Pool Equipment Troubleshooting

Maintain your pool equipment to help keep your pool clear and healthy.

A swimming pool relies on a number of external components and equipment to stay operating correctly. A pool's vacuuming equipment allows pool owners to remove debris from the pool interior. The pool's filter system keeps debris out of the water by cleaning it as it moves through the pool plumbing. The pump system of the pool powers the circulation of the pool and acts as a secondary debris catching point, utilizing a strainer basket. Problems arising in any of the pool equipment can negatively impact the overall operation of the swimming pool.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Spread out your pool vacuuming equipment's hose on the ground. Insert a garden hose into one end of the vac hose. Turn on the water and allow it to fill the vacuum hose, flushing out any clogs or other debris inside the hose. Debris inside the hose hampers the vacuum's suction, reducing its ability to vacuum debris in the pool.

2. Set the pool filter to the "Backwash" filter setting. Uncurl the filter's waste line or hose and set it down in an appropriate draining area. Run the filter for three minutes or until the water exiting the pool through the hose runs clear. Backwashing the filter cleans out any debris clogging up the sand inside the filter. Dirty filter sand reduces the filter's ability to clean water passed through it, resulting in cloudy or dirty pool water.

3. Unscrew the lid of the pool pump's wet end. Remove the plastic strainer basket from inside the pump and empty out any debris inside it. Spray it clean with a garden hose and place it into the pump. Debris inside the pump basket restricts water flow and can damage the strainer basket.

4. Fill the interior of the pump housing with fresh water from a garden hose. Fill the housing until the water backs up and overflows. Screw the pump lid into place and run the pump. Priming a pool pump in this way prevents air inside the lines from staying caught in the pump.

Tips & Warnings

• Regularly vacuum your swimming pool to prevent damage to the pool equipment due to dirty water or surfaces.

References

• PoolCenter.com: Cleaning Equipment
• PoolCenter.com: Pool Filters