If you’re looking for a cheap, energy-efficient way to heat your pool, making your own DIY solar pool heater is a great option. Not only can you use the sun’s power to heat your water, but the whole project will likely cost less than $100 (which is way cheaper than purchasing solar panels).
Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough on putting together your own DIY solar pool heater. You can watch the video below or keep reading for the complete tutorial.
How a Solar Pool Heater Works
The design of this easy DIY solar pool heater is pretty simple. Colder water is pulled from your pool by a sump pump. That water then enters a coil of black tubing that’s warmed by the sun. Then that heated water returns to your pool.
For this setup, you’ll need a sunny spot off of the ground to set up your solar heater, and you’ll need a few supplies that should cost you less than $100.
Keep in mind that this isn’t nearly as powerful as purchasing an electric water heater or gas water heater, but it’s extremely affordable to run and build. And this type of solar pool heating works best with above ground pools since it’s not powerful enough to heat an inground pool.
Supply List for Homemade Solar Pool Heater
Here are the supplies you’ll need for your DIY pool heater:
- 200 feet of ½ inch black irrigation hose. This polyurethane hose can be bought either online or at your local hardware store, so it’s worth shopping around for a good price. Just make sure it’s black since it needs to absorb the heat of the sun. Now keep in mind that you’ll need more than 200 feet if you have a larger pool. Your hose length should equal at least 50% of the square footage of your pool’s surface. For example, if your pool is 16 feet by 32 feet, that’s a surface area of 512 square feet. And that means you’ll need at least 256 feet of irrigation hose.
- Submersible pump. The easiest option to get water flowing through your irrigation hose is with a sump pump. Hopefully, you already have one as a pool owner. If not, this might be the priciest supply on the list and could set you back about $50. And while you can use your pool pump, it’s useful to have the heater and pump function separately.
- Irrigation hose connector for your pump. These are made specifically to connect ½ inch irrigation hoses to faucets and pumps.
- Plywood board and wood pieces to frame it. This is the wooden tray where your irrigation hose will sit. It will also keep your hose off the cold ground and allow you to angle it towards the sun. The size of your piece of plywood will depend on how much of the hose you’re using. But a 4×4 sheet of plywood is big enough for about 200 feet of hose. You’ll also want some wood to stabilize and frame your sheet of plywood. Also, an extra piece of wood is helpful to hold down your coiled hose. And to secure the wood, you’ll need wood glue, a drill, or a hammer and nails.
There are a few optional supplies you might want to help your solar pool heater work even better:
- Black spray paint, black plastic, or black roofing felt. Painting the wooden tray black or covering it with a black tarp or black roofing felt will add more heat to your solar heater set up. If you use plastic or roof felt, you might need a staple gun or duct tape to attach to your wood.
- Clear plastic tarp. Covering the entire tray with a clear tarp will trap more heat. It’s like turning your setup into a mini oven.
- Black PEX tubing instead of irrigation hose. PEX tubing is usually a lot more expensive than black irrigation hose. But irrigation tubing can wear down from heat and pool chemicals after a few years. So if you want to invest in something more long-lasting, use PEX coil.
- Shut-off valve or ball valve. A simple shut-off attachment at the end of your hose will help you control the flow of water and you can turn it off if it’s getting too hot.
- Solar blanket or solar cover. A solar blanket helps stop evaporation and heat loss at night. Without a solar cover, you’ll lose any water temperature you’ve gained during the day. So it’s critical to help keep that heat in your pool.
How to Build a DIY Solar Pool Heater
- Set up your wooden tray. The goal is to keep your irrigation hose mounted on something above the ground so that you can angle toward the sun. A flat sheet of plywood can work totally fine on its own, but framing it by adding wood to the sides will help make it more sturdy.
- Line your wooden tray with black fabric, black felt, or black paint. If you want to increase the amount of heat you capture, you’ll want to line your tray with something black at this point. But this is optional and might not be necessary, especially if you have a smaller pool.
- Coil up your irrigation hose on your wooden tray. Start coiling your irrigation hose on your wooden tray. Your hose should lie flat on the wood, almost like a record on a turntable. You want to wrap the hose as tightly as you can so you can fit as many loops as possible. Placing a 2×4 on top of the hose as you coil it can be helpful to help brace the hose. It can also help to have a second person to hold things down. Be sure you have the ends of your hose on different sides of your wooden tray. One of these ends is your inlet where cold water is pumped in. The other is your outlet where hot water leaves. They shouldn’t enter and exit at the same point in your pool water.
- Wrap your solar heater in the clear tarp. If you want to wrap your solar heater, now’s the time to do that. But again, this is an optional step. You may want to test your heater first and add the clear tarp afterward.
- Add your hose attachments. Attach your irrigation hose connector to the end of your hose that will be going into your pool. This is to connect your sump pump. Also, attach your shut-off valve or ball valve to the opposite end of your hose if you’re using one.
- Set up your solar heater and attach your sump pump. Place your wooden tray near your pool, off of the ground, and in the sun. Then attach your sump pump to the irrigation hose connector. Submerge the pump in the water and turn on your sump pump. Be sure your hose outlet is in the pool to return the hot water.
By the way, if you want more easy tips and tricks on taking care of your pool, check out our Pool Care Video Course.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
Troubleshooting Your Homemade Solar Pool Heater
If you’re having trouble getting the water to warm up, here’s some troubleshooting tips:
- Keep your sump pump and the returning hot water on opposite sides of the pool. Make sure that your pump that’s pulling in cold water is far away from the hose that’s adding in hot water. This will increase the efficiency of your solar heater. And place your pump as low as possible in the pool, since colder water tends to be at the bottom.
- Increase your pump speed. The faster your flow rate, the more heat you’ll transfer to the pool water. You might not notice a bigger pool temperature difference, but you’ll actually increase your heat energy transfer. Aim for a 2 to 5-degree difference between the water coming out of your pool and the heated water going back into your pool. A continued, slow temperature rise means you’ve got an efficient heater.
- Mount the coils off the ground and maximize the heat from the sun. You don’t want the cold ground to cool off your tubing, so make sure it’s mounted slightly off the ground. And like we mentioned before, you can also line your tray with plack plastic or cover your coils with a clear tarp for more sun absorption and insulation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Pool Heaters
Looking for more help on how to build a solar pool heater for your swimming pool? Here are some common questions and answers.
Can I use a garden hose instead of an irrigation hose?
We don’t recommend using a black garden hose for this DIY project. Garden hoses are made from many different materials and have different diameters than irrigation poly tubing.
How do I make a more powerful solar pool heating system?
If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can purchase solar panels online. It’s an easy way to create a larger version of this DIY solar water heater without having to hack together your own system (it will, however, cost hundreds of dollars more).
Store-bought solar panels usually come with connector kits, allowing you to build a series of solar collectors. You’ll also need plywood, lumber, PVC pipe, a 3-way valve, clamps, and fittings.
