Even though in-ground and above-ground pools often require little maintenance, they still call for some care to keep them looking sparkling clean and inviting. Pool walls and floor can attract the dirt, debris and algae over time, eventually leading to cloudy water that is neither healthy nor attractive to swim in. You might want to clean your pool using a skimmer, but skimmers only get rid of the dirt and debris that are suspended in the water, leaving contaminants that sink to the bottom or stick to the walls of the pool.
Vacuuming a pool is considered a standard maintenance procedure intended to get rid of the growing algae on the walls as well as contaminants that collect at the bed. Using a pool vacuum to suction up all the dirt makes the cleaning process faster, easier and more effective. You can choose between a manual vacuum and an automatic one to clean a pool vacuum. In this article, we exclusively focus on how to use a manual pool vacuum to clean a pool.
Vacuuming Accessories Needed:
There are certain tools you will need to get the job done quicker without much fuss. Below are some of them:
- Pool vacuum head
- Telescoping pole
- Vacuum hose
- A scrub brush
- Skim vac or vacuum plate
Table of Contents
How to Use a Pool Vacuum – Steps to Follow
Hook up the vac head to the long pole
First and foremost, attach the vacuum head to the open end of the long telescoping pole. An extended telescoping pole gives you the liberty to move the vacuum head around the pool with little to no restrictions. This allows for effective collection of the debris on the walls and at the bottom of the pool. Every standard pool vacuum has a clear section on top of the head where the pole attaches to it.
Attach one end of the hose to the vacuum head
Next, connect one end of the vacuum hose to the top of the vacuum head itself. It should be fairly easy to locate exactly where to connect the hose on any modern pool vacuum. The side of the hose that connects to the vacuum head should have a swivel head. A hose clamp can prove useful in keeping the hose in place if it is slippery.
Lower the vac head, hose, and pole into the pool
Hold one end of the vacuum hose in your hand and immerse the vacuum head along with the telescoping pole and hose into the pool. Make sure the vacuum head is rested beneath the pool, while the other end of the hose is outside the pool surface. Locate the filter skimmer or water intake nozzle (where the water jets into the pool) on the wall of the pool, and then plug the other end of the hose in front of the water intake to fill it with water.
Prime your vacuuming system
After placing the other end of the hose against a return jet on the wall of the pool, now go ahead and prime your vacuum. Priming is all about pushing water through the hose in order to drive out all the air. Remember, air pockets can lower your vacuum’s suction power, so purging all the air out of the vacuuming system ahead of time will keep it going longer and stronger.
Note: Air bubbles will start to emerge as soon as you push the water out of the hose. If you see the air bubbles floating out of the vac head, that’s a good sign the air is flowing through the hose. You can only start vacuuming your pool if there are no more bubbles jetting through the hose, implying that the hose is air-free and the suction has been created.
Seal in the suction
Before you even begin to create a good seal or suction, triple-check to ascertain whether the vacuum inlet is the only line open to the pump. Otherwise, the pump is likely to suck in particles and debris rendering your hard work useless. To create a seal in the suction, connect the vacuum plate to the point of the hose that is placed against the return jet. Use your hand to block the opening, and then bring it over to the skimmer to prevent against lose of suction.
If a vacuum plate is nowhere within reach, take the basket out of the skimmer and block the end of the water-filled hose with your hand. Then, firmly insert the hose into the skimmer. Make sure the hose is tightly slotted into the suction hose at the base of the skimmer.
Vacuum up your pool
Set the filter nozzle to intake mode to be able to suck in the debris. Then, using the long pole attached to the vacuum head, glide the head along the sides, bottom and steps of your pool to collect the debris. You’ll be able to see as the dirt gets sucked in.
We recommend starting from the shallow end and slowly moving toward the deep end of the pool. Use long, slow, and slightly overlapping sweeping patterns throughout the process so that no debris can be left behind. Try not to hurry because you may just kick up the debris, which could lead to reduced visibility and many hours to settle down.
It would also be wise to avoid vacuuming large leaves and debris until the work is almost done to prevent clogging the vacuum. Start by cleaning up any find dust and sand from the bottom then pick up any remaining debris later. Obviously, you can use a net to pick out large debris easily prior to vacuuming your pool so as not to harm or clog your device.
Once you are done with cleaning your pool, disconnect the hose from the filter and remove the vac head from the telescoping wand. Then, connect the scrub brush to the pole and use it in scrubbing away any algae and remaining debris from the sides of the pool.
Caution: Use the filter setting only for routine vacuuming of light to moderate levels of pool sediment. In this normal filter setting, the dirty water is directed through the pool filter to eliminate the contaminants, and the filtered water is conveyed through the return lines and back into the pool. For heavy contamination, such as acute algae bloom, make sure to set the multiport filter valve to “Waste” or “Drain”. In this setting, the filter is bypassed and contaminated water is diverted to an external drain for disposal.
Bottom Line
A pool is considered a huge asset for any home, but maintaining a clean and healthy pool can be a toll order. You need to invest in the best pool vacuum cleaner that can take care of your pool and keep it sparkling clean and healthy. You also need to learn how to use a pool vacuum appropriately to be able to maintain your pool at all times. With our tips and tricks of the trade, you can expect to become a pro in using a pool vac in the shortest time possible.
