Imagine, on a shiny sunny day, you’re enjoying the pleasure of swimming in a blue, sparkling pool, Cool ha?
But, first, you need to know how to get a clean, fresh, bluish pool, right? Well, it’s not something unreachable.
If you’re in the dark of how to vacuum an above ground pool, it’s okay. None of us is a jack of all trades. We are here to help you go through the job.
So, stop worrying! Let’s start the journey!
See the different ways of vacuuming
Yes, there are three ways to vacuum an above ground pool. We will break down each of the processes so that you can select one.
1 of 3 Vacuum through skimmer
You can use a skimmer to vacuum your above ground pool. To do so, you will need a few supplies:
- A vacuum hose
- A vacuum head
- One telescoping pole
- A skimmer plate
If you’re done with managing the things, let’s go through the steps:
Step-1: Pre-vacuum procedure
First thing first, Let’s clean up your pump basket from their leaves, mulch and any tiny bit of debris.
Step-2: Prime the vacuum
Well, it means, you need an air-free vacuum hose. Because air pockets will be the reason for losing suction which you won’t like.
It’s easy to do, just attach the vacuum head on the top of the telescoping pole. Now, lower it into the beneath of the pool floor.
Push another end of the hose against a jet. It will help to push the air out of the hose. Now, check if there are any bubbles in the water. Bubbles indicate the presence of air in the hose.
Step-3: Place the skimmer plate
Now, attach the vacuum head to the telescoping pole. In this process, you are going to replace the strainer basket with the skimmer plate.
So, you have to clean the strainer basket from debris before replacing it. After cleaning, place the skimmer vac plate directly on the top of the skimmer.
Step-4: Plug your vacuum hose
Once you’re done with removing the strainer basket, you’re ready to go to the next step.
Simply, plug your vacuum hose into the suction port located at the bottom of the skimmer.
Step-5: Start vacuuming
Now, everything is set up. You have to SLOWLY vacuum your cloudy, dark pool. If it gets harsh, your vacuum cleaner will be damaged.
Make sure the skimmer is reaching to all the edges of your pool.
That was the process through a skimmer. Now, let’s turn around to another way.
2 of 3: Vacuum through a garden hose
Now, we are going to talk about an alternative method. It’s a cheaper action where you’re using one thing to gain two!
So, let’s have a look at what you’re going to need:
- A garden hose
- Vacuum bag
- A telescoping pole
- A plastic funnel
Things are almost the same, right? In this process, you will go through some very easy steps.
Now start!
Step-1: Connect the vacuum head
At the very beginning, you need to connect the vacuum head to the tip of your telescoping pole. Another end of the telescoping pole will be attached to the end of the garden hose.
What’s about the other end of the garden hose? Well, It will be connected to the spigot. Now, It’s the turn to attach the vacuum bag. Attach it to the opening on the vacuum.
Step-2: Turn on and off according to the instruction
Firstly, turn off the filtration system, Done? Now, turn on the water and let your pool flooded. We’re almost done. Now, go to the main point.
Step-3: Vacuum gently
Take your vacuum and start moving it back and forth. Again reminding, move it slowly. Let the debris and any other unwanted specks of dirt be removed by degrees.
Step-4: Backwash the filter
Last but not the least, you need to backwash the filter after vacuuming your pool. Lastly, remove the vacuum hose from the pool.
Yes, It’s the end of vacuuming with a garden hose.
3. Vacuum through an automatic pool vacuum
If you think that, it’s the era of technology and you don’t want to waste your energy behind the manual vacuum process, chill! There are ways.
You can vacuum your swimming pool through an automatic vacuum which will give you the greatest benefits. It’s a costly but time -saving way even a terrific time-saving way!
Automatic pool vacuums reach all the edges of a pool and help to circulate the water properly. People nowadays use this one a lot.
There are three types of automatic pool vacuum. You can choose one of them.
A robotic cleaner
It’s a bit hard to reach for the expensiveness but it offers the quickest and the most effective job. It’s actually for the large-sized pools with tough to reach areas. It’s totally operated by remote control.
Suction side cleaner
The cheapest one is a suction side cleaner. It’s an option for the pools with only the problem of dirt and debris.
Pressure side cleaner
These cleaners are attached to the pressure side (return hose) of the pool’s circulation system. These are also known as booster pump type cleaners.
It has its own collection bag to collect debris. So, you have to replace the bag often.
Now, pick one of them which is a good fit for you.
How often should you vacuum the pool?
Some of us vacuum their pool only when the dirt or algae are visible. But the chlorine level has already lost its track! It’s very important to keep the chemical level on point.
For the best, you should vacuum your pool at least once a week. It will help to keep the pool away from debris, algae and any other contaminations.
There are also some moments when you must vacuum your pool.