Alternatively, you can build and connect multiple DIY pool water heater systems. But no matter what type of solar collection you use, be sure to use a pool cover, like a solar blanket or solar cover, to keep heat from escaping your pool at night.
Need More Pool Maintenance Help?
- Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
- Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
- Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.
The post How to Build a DIY Solar Pool Heater for Less Than $100 appeared first on Swim University®.
Choosing the best gas heater for your pool means taking several factors into consideration: your pool size, your climate, and how long you want to extend your swim season. But beyond that, you also need to think about which kind of gas to use, how easy it is to install the heater, and whether it can be used with an above ground pool or inground pool. And a good gas heater should be powerful and with a decent warranty from a reputable brand.
Keeping these criteria in mind, our two picks for the best natural gas and propane gas pool heaters are:
- Raypak Digital Electronic Ignition Pool Heater (Natural Gas)
- Hayward Universal H-Series (Propane Pool Heater)
For smaller or above ground pools, we recommend the Pentair MasterTemp 125 Pool Heater
The type of heater you choose depends on the type of gas you have available. Natural gas pool heaters require a gas line for installation. If lines aren’t available on your property, you’ll either need to pay to have them installed, or opt for a propane pool heater. And keep in mind that propane heaters tend to be more expensive to run than natural gas.
Curious about how gas pool heaters work and the features you should look for? Keep reading for our complete guide to the best natural gas and propane pool heaters.
FYI: We’re a small team of pool industry experts and researchers that care about recommending quality, reliable pool products. If you do choose to click a link and buy any of the products we recommend, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Best Natural Gas Pool Heater: Raypak Digital Electronic Ignition
Raypak Natural Gas Pool and Spa Heater
The Raypak gas heater is a high-efficiency pool heater with a small footprint. This heater includes a digital control panel (LCD) for temperature selection and heater settings.
This natural gas heater from Raypak uses an electronic ignition system that keeps your water consistently warm. It will automatically start whenever it finds the pool’s water temperature has fallen below your preset levels. And the LCD screen ensures that you can easily set and monitor temperature at any time.
Ranging from 206,000 BTU to 399,000 BTU, this heater works with both above ground and inground pools. However, if you have a small above ground pool, you may find even the smallest BTU has too much power.
Best Propane Pool Heater: Hayward Universal H-Series
Hayward Universal H-Series Pool and Spa Heater (Propane)
This heater is super reliable and protects against corrosion and premature failure caused by unbalanced water chemistry. Its design also reduces your pump run time to provide energy savings.
If you need a propane heater, the Hayward Universal H-Series is a great option. With units available from 150,000 BTU to 400,000 BTU, you’ll be able to find the option that works best for your pool size and climate. Best of all, it’s a low NOx model, so it’s environmentally friendly and meets standards for areas where low NOx units are required.
Unfortunately, this particular model is designed only for inground pools. Pool owners with smaller or above ground pools should consider the Pentair MasterTemp 125.
Best Budget Propane Gas Pool Heater: Pentair MasterTemp 125
Pentair MasterTemp 125 Compact Energy Efficient Propane Gas Heater
This gas heater provides an option for either propane or natural gas. Its compact size is perfect for heating smaller pools.
The Pentair MasterTemp 125 is not only perfectly sized for smaller or above ground pools, but it also costs half as much as other heaters. Its compact design is powerful enough to heat pools up to 15,000 gallons and is best suited for above ground pools. It’s also low noX certified, which means low emissions.
With user-friendly indicator lights, the Pentair MasterTemp 125 is simple to operate and monitor. And its corrosion and UV-resistant housing make it a durable, long-lasting heater.
By the way, if you need more help taking care of your pool, be sure to check out our pool maintenance video course.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
How Do Gas Pool Heaters Work?
You’ll find some gas heaters that run on natural gas and some that run on propane gas. Fundamentally, the two work the same way.
As your pool’s pump circulates water, water comes out of the pool, through a filter, and into the heater. The gas (fuel) burns in the combustion chamber to generate heat to warm up the water, and then sends it back out into the pool.
Gas heaters warm up your pool faster than electric pool heaters (pool heat pumps) or solar pool heaters. They’re also the most effective option for pool heating when temperatures are colder.
Natural Gas vs. Propane Pool Heaters: Which One is Better?
Natural gas and propane pool heaters work the same way. The difference lies in the fuel they use. Both fuels are colorless and odorless. And both are clean-burning fossil fuels, but that’s not all that matters.
Natural gas comes to your property via gas lines, so it may not be available in your local area. And propane is delivered via large tanks. With a natural gas line, you’ll never have to worry about running out of fuel. But propane is more energy-dense than natural gas, so you get more energy from it than you would the same amount of natural gas.
That said, natural gas is much cheaper than propane. In fact, you could save thousands each year using natural gas. It costs an average of $2,500 to $10,200 a year ($200 to $850/month) to run a propane pool heater (depending on location, pool size, and swim season). Natural gas, on the other hand, costs an average of $1,400 to $4,800 per year (about $100 to $400 a month).
If the cost of natural gas is 40% of the cost of propane in your area, then natural gas is the cheaper option for heating your pool water.
The cost to purchase the heaters will be about the same. And installation costs are similar as well. But it really comes down to your access to natural gas and the cost of fuel in your local area.
How To Choose The Best Gas Pool Heater
Pool Size
The bigger your pool, the more BTUs you’ll need to heat it. Smaller pools, up to 13,000 gallons can generally get by with lower BTU models (as low as 50,000 BTU). If you’ve got a larger pool, with 18,000 gallons or more, you’ll need more power.
Climate and Pool Temperature
If you live in a warmer area, you can get by with a smaller unit, since your heater won’t have to work as hard to heat water to your desired temperature. But if you live in a colder climate or you want a year-round swimming season, you’ll need a larger unit to account for the seasonal changes in outdoor air temperature.
Where Your Pool Heater is Located
Your gas heater will generally sit next to the pool, or in a nearby shed. The heater must be placed where it can connect to the pool pump and water filtration system. That means you’ll need plenty of room and the ability to connect it to your gas line, propane tank, and electricity.
Installation Requirements
If you were hoping for a DIY pool heater installation, we’re sorry to say that gas heaters are the most difficult to install. Why? They need both gas and electrical connections. So it’s best to hire a pool professional to install it for you.
The installation costs vary depending on where you live and whether or not you need to alter any of your existing pool plumbing or groundwork to install it.
Heat Conservation
Your heater will be insulated with either plastic or foam to keep as much heat in the water as it flows through the system. The better insulated your heater is, the better it can maintain a warm water temperature with less effort. When your system doesn’t have to work as hard, it will last longer, and you save energy. If you really want to save energy, use a pool cover to hold in the heat while the pool’s not in use.
