VACUUMING THE POOL

If the amount of debris in the pool is too great to be removed by either the automatic cleaning system or by brushing, the pool should be vacuumed to remove the debris before it becomes attached to the pool surface and requires special methods to remove. A manual vacuum system is available at any Pool Supply Store, which will operate in any swimming pool. It consists of three major components: a vacuum head, a flexible vacuum hose, and a long telescopic pole. The pole, which is used for brushing, can also be used for vacuuming as both the brush and the vacuum head are connected to the pole with a quick disconnect attachment. The process of vacuuming the pool manually can be accomplished by following these steps.

First, make sure that the pump is operating and that the filter has recently been cleaned. In fact, it is recommended that the filter be cleaned immediately before and after vacuuming the pool. Attach the vacuum head to the telescopic pole; and attach either end of the vacuum hose to the top of the vacuum head. Keeping the opposite end of the hose and the pole accessible, lower the vacuum head into the pool. Before the vacuum hose can be attached to the suction line in the skimmer, it must be filled with water to prevent a large amount of air entering the pump and causing a loss of prime. This can be accomplished by either placing the free end of the vacuum hose over one of the main return lines, allowing water to flow into the hose and push out the air, or by inserting a garden hose into the vacuum hose and using the water from the garden hose to push air out of the vacuum hose.

As the hose is filling with water, the vacuum head should be lifted from the bottom of the pool about 1 foot to assist in the escape of the trapped air. Once the bubbles have stopped flowing from the vacuum head, bring the free end of the vacuum hose to the skimmer, keeping the end of the hose beneath the water at all times so that no more air is allowed to enter the hose. Remove the lid from the skimmer, and also remove the skimmer basket and float valve. Cover the free end of the vacuum hose with the palm of your hand and quickly lift the hose over the pool deck and into the skimmer through the opening at the top. Once the end of the hose is underwater, remove your hand and insert the hose into the suction hole in the bottom of the skimmer (the hole farthest from the pool). The suction will hold the hose into the hole and will form a good seal. If the hole is too large for the hose to seal properly, an adapter is available at any Pool Supply Store. Once the connection has been made, slowly move the vacuum over the pool surface in a similar fashion as brushing, except with vacuuming, it is not necessary to push the vacuum toward the main drain. It is necessary to vacuum the entire pool, from the tile line to the drain, but care should be taken to keep the vacuum head underwater at all times to prevent air from entering the system.

When the pool has been sufficiently cleaned, pull the vacuum hose out of the suction hole in the skimmer and wash the hose and head with fresh water to remove chemicals, which could decrease the life of the equipment, and store them in a shaded area. Once again, it's recommended that the filter be cleaned immediately after vacuuming to remove the excess debris and increase the efficiency of the filter system. Replace the float valve, skimmer basket, and skimmer cover.