden hose
- Make sure the pump and the filter function smoothly.
- Connect the open end of the telescopic pole to the vacuum head.
- Attach one end of the hose to the vac head and use a clamp if you feel the need to keep the hose fixated. The remaining hole of the vacuum attachment should connect with the collection bag.
- Place the set in the pool with the vac head on the floor and the unengaged end of the vacuum hose against a return jet. Water will run through the hose and expel the air out.
- Only the vacuum inlet should be open, or else the pump will suck the debris in, and it’s totally against our purpose.
#Assemble your pool vacuum with the skimmer
- Backwash the pool filter and clean the pump basket.
- The circulation pump must be off. Switch the valve before the pump off to divert the pump suction to the skimmer inlet.
- Attach the vacuum head to the telescoping pole and the vacuum hose end to the hose connected to the vacuum head.
- Remove the skimmer’s lid and get the strainer basket, which should be debris-free, and replace it in the skimmer.
- Connect the stationery cuff to the hose that you fixated to the vacuum plate. The tighter the seal, the better suction you have.
- Alternatively, you can remove the skimmer’s basket, block the water-filled end of the hose, and insert it in the skimmer firmly.
- Let the vacuum head immerse in the pool and keep the vacuum hose’s remaining end underwater.
- When the vacuum hose is filled with water, turn the pool circulation pump on.
#Vacuum the above ground pool
We will start from the shallow side of the pool and move to the deeper zone. Make sure your strokes are long, overlapped, and slow to get rid of all the debris. If not, you will only stir up the debris and make the water cloudy. The consequences are hours of waiting for it to settle and a reset button to the process.
If the debris blocks the vac head, simply turn off the pump. Without the force, the head will be free.
Don’t forget to keep the pressure gauge of the filter under the recommended level of the manufacturer. If it gets too high, call a short break and backwash the filter.
#Wrapping it up
Detach the telescoping pole from the vacuum head and empty the vacuum hose. Put the brush to the pole and scrub the remaining dirt off the sides.
By then, the basket and the filter you used will need some cleaning. If you use the ‘Waste’ mode to vacuum the pool, remember to change the valve to ‘Filter’ when you are done.
If you use a sand filter, the only thing you need to be attentive to is the settings. The most common is ‘Filter’. It can help you get rid of minimal contaminants, especially if this cleaning session is your weekly routine. ‘Waste’ is a stronger method.
Vacuum Above Ground by Using an Automatic Vacuum
Obviously, vacuuming a pool with your bare hands (figuratively, you still have the tools) is quite a workout. It consumes so much time too. However, we can always rely on an automatic pool cleaner.
The first benefit is they are easy to install. You can do it yourself. Secondly, they can cover almost every type of debris: leaves, twigs, algae. Three, there are several choices for you.
Suction-side pool cleaners enhance the manual vacuum we have introduced to you. The connection is the same, and the most remarkable difference is they move around on their own.
Pressure-side pool cleaners utilize the pressure of the water from your filtration system and turn itself into an automatic cleaner to slither around the pool and collect the debris.
Robotic pool cleaners are independent equipment that utilizes the electric system to clean your pool. You put them in the pool, and they will handle the hard part.
These automatic cleaners are fairly expensive, but we get what we are willing to pay for.
Last Saying
Now that you have known how to vacuum an above ground pool, it’s time to choose the perfect method. Would you rather invest in a pricey machine or do the work by yourself? We recommend estimating the pool size first for the most efficient way.
We hope that this article can help you on maintain and vacuum your above ground pool. If you have any question to ask Rontimco or some tips to share with us, feel free to leave a comment below.