Heater Casing
The heater casing is a special material designed to protect your equipment from water, temperature fluctuations, impact damage, etc. Aesthetically, they’re also designed to blend in with your surroundings so they don’t ruin your decor.
Winterization
No matter what type of pool heater you buy, you’ll need to winterize it. Winterizing your equipment prepares your pool and all of its components, including the heater, for the colder part of the year. To winterize a gas pool heater, you’ll need to disconnect all the hoses and power sources. Then remove all the water with a shop vac and store all the components in a dry location.
Maintenance
Just like you have to maintain the right water chemistry in your pool, you’ll also need to regularly maintain your pool heater. Doing so ensures it’s in good working order for years and extends its lifespan.
And if you don’t maintain the chemicals in your pool, especially your pH, you can wear out your gas pool heat exchanger.
Have your gas heater professionally inspected every six months if you operate a year-round swimming season, and once a year if you don’t.
If you’re worried about regular maintenance and repair costs, choose a pool water heater that features an extended warranty. This will make it easier to cover service and parts, or a replacement unit, should the need arise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gas Pool Heaters
Need more help picking out the best pool heater? Here are some common questions and answers.
Is a gas pool heater worth it?
Gas pool heaters are more effective at heating your water compared to electric or solar heaters. It’s the most efficient way to heat pools in colder areas and the best way to extend your pool season. But if you live in a warmer climate or you want to spend less money on running your heater, a gas heater may not be the best option.
Are gas pool heaters expensive to run?
The operating costs to run a gas heater will depend on the cost of gas in your area and how much you run it. And keep in mind that natural gas costs less than propane. It costs an average of $200 to $850 per month to run a propane pool heater vs. $100 to $400 per month for a gas heater.
How much does a gas pool heater cost?
A gas heater will cost you an average of $2,000 to $3,000, depending on its size, BTUs, and the manufacturer. While they do cost more initially than other types of pool heaters, they’re the best option for heating pools quickly and keeping water warm in cooler climates.
How long does it take to heat a pool with natural gas?
The amount of time it takes to heat your pool depends on your pool size, the BTUs of your pool heater, and your desired temperature. Use this formula to get an estimate: Gallons of water x Weight per gallon (8.33 lbs) x Degrees of temperature increase / BTU output of the heater.
For example, here’s the amount of time it takes to raise the temperature in a 15,000 gallon pool by 10 degrees with a 100,000 BTU heater:
- 15,000 x 8.33 = 124,950
- 124,950 x 10 degrees = 1,249,500 BTUs needed to heat the water 10 degrees
- 1,249,500 / 100,000 (BTU output) = 12.495 hours
What is the cost to heat a pool with propane vs. natural gas?
Expect to spend anywhere from $200-$850 a month with a propane pool heater or $100-$400 a month with natural gas. Propane may be more energy-dense and require less fuel than natural gas, but propane is usually more expensive than natural gas.
If the cost of natural gas is 40% of the cost of propane in your area, then natural gas is the cheaper way to heat your pool.
What size pool heater should I get?
To figure out the right pool heater for your needs, you’ll need to know your pool’s volume (you can use our pool volume calculator). Then reference the pool heater’s guidelines regarding BTUs and pool size. It’s always a good idea to go higher, particularly with a gas heater. A bigger BTU unit helps to warm up your pool faster and compensate for the loss.
How long does a gas heater last?
Your gas pool heater should last an average of 10 years. Regular maintenance will extend its overall lifespan, so pool owners should factor that into ongoing costs. If you go extended periods without using it, always have it inspected and conduct any necessary maintenance and repair before starting it up again.
Need More Pool Maintenance Help?
- Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
- Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
- Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.
The post Best Gas Pool Heaters of 2022 (Propane and Natural Gas) appeared first on Swim University®.
When it comes to buying an inground pool heater, there are a few factors you must consider: the size of your pool, the type of energy you want to use, the climate you live in, how quickly you want to heat your water, and how easy you need it to be to install.
With those considerations in mind, tour top picks for the best inground pool heater are:
- Hayward Universal H-Series (Natural Gas or Propane)
- Hayward HeatPro Heat Pump (Electric Pump)
- SmartPool S601 Pool Solar Heaters
For pool owners with smaller pools who want a cheaper option, we recommend the Pentair MasterTemp 125.
If you live in a colder climate, skip the solar pool heater and opt for the heat pump or gas pool heater. A gas pool heater will heat your water faster and work better in colder temperatures. But the heat pump is more energy-efficient and you’ll spend less money running it.
For those in sunnier climates who don’t mind waiting a day or two for the water to heat up, a solar heater is a good option. Depending on the size of your pool, you may need to install multiple panels to reach your ideal temperature.
Want to learn more about the features you should look for in an inground pool heater? Keep reading to see our complete guide on the best inground swimming pool heaters.
FYI: We’re a small team of pool industry experts and researchers that care about recommending quality, reliable pool products. If you choose to click a link and buy any of the products we recommend, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
How Do You Choose the Best Inground Pool Heater?
If you live in a colder climate or need to heat a larger pool quickly, we recommend the Hayward Universal H-Series Gas Heater (it comes in either propane or natural gas). Gas heaters are extremely powerful and can heat your water up by 20 or 30 degrees. However, it will cost you over time, since gas is the most expensive utility to use to heat your pool.
For a more energy-efficient option that’s still powerful, consider the Hayward HeatPro Heat Pump. It utilizes ambient heat from the outside air, helping you save money on your utility bill. But even though this heat pump is more energy-efficient, it may not work as well in extremely cold temperatures as a gas heater.
Finally, if you live somewhere sunny and you don’t mind waiting a few days for your pool water to heat up, the SmartPool S601 Pool Solar Heaters is both very affordable and extremely energy-efficient. But unlike a heat pump or gas heater, it can take several days for your water temperature to rise.
Finally, if you have a smaller pool and you want a more affordable option, we recommend the Pentair MasterTemp 125. It’s a few thousand dollars less than the Hayward Heat Pump and Natural Gas Heater but it runs on propane and only works in pools up to 15,000 gallons.
Best Inground Gas Pool Heater: Hayward Universal H-Series
Hayward Universal H-Series Pool and Spa Heater
This Heater is super reliable and long-lasting. The cupro nickel heat exchanger protects against corrosion caused by unbalanced water chemistry. And it provides major energy savings with low NOx emissions to meet air quality standards.
The Hayward Universal H-Series Gas Heater comes as either a natural gas or propane pool heater. It’s available in a variety of sizes, ranging from 150,000 BTU to 400,000 BTU. And it’s an environmentally-friendly option for those in locations where low-NOx emissions are required. Keep in mind that you’ll likely have to pay to install it: professional installation is recommended to ensure plumbing and gas lines are handled correctly.