Seasonal vacuuming demand
When you’re all set and prepared for swimming on a sparkling shiny summer day, you definitely will want to have a crystal clear pool, won’t you?
If you properly clean your pool during the start of a season, you can reduce the contamination of water. It’s better to clean the pool before the algae or debris are visible.
After a big storm
A beautiful, clear pool is a stone’s throw if you do the stuff on time. You never should put it off for the weekend if your pool faced a storm.
Storm invites a lot of dirt into your pool’s water like Leaves, trunks, small animals and so on. So, it’s a must to vacuum your pool after a big storm.
After brushing the pool
When you’re done with brushing your pool, the debris may settle at the bottom of your pool. You can vacuum them to clean properly.
What else you can do is, after brushing the pool, wait for a while. The debris will be floating and positioning onto the surface of the water. Now, you can easily remove them.
After a pool party
It’s one of the best weekends when you have a pool party. But, it’s kind of irritating to your swimming pool.
Swimmers may contaminate the water by dust, make-up, perspire etc. Thus, your clean and clear water gets polluted. That is why you should vacuum your pool after having a party.
When the algae are visible
Generally, the algae gets visible if you don’t clean the pool regularly. If you vacuum your pool once a week, you’ll not have to work harder in the long run. Because these contaminants will be large in number and make your pool unsafe for you.
These are some peak times when you must vacuum your pool. Moreover, always keep clean and get a happy pool.
The precautions you must need to know
Look before you leap! Precautions always keep us away from an accident. So, whatever happens, practice safety first!
1. Stay safe from the electricity
While vacuuming, keep your eyes open and maintain enough distance to avoid electric shock. Vacuum cleaners operate on electricity, they are insulated properly though.
Again, you can’t throw the chances of an accident like a stone. Make sure there is no kid in your pool during the vacuuming process and you also stay careful.
2. Turn on the suction line
Don’t forget to turn on the suction line which goes into the pump. For carrying well on the suction, make sure the hose head also turned on.
3. Avoid draining out all the water
When you’re going to vacuum, do not drain out all the water in your pool. At least one foot should be in your pool during vacuuming.
This minimum level of the water will let your pool backwash properly which is an important part of the vacuuming process.
4. Place the cord properly
Before your movements, place the cord of your vacuum cleaner properly. As there is plenty of water around you and you’re working with electrical elements, an extra precaution is needed.
Make sure the wires are not tumbling under your feet. It can cause an electrical short-circuit.
If you accidentally feel a shock while operating the vacuum cleaner, turn it off in a second. Try to find out any leakage or cuts in the wires. Never switch it on before you find anything wrong and solve it.
5. Cautiously unplug the vacuum cleaner
When you come to an end of the vacuuming process, never touch the cord let alone pull it for unplugging the vacuum. It will cause unwanted things to happen.
You have to switch off the power supply first. Now, grasp the plug which is connected to the cord.
Never ever forget these safety tips. Your life is more important than your pool.
The benefits you will get by vacuuming your pool
As a pool owner, you obviously need to maintain some things to swim in a full swing.
Your pool collects a lot of unwanted dirt and debris every day. If you neglect them, you have to clean a hill of dirt in the future. See, the vacuum process how turns your pool green pool into a bluish one.
1. Prolong the chemical efficiency
Perfect levels of chlorine and ph are indispensable for your pool water. But, these things get affected by the sun, rain and even the air.
Thus, the chlorine level and ph level lose their decontaminating power. Vacuuming your pool regularly helps to mix the chemical with the water properly on all sides.
2. Prevent pool issues
The most common issues your pool may encounter are bad odors, algae blooms, pathogenic bacteria, and some others. These things can hamper your swimming.
Basically, these issues only can be solved if you clean your pool on a regular basis. Otherwise, it will cost more time and money if you neglect it now.
3. Keep water crystal clear
It’s not a huge demand to have a crystal clear pool. There is no need to toil and moil in the future if you care for it today.
There are some problems that are not related to bacteria or chemicals. You often see the leaves, trunks or twigs on the surface of the water. You won’t like to swim in this water.
Make a routine and follow it punctually for vacuuming your pool. It will offer you a fresh, clear pool to enjoy your swimming the most.
See, it’s not hard to meet a clean, glass-watered pool. There are a lot of benefits to vacuuming your pool on a very regular basis.
Conclusion
You probably with us or not, we hope that we can light up the points you wanted to know. Follow the instructions and keep the safety tips in your mind before doing the job.
Actually, an above ground pool vacuuming is not a way different from the inground pool. We tried to clarify each of the questions that may peep into your mind.
You have known what, why and how to vacuum an above ground pool. When you know the key things, you’re ready to do the job. So, stop overthinking, just go for it.
Wish you good luck!