Swimming Pool Repair: Are Your Skimmers Clogged?

If you and your family still use your swimming pool, you want to keep it as clean as you possibly can. But if you notice leaves, dirt, and even oily residue on the water's surface, check the pool's skimmers for clogs. Clogged skimmers can prevent debris from leaving the pool's water. Learn more about skimmers and how you can unclog them in your pool below.

What Are Skimmers?

Most in-ground swimming pools come with special built-in cleaning devices called skimmers. Skimmers rely on suction to gently remove debris from the surface of your pool's water. Over time, skimmers can clog up with hair, leaves, oils, and other debris. Clogged skimmers won't have enough suction power to keep your pool clean.

If you feel fine doing so, you can try to unclog the skimmers yourself. However, it may be dangerous to clean your skimmers without a professional pool contractor's help. Some inground pool skimmers can be very large in size. The suction power of your skimmers may still be strong enough to pull in objects, such as small tools and even your hands.  

You also need to shut down your pool's pump and a few other important things before you access the skimmers. A professional swimming pool repair contractor can check your pool's skimmers for you.

What Should You Do About Your Pool's Skimmers?

Before a pool contractor repairs your skimmers, they'll check the condition of your pool's water. Pools can back up with debris if the water is stagnant or dirty. If the water in your pool is dirty, a contractor will drain, clean, and refill it. If the water is fine in your pool, a contractor will check the skimmers.

A contractor will need to remove the covers from your pool's skimmers before they access them. After a contractor removes the covers, they'll inspect the skimmers for potential clogs and other blockages. A contractor will then flush out the skimmers with a large hose or another device. If a pool contractor doesn't find major clogs in the skimmers, they'll check the plumbing lines connected to your pool for potential issues.

The lines in your home can leak or experience another serious issue over time. Some of the debris may inadvertently travel into the lines connected to your pool. If your skimmers aren't large or strong enough to collect the debris entering your pool, they'll clog up and stop working. After you repair your plumbing lines, a contractor can take care of your skimmers and pool.

Learn more about skimmers by contacting a pool repair contractor today.


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