With a properly sized heater for your pool, you can expect the temperature to increase by one to two degrees an hour. A 40,000 BTU heater will warm a 33,000-gallon pool from 77 to 86 degrees in eight hours. Once it arrives at the set temperature, it will kick on a few times a day to maintain it.
Looking for another natural gas option? We recommend the Raypak Natural Gas Pool Heater.
Best Inground Electric Pool Heater: Hayward HeatPro Heat Pump
Hayward W3HP50HA2 HeatPro Heat Pump, Beige
This easy-to-install heat pump uses less energy than natural gas and propane heaters. The Hayward HeatPro 50K BTU Heat Pump will quickly and energy-efficiently heat smaller above ground pools.
The Hayward HeatPro is a compact electric pool heater designed to heat your pool efficiently without taking up a ton of room. The titanium heat exchanger and “ultra gold” evaporator coil are chemically corrosion resistant. This makes it a great choice for coastal environments and saltwater pools. The lightweight design (coming in at less than 250 pounds) also makes it easier to transport.
But the best feature? Unlike other heat pumps, the Hayward HeatPro will even work when the outside air temperature is lower.
The HeatPro is fairly complex to install and is best left to professionals. You’ll need at least six feet of clearance above the heat pump at installation. And it’ll also take several hours to heat the water if you have a larger pool of over 25,000 gallons.
Best Inground Solar Pool Heater: SmartPool S601 Pool Solar Heaters
Smartpool SunHeater Solar Pool Heating System
This solar pool heater features 80 square feet of solar panels that’ll raise pool water temperature 6-10°F (4-6°C).
If you’re looking for a solar heating system, the SmartPool S601 Pool Solar Heater System is a very affordable option. Designed for DIY installation, this solar heater system will raise your pool water by 6 to 10°F over several days.
Keep in mind that you will need space in the sun for this heater since it measures 4 feet by 20 feet. And it does not come with an installation kit, so you’ll need to purchase that separately.
For this particular setup, it’s recommended you have enough solar panels equal to at least 50% of your pool’s surface area square footage. If your pool’s surface is 500 square feet, you’ll need 250 square feet of solar panels for 50% coverage.
Best Budget Pick Inground Pool Heater: Pentair MasterTemp 125
Pentair MasterTemp 125 Compact Energy Efficient Propane Gas Heater
This gas heater provides an option for either propane or natural gas. Its compact size is perfect for heating smaller pools.
The Pentair MasterTemp 125 is an affordable, propane gas option for smaller pools (up to 15,000 gallons). At only 80 pounds, this compact pool heater ensures it can fit in tight spaces where other heaters aren’t an option. It also features a rotating digital display so you can always see the current water temperature.
Because it has less power than the other options, the Pentair MasterTemp 125 won’t be enough to keep your pool at an adequate temperature if you have more than 15,000 gallons.
By the way, if you need more help taking care of your pool, be sure to check out our pool maintenance video course.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
How Do Different Types of Inground Pool Heaters Work?
Inground pool heaters are available in three types: gas, electric, and solar. And each one has its advantages and disadvantages, including energy efficiency and price.
Gas Pool Heaters
Gas pool heaters are a good choice for those who have an easily accessible gas line near their pool. In colder climates, gas pool heaters are the most popular option because of how effective they are. Though they will cost more to purchase and run than their electric or solar counterparts, they will produce more heat in a shorter period.
Electric Pool Heaters and Pool Heat Pumps
When it comes to electric pool heaters, you have two types to choose from: a direct flow water heater or a heat pump. Heat pumps use the ambient air to heat the water and are one of the most energy-efficient, powerful heating options on the market.
An electric heat pump pool heater works just like an air conditioning unit but in reverse. It pulls the air in, heats the water, and pushes the warm water out of the pool heat pump. Because it’s so energy-efficient, a heat pump is one of the best electric options for heating your pool.
Solar Pool Heaters
Solar pool heaters use the sun’s warmth to warm up the water. The most effective systems use a series of panels attached to the roof of your home or a rack near the pool.
For solar heaters to work effectively, you must live in a warmer climate with a lot of sunny days to heat the water. If you’re in a hot climate, solar is an energy-efficient way to heat your swimming pool. If you’re in a cooler climate, solar panels aren’t effective.
Keep in mind that solar blankets, solar rings, and liquid solar covers only help reduce evaporation and heat loss. They aren’t very effective at heating up the water on their own.
How to Choose the Best Pool Heater for Your Pool
Your Climate and Swim Season
The local climate and the length of your swim season influence the type and size of the pool heater you need. For a warmer climate, any type of pool heater will work. You could also purchase a smaller unit since the heater doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain your ideal pool temperature.
If, however, you want a year-round swimming season, even in a warmer climate, you may need a more powerful heater like a gas heater.
Pool Size
If you have a small pool, you can purchase a heater with fewer BTUs. A heater’s heating power is measured in British thermal units (BTUs.) And 1 BTU is the amount of energy it takes to warm one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
The larger your pool, the more BTUs you’ll need to heat the pool water to a comfortable temperature. And the longer you want to extend your swim season, the more BTUs you’ll need as well. In general, a 50K BTU works well for pools up to 13,000 gallons.
While it’s not as common to see solar heaters with large pools, you can install multiple solar panels to increase the heating capacity and keep your water at the ideal temperature. However, if you’ve got a large pool with more than 18,000 gallons, choose either an electric or a gas heater.
Location of the Pool Heater
Depending on the type and size of your pool heater, you may need a lot of space.
Gas heaters generally sit next to the pool or in equipment housing that’s close by. This is because they need to connect your pool’s pump and water filter system. They’re also much larger than electric heaters, but require less room overall than a solar heater.
Electric heaters can be up to half the size of a gas heater. They’re also installed next to the pool or with the pump and water filter.
Finally, solar heaters take up the most room and need planning before installation. Some can be placed near the pool, but others may go on the roof or the deck. Measuring beforehand to make sure you have enough available space is key.
Installation Requirements
If you’re planning on installing the pool heater yourself, some options are more difficult than others.
Gas heaters are the most difficult to install because they typically require both electrical and gas connections. It’s best to hire a professional installer.
If you’re planning on an electric heater, it’s best to hire a professional for that as well. You can connect the piping for water flow, but an electrician should connect the system to ensure everything is working properly because electrical equipment is in such proximity to water.
Solar heaters are generally the easiest for DIY installations but will take more time. As long as you have the right tools and the necessary space on your property, you might be able to install this option yourself.
Heater Casing
Unless you’re dealing with a solar heater, you will have casings around the heating equipment to protect it from water, impact damage, changes in temperature, and more. The casing is insulated to ensure the water stays warm as it flows through before going back into the pool.
If you’re worried about aesthetics, the heater casing is designed to blend in with your decor rather than stick out.
With solar heaters, you don’t have to worry about casing because it is designed to spread out so that the panels can absorb more of the sun’s energy.
