Pool Skimmer Tips and Maintenance
Pool skimmers can vary quite a bit in their appearance from the most typical one which is attached the wall of your pool similar to the picture to free floating pool skimmers that float in your pool. Regardless of which pool skimmer you have on your swimming pool, the general concept of how they work very similar. Water passes through the skimmer and as it filters it, it keeps it contained when the pump turns off. As your pump is on, the top layer of your swimming pool is filtered into your pool skimmer basket, which is typically accessed through the top lid on your swimming pool patio in which its recommended to pull out and clean regularly.
Pool Skimmer Issues
Even though pool skimmer cleaning and maintenance is one of the easiest things to do to your swimming pool, it’s also important to keep an eye out on specific things with your pool skimmer to avoid a headache down the road. We often hear horror stories from our customers that could have been prevented if they knew what to look for in the pool skimmer. If you find that your pool skimmer lid is no longer fitting easily when you put it back on, this is usually an indication that the pool deck or concrete has put too much pressure on the lid and casing for the pool skimmer lid. There are few things that can sometimes fix this such using some kind of grinder or saw to shave off the part of the poll skimmer lid that is overlapping or if it’s minor enough, just scraping it on the concrete enough to shave off the overlap in the pool skimmer lid.
Pool skimmers are also known to occasionally crack over time when the dirt or concrete settles around it. Freezing water within the skimmer can also cause cracking as well if it’s not properly winterized. Pool skimmer cracking can be easily fixed by using pool putty or silicone unless it’s a vinyl lined swimming pool, in which you will likely have to purchase a new gasket and faceplate. If you have to go the route of using pool putty to repair cracks, it’s important to lower your water enough to be below the bottom of the skimmer. Similar to a bicycle tire puncture, it can sometimes be hard to determine where the leak is coming from. If this is the case, use food coloring or some kind of dye method to find the leaking or cracked spots. If you ever have to replace the basket, it’s as simple as just dropping it in.
Pool Skimmer Regular Maintenance
Skimmers are very easy to take care if they are taken care of consistently with regular swimming pool maintenance. If you find that it is too cracked to repair, you may need to remove the surrounding concrete or decking and completely re-install the skimmer with expansion joints fully surrounding the new swimming pool skimmer.