Heat Conservation
Pool heaters are insulated with plastic or foam to direct the heat they produce into the water as it flows through. Better insulated heaters will be able to maintain a warm water temperature without working as hard. This results in less energy consumption.
Winterization
Winterizing is a process that prepares your pool and all of its parts for cooler temperatures associated with the winter season. It keeps filters, brackets, hoses, and other components safe from the temperatures and ensures that they work well for you from one swim season to the next.
If you have a solar heater, it can be more challenging to winterize panels located on your roof. It’s a bit more straightforward to winterize an electric or gas heater. Simply disconnect the hoses and power sources, remove the water, and securely store all components in a dry location. To ensure the heater is completely dry, you can use a wet vac or a leaf blower before you put it in storage.
Maintenance
Your pool heater will require regular maintenance to insert that it runs optimally. This means taking the time to clean it and repair it when necessary. Depending on the climate you’re in, you may also need to winterize it every year.
Regardless of the kind of pool heater you purchase, plan on having it professionally inspected once a year and if you use your pool all year, have it checked twice a year.
If regular maintenance and repair is a major concern, opt for a pool heater that features a longer warranty period. And in general, heat pumps tend to last longer than gas pumps or solar heater systems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Inground Pool Heaters
Looking for more help picking out the best pool heater? Here are some common questions and answers.
How much is a heater for an inground pool?
Plan on spending several thousand dollars on a gas pool heater or pool heat pump. The pricing depends on the BTUs of the unit – with more BTUs required to heat larger pools or smaller pools to warmer temperatures. Solar heater systems are much more affordable but they are far less effective at heating your water.
What is the best way to heat an inground pool?
The best pool heater for your pool depends on how quickly you need to heat your water, the outside air temperature, and how much you’re willing to spend on the ongoing cost to run your heater. In colder climates, you’ll want either a gas or an electric pool heater, as those have more power to heat the water to hotter temperatures and more quickly. A gas heater will usually cost you more to run than an electric heater. On the other hand, for those in warm climates, using a solar heater can increase your pool water’s temperature without any ongoing costs. But it may only increase by a few degrees and over a longer period of time.
How many BTUs do I need to heat my inground pool?
If you have a smaller pool (up to 13,000 gallons), a 50,000 BTU pool heater is enough to heat your water. However, if you want to have a longer swim season in the colder months, you may need a BTU output of up to 65,000.
But if you have a larger pool, up to 21,000 gallons, you’ll need a larger heater around 85,000 BTUs. Most heaters provide calculations on their websites.
Can you add a heater to an existing inground pool?
Yes, you can add a pool heater to an existing inground pool. The type and size you should add depend on your climate, your swim season, your budget, and how much space you have to install it. While it’s more difficult to install than with an above ground pool, it is possible. It may just require a professional.
Need More Pool Maintenance Help?
- Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
- Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
- Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a step-by-step downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.
The post The Best Inground Pool Heater of 2022 appeared first on Swim University®.
Choosing the best heater for your above ground pool means finding the best fit based on your pool size and your local climate. It also means considering a heater’s energy efficiency, how quickly it heats your water, and how easy it is to install. And a reliable pool heater should not only help extend your pool season but last you for years.
With those criteria in mind, our picks for the best above ground pool heater are:
- Raypak Electronic Ignition Natural Gas Pool Heater
- Hayward HeatPro Heat Pump
- GAME 72000-BB SolarPRO Solar Heater
Natural gas heaters and heat pumps are more powerful but the units cost several thousands of dollars. On the other hand, passive solar heaters like the SolarPro only cost a few hundred but are far less effective at heating your water.
For more information about how these heaters work and what features to look for, keep reading for our complete guide to the best above ground swimming pool heaters.
FYI: We’re a small team of pool industry experts and researchers that care about recommending quality, reliable pool products. If you do choose to click a link and buy any of the products we recommend, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
How Do You Choose the Best Above Ground Pool Heater?
If you live in a colder climate or need to heat a larger pool quickly, we recommend the Raypak Natural Gas Heater. Gas heaters can heat your water up by 30 degrees in some cases. You will, however, pay for that power with the cost of the heater itself and a higher utility bill.
For the most energy-efficient option that doesn’t sacrifice power, consider the Hayward Electric Pool Heat Pump. It works well in mild climates, utilizing ambient heat from the air to help you save you money on your electric bill. Keep in mind that even though the heat pump is more energy-efficient, it may not work well in extremely cold temperatures.
But if you live somewhere with plenty of sunlight and don’t mind waiting for your pool to heat up, the SolarPRO Solar Heater is an extremely affordable option (a few hundred dollars) and very energy-efficient. It will just take several days to heat up your pool water and only by a few degrees.
Finally, if you’re specifically looking for a propane gas option and don’t mind sacrificing some power to save money, we recommend the Pentair MasterTemp 125.
The Best Above Ground Gas Pool Heater: Raypak Natural Gas Heater
Raypak Natural Gas Pool and Spa Heater
The Raypak gas heater is a high-efficiency pool heater with a small footprint. This heater includes a digital control panel (LCD) for temperature selection and heater settings.
The Raypak Digital Electronic Ignition Natural Gas Pool Heater is the most powerful above-ground pool heater option. It uses an electronic ignition that will automatically start the system when the pool’s temperature falls below your preset preferred temperature. Featuring an LCD display, you can easily see and set the temperature on the thermostat at any time. And gas-powered heat means heating your pool water quickly in any climate.
The Raypak heater is available in several models, from 206,000 BTUs to 399,000 BTUs, to accommodate different size pools. However, it does require access to a natural gas line. That means not only is this heater a significant upfront cost, but the installation can also be pricey.
The Best Above Ground Electric Heater: Hayward HeatPro Heat Pump
Hayward W3HP50HA2 HeatPro Heat Pump, Beige
This easy-to-install heat pump uses less energy than natural gas and propane heaters. The Hayward HeatPro 50K BTU Heat Pump will quickly and energy-efficiently heat smaller above ground pools.
The Hayward HeatPro heat pump is an energy-efficient option for pools up to 13,000 gallons, 24 feet round, and 15 x 30 feet oval pools. It features a high-efficiency titanium heat exchanger and a cooling mode to cool water temperature if needed.
This heat pump runs quietly with a defrost system that allows it to start in lower temperatures. It’s also a “Low Nox” heater, which means it minimizes levels of nitrogen-oxide, making it more environmentally friendly.
A heat pump like the Hayward HeatPro will help you heat your pool quickly and efficiently. Though it’s not as powerful as a gas heater and still costs several thousands of dollars, it’s a bit easier to install (though it may still require an outside contractor).
The Best Above Ground Solar Pool Heater: GAME 72000-BB SolarPRO
GAME 72000-BB SolarPRO Curve Solar Above Ground Pool Heater
The SolarPRO Curve Solar Pool Heater is an affordable way to increase your pool temperature steadily using the sun. For an 8,000-gallon above ground pool, expect your water to increase by 5 degrees in 4 days.
An extremely affordable heater option, the GAME 72000-BB SolarPro has a unique curved shape to help maximize heat collection. Plus, because it doesn’t lie flat on the ground, this solar collector won’t kill your grass. It features threaded ports for plumbing options and adjustable legs, making it compatible with a variety of manufacturers, including Intex and Bestway above ground pools.
However, a solar heater will heat your water much slower than a gas or electric heat pump. If you have an 8,000-gallon pool, you can expect an increase of five degrees in four days. So if you need more heating power or have a larger pool, you’ll need multiple solar heaters. And that means you’ll need to purchase bypass kits to connect each one.
The Best Alternative Above Ground Pool Heater: Pentair MasterTemp 125
Available as a propane or a natural gas solution, the Pentair MasterTemp 125 is a slightly more affordable on-demand heater option. If you have a smaller pool (up to 17,500 gallons), this heater may be a perfect size. At only 80 pounds, its compact design makes it easy to fit in smaller spaces where other heaters just won’t go. And its rotating digital display lets you easily see your current pool water temperature.
By the way, if you need more help taking care of your pool, be sure to check out our pool maintenance video course.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
How Do Different Types of Pool Heaters Work?
Pool heaters are available in three types: gas, electric, and solar. And each has pros and cons, including price, energy efficiency, and the ability to heat your water quickly.
Gas Pool Heaters
Gas pool heaters use either natural gas or propane gas to heat your pool. Pool water passes through the heater while a combustion chamber burns the gas. Then the heated water passes back into your pool.
If you’re in a cooler climate or you need to heat your pool quickly, a gas pool heater is most effective. Gas heaters can produce more heat in shorter periods of time. But compared to other heaters, they’re more expensive to operate. Propane or natural gas tends to cost more than the electricity used for a heat pump.
If you want to use natural gas, you’ll need a gas line near your pool. But if you don’t already have one, you’ll also need to pay for not only the heater installation but a gas line as well.
Electric Pool Heaters and Pool Heat Pumps
There are two types of electric pool heaters: a direct flow heater and a pool heat pump. The direct flow heater works much the same way as a tankless water heater, heating the water on demand as it passes through. And it requires electricity to generate heat.
On the other hand, a pool heat pump uses the warmth from the ambient, outside air to warm up your pool water. It’s the same way your home’s air conditioning system works but in reverse.
Direct flow electric heaters can be expensive to operate, hiking up your electricity bill in the pool season. But a pool heat pump is much more energy-efficient and costs much less to run. However, they won’t work well in colder temperatures since they rely on warmer, outside air to work.
Solar Pool Heaters
Powered by the sun’s heat, solar pool heaters come in a wide range of options. The simplest solar heaters use black coils to harness the sun’s rays to warm up your water. After exiting your filter pump, your pool water passes through the heated black tubing or solar dome before it’s transferred back into your pool.
More complex solar setups require solar panel installation and permanent plumbing fixtures. But the simplest solar heaters are easy to install, energy-efficient, and affordable. On-the-ground solar heaters with black tubing, however, take the longest to heat up your water.
For this type of above ground pool heater to work, you need lots of sunny, warm days to heat up your water. But if you do live in a hotter climate, a solar pool heater is the least expensive and most energy-efficient option.
Keep in mind that solar blankets and solar covers aren’t meant to directly heat your poo. These solar options stop evaporation and keep heat and water from dissipating, especially at night. But they don’t necessarily actively heat your pool. So solar blankets are a great compliment to a pool heater system but not a substitute.
How to Choose the Best Heater for Your Pool
Location
Where your pool heater goes may not seem all that important, but, you may need to use things from your yard or home to install it. A gas pool heater typically sits next to the pool or a nearby shed so it can connect to your pool’s water filter and pump system. They’re bigger than their electric equivalents, but require a lot less room compared to a solar heater. However, some do require access to a natural gas line.
An electric heater can be 50% smaller than the gas version. They are generally installed next to the pool or with the filter and pump. And they obviously need access to electricity.
Finally, a solar pool heater will take up more space and require more planning before you install them. Some will sit near the pool, while some can go on the decking or fencing. And you will need access to direct sunlight. So it’s crucial to measure and plan the layout to make sure there’s adequate space available.
Ease of Installation
If you’re planning for a DIY installation, passive solar pool heaters are the easiest option. They require no extra electric or gas hookups.
If you are looking to have an electric pool heater installed, you may be able to install this yourself. But even if you successfully connect the piping for the flow of the water, it’s always better to have an electrician connect the system and confirm that everything is working properly since the electrical equipment is around water.
A natural gas pool heating system is the most difficult to set up because it often requires both gas and electrical connections. As with an electric heater, it’s better to hire a professional to make sure the gas connections are secure before you start to use the pool heater. You may also need a natural gas line installed if you don’t have one.
Pool Size
The larger your pool volume, the harder your pool water heater will have to work. Because of this, it’s rare to use a passive solar pool heater if you have a huge pool. But if you do want to use solar energy to heat your swimming pool, you can add additional panels to keep the water warm. If you have a very large pool, opt for a gas or electric heater.
Note: Pool heaters use British Thermal Units (BTUs) to indicate heat potential. A single BTU increases the temperature of 1 lb of water by 1 degree, a heater with a higher BTU will heat your water faster. Be sure to check the heater’s BTU or pool size capacity before buying.
In-Season Water Temperature
Climate is a major factor in deciding on the best pool heater for your pool. In warmer climates, nearly any pool heater will work. It’s also likely that you won’t need a heater that’s as powerful to keep your pool at the right temperature.
For warmer areas, an electric heat pump or a solar pool heater is an effective choice because they pull heat from the outdoor air or natural sunlight. In cooler climates, you’ll likely require the power of the gas pool heater.
Heater Casing
Both electric and gas pool heaters have casings to protect the equipment from water, fluctuation in temperature, impact damages, and more. The casing is also insulated to keep the water flowing through it warm before it flows back into the pool.
If you opt for a solar heating system, you won’t have to think about the casing. This type of pool heater is designed to spread out so that it can absorb the maximum amount of solar energy. But the black tubing can corrode over time due to pool chemicals.
Winterizing
If you need to winterize your pool, you’ll need to prepare your filtration system, heater, pump, and other components for the cold temperatures. This keeps your hoses, filters, brackets, and all other internal components safe from freezing temperatures, and ensures they remain in good working order from season to season.
Solar heaters have to be completely removed to winterize them safely. Similarly, electric and gas heaters should be winterized by removing the hoses and power sources, removing water, and securely storing the parts in a dry location for the winter.
Maintenance
As with other parts of your pool, your heater requires regular maintenance. This includes cleaning it, repairing it, and, depending on climate, winterizing. Passive solar options rarely need an inspection. But if you have an electric or gas heater, consider scheduling an annual professional maintenance inspection to make sure works correctly.
If you’re concerned about regular maintenance and repair, purchase a pool heater than has a longer warranty period, making it possible to get service, parts, or a new unit if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Above Ground Pool Heaters
Looking for more help picking out the best pool heater? Here are some common questions and answers.
What’s the best way to heat an above ground pool?
The fastest way to heat an above ground pool is with a gas pool heater. They can raise your water temperature by up to 30 degrees. But the most cost-efficient, effective method is a heat pump. Just keep in mind that pool heat pumps are less effective in dramatically colder temperatures.
Solar pool heaters are the cheapest and most energy-efficient option. But it will take several days to increase your water temperature with a solar pool heater.
How much does it cost to heat an above ground pool?
It can cost anywhere from $0 per month (solar heater) to $800 a month (propane gas heater) to heat your pool. It depends on the type of energy you’re using. Propane tends to be more expensive than natural gas. And direct flow electric heaters use more power than heat pumps. According to PoolResearch.com, a heat pump costs up to $200/month to heat a pool compared to a direct flow electric heater which costs $600/month.
Can you install an inground pool heater on an above ground pool?
Not all pool heaters are designed to work with above ground pools. But there are many models that are built for both inground pools and above ground pools. Just keep in mind that gas heaters can raise your water temperature by 30 degrees or more. So some models may be too powerful for a smaller, above ground pool.
What is the cheapest way to heat an above ground pool?
The cheapest way to heat a pool is with a solar heater setup. This involves running your pool water through heated, black tubing that’s naturally warmed by the sun. You can make these yourself or purchase them online. Just keep in mind that things like solar pool covers or solar rings only help retain heat, not add heat to your pool. If you’ve already got a pool heater and you want to reduce your power or gas bill, use these methods to help hold in as much heat as possible.
What size heater do I need for my above ground swimming pool?
The size of pool heater you need depends on the volume (or cubic square feet) of your pool and the length of your swimming season. Smaller pools that hold up to 13,000 gallons can get by with a 50,000 BTU heater. Larger pools that hold up to 21,000 gallons need at least 85,000 BTU. Bottom line, the larger your pool, the more BTUs you’ll need to warm the water efficiently.
Need More Pool Maintenance Help?
- Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
- Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
- Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.
The post The Best Above Ground Pool Heater of 2022 appeared first on Swim University®.
Your swimming pool needs regular maintenance. That’s why it pays to develop a strong basic understanding of pool maintenance essentials, no matter if you have an inground, above ground, Intex®, or saltwater pool.
When you know how your pool works, the best ways to care for it, and how to plan for it, you’ll be ready to solve just about any potential pool problem that floats your way.
Good Pool Maintenance Begins with Knowing Your Pool
Before you can properly enjoy or care for your pool, you might need to brush up on all the parts of your pool. Knowing the basic parts of your pool, and their functions, helps you keep everything running smoothly—and makes it easier to resolve issues when they occur.
Looking for a full in-depth video course on swimming pool maintenance? Check out The Pool Maintenance Video Course and become a pool care master so you can effortlessly keep your water clean and clear all season.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
The Basic Components of a Swimming Pool
Every type of swimming pool has four components that need regular care. These include:
1. Pool Water
It might seem like a no-brainer but the water in your pool is key to lasting pool happiness. Keeping it clean, clear, and balanced protects you and your family from contaminants and pollutants. It also helps you avoid costly hardware repairs due to corrosion or mineral build-up, and helps your whole pool last longer.
2. Pool Interior
The walls of your pool liner are in constant contact with pool water, and everything that enters it. Keeping these surfaces in good repair, and clear of algae, mold, and debris, will help keep your pool clean and safe.
3. Pool Filter System
The pumping heart of your pool is also its liver. OK, that sounds a little weird. But think about it: your pool pump draws water keeps your water circulating, like your heart does with your blood. Your pool filter clears dirt and other contaminants from your water just like your liver filters last night’s cheese fries from your blood.
Both protect you and your pool from harm. Without a functioning filter system, your pool will soon be a cloudy, polluted, and unswimmable mess.
Depending on your setup, you might have a cartridge filter, a sand filter, a diatomaceous earth (D.E.) filter. Or, if you have a salt water system, a salt water chlorinator.
4. Pool Skimmers and Returns
If your pool’s filter is its liver, then your skimmers and returns are its veins and arteries. Your skimmers—not to be confused with a net skimmer, the cleaning tool attached to a telescoping pole—pull water into the filter for cleaning, while the returns push the cleaned water back into your pool. And like your veins and arteries, they work best when they’re clean and clear of obstructions.
No two pools are alike, and you’ll no doubt encounter pool maintenance challenges specific to your pool as time goes on. But if you’ve got a firm grasp on these four pool components, you’ll be well equipped to face down most upkeep challenges.
The Three C’s of Proper Pool Maintenance
The foundation of effective pool care is built on three simple but important concepts: circulation, cleaning, and chemistry.
1. Good Water Circulation
In your pool, moving water is cleaner, clearer, and safer. Proper pool circulation is key to healthy and safe swimming.
A pool with good circulation rarely has issues like cloudy water or pool algae infestation. Keep your pump and filter system running daily to maximize circulation.
How long should you run your pool pump? Ideally, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But since that’s not feasible for everyone’s budget or equipment, we recommend running your filter at least 10 to 12 hours a day. That’ll turn the water over a few times and help keep your pool safe and clean.
The other key component to good pool circulation is frequently backwashing your filter. Backwashing refers to reversing the flow of water through your filter and shunting the dirty water and built-up contaminants to the waste port, carrying them out of your pool.
If you’re not sure how to clean a pool filter, it’s imperative to learn and make it part of your regular pool care routine.
Tip: If your pool has a sand filter, add a cup of D.E. powder to boost its filtering power. Cloudy water will clear more quickly as the D.E. aids your sand filter in straining fine particles.
2. A Pool Cleaning Schedule
If it has proper circulation, you’ve already made cleaning your pool much easier. But you’ll still need to apply some good old-fashioned elbow grease. The basic tools you’ll need are:
Both Mother Nature and the folks using your pool bring all sorts of wild and wacky things into your pool, from leaves, mold, and the odd duck or frog to residues from shampoos, perfumes, and hair products. Add in the risks of bacterial contamination, and cleaning your pool becomes an absolutely essential part of safe swimming.
Skim, brush, and vacuum your pool weekly, at a minimum. This will keep debris out of your water, and your walls sparkling clean. Baking soda paste works particularly well as a basic scouring cleaner that won’t damage delicate tile or a vinyl liner when you brush.
An automatic pool cleaner can significantly cut your pool cleaning time. It won’t eliminate the need for regular skimming and brushing, but it’ll make both tasks easier, freeing you up to spend time enjoying your pool instead of cleaning it.
You can also make your cleaning life easier with a few unorthodox additions to your pool. Toss a few tennis balls into your skimmer basket, or even right into the pool, and they’ll absorb surface oils left behind by suntan lotion, cosmetics, etc. You can also wrap your skimmer baskets with pantyhose to create an extra-fine filter that’ll catch more contaminants than a skimmer alone.
Simply replace both the tennis balls and the pantyhose when they start to show signs of wear.
Tip: If you have an inground pool, the drains built into the bottom of the deep end will help pull water into the filter and make it easier to clear debris loosened during cleaning. Above ground pools don’t have these drains, but you can get the same water-clearing boost with a manual pool vacuum.
Simply attach your vacuum to your filter system and place it in the middle of your above ground pool, making sure the vacuum is upside down. Turn it on, and it’ll act as a main drain to help you clear cloudy water more quickly.
You can also clear cloudy pool water quickly with flocculant. But remember, that just treats the symptom, not the cause, so it’s only a temporary fix. Click here to find out more about using pool floc.
3. Balancing Your Water Chemistry
Step away from the Bunsen burner. Pool chemistry might sound intimidating and complicated, but you don’t have to worry. While it is an essential part of effective pool maintenance and water care, basic pool chemistry is surprisingly straightforward.
The most important tool in your bag of water care tricks is your water testing kit. You wouldn’t season your stew without tasting it. So before you reach for the chemicals, do some pool water testing. Understanding what’s in your water, and what isn’t, is the first step to balancing it.
The three most important parts of pool water chemistry are:
- pH levels: The measure of how acidic or basic your pool water is. Low pH levels are acidic, while high levels are basic. The ideal range for your pool is 7.4 to 7.6.
- Alkalinity: Works as a pH buffer and helps avoid huge spikes in basicity or acidity. The ideal range is 100 to 150 parts per million (ppm). And you can use baking soda to increase your pool’s alkalinity level.
- Sanitizer levels: The amount of chlorine, bromine, etc. in your pool water. Proper levels vary depending on which type of sanitizer you choose.
Once you know your pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels, you can start to add chemicals to tweak your water balance. Take your time, follow all the directions, and be sure you know what each chemical does and how it’ll affect the water, and the folks who swim in it, before you add it.
Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs
A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.
Don’t Forget to Add Pool Shock!
Every once in a while, your sanitizer will need a little help, especially after a rainstorm, or if a lot of people have been using the pool. To make sure your pool stays clean even when the sanitizer is maxed out, add pool shock on a regular basis.
Always Shock Your Pool at Night
If you shock during the day, the sun’s ultraviolet rays will eat up the chlorine before it has a chance to do its job. Add the shock to your water, then run the pump for at least eight hours to make sure it’s fully circulated.
Create a Maintenance Schedule
As you learn more about your pool and how to care for it, your to-do list might start to seem a little intimidating. Creating a pool maintenance schedule makes it easy to stay organized and make sure important tasks don’t slip through the cracks.
Not only will you be able to stay on top of basic upkeep, but you’ll be able to plan ahead for more advanced pool maintenance tasks like closing your pool, caring for it during the off season, or getting your swimming pool ready to roll when pool season returns.
Keep it Simple
Write down your pool maintenance schedule and tape it on the wall, fridge, or even somewhere near your swimming pool. If others in the household are available on certain days to do some of the simple maintenance tasks, jot down a name beside each task and share the workload.
3 Tips for Vacation Pool Maintenance
Being that most of our readers take summer vacations and own swimming pools, I figured I would share a few tips for vacation pool maintenance. I used to get asked this question a lot when I worked at the pool store. It’s not as hard as you might imagine.
1. Find a Neighbor or a Friend
This is the key to success when it comes to keeping your swimming pool clean while you’re away.
The ideal candidate is someone who owns a pool themselves. They should already know what to do. Tell your friend or neighbor to check on the pool once a day and provide them with a simple checklist, including:
- Empty the skimmer basket(s)
- Skim the surface of the pool
- Check the filter pressure (backwash if needed)
- Test the water with a test kit or test strips
- Add any necessary chemicals (only if they know what they’re doing)
2. Get A Pool Pump Timer
Hopefully, your pump already has a timer. If not, I would invest in one. They are a crucial part of proper pool care.
Set the timer to run the pool at least 8 to 12 hours a day. If you can split up the times, great! If not, it won’t be a problem for it to run 24 hours a day. Running your pump and filter is very important to keep your pool clear and it’s better to leave a timer in charge rather than a human.
3. Get Your Water Checked Before You Go
Take a sample of your pool water to your local pool store and get it professionally checked.
Make sure when you get it checked that you correct any issues before you go. You want to make sure that your pH and alkalinity are properly balanced and your sanitizers levels are correct.
- pH: 7.4 to 7.6
- Alkalinity: 100 parts per million (ppm) to 150 ppm, with 125 ppm being ideal
- Calcium Hardness: 175 ppm to 225 ppm, or 200 ppm to 275 ppm for concrete and plaster pools
- For Chlorine Pools: 1 ppm to 3 ppm
- For Bromine Pools: 3 ppm to 5 ppm
- For Biguanide Pools: 30 ppm to 50 ppm
- For Salt Water Pools: 0.5 ppm of chlorine
- For Mineral System Pools: 0.5 ppm of chlorine
Also, make sure your pool is clean and crystal clear before you leave.
Come on In, the Water’s Fine—Thanks to You
Owning a swimming pool is one of the most rewarding ways to enjoy fun in the sun at home. Yes, it needs regular care, but that doesn’t mean you’ll spend your life shackled to a vacuum or fiddling with your chemistry set.
In fact, when you know how your pool works, understand the care it needs and plan ahead, you might find yourself taking pride in your pool care prowess. You’ll enjoy not just your swim, but the peace of mind that comes with regular and thorough pool maintenance.
Happy Swimming!
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Pool Maintenance appeared first on Swim University®.
Need to drain your above ground pool? Maybe it’s full of nasty, stagnant water. Or maybe you need to completely take it down for the season or make emergency repairs. Either way, you’ll need to drain some or all of the water from your swimming pool. And if you’ve never drained your pool before, doing it the wrong way can damage your pool liner, or worse: the whole thing can collapse.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to drain an above ground pool with or without a pump.
When Should You Drain an Above Ground Pool?
There are only a few reasons you’ll ever need to completely drain your pool. Depending on the size of your swimming pool, you should only need to ever partially drain it, even to fix leaks. But there are several situations when you’ll want to drain out most or all of your water:
1. Your water chemistry is beyond rebalancing
Part of regular pool care is maintaining your pool’s water chemistry. But even if you’re meticulous about your pool maintenance, you can end up with a build-up of total dissolved solids (TDS). These are the by-products of all the chemicals you use to keep your pool clean that slowly build up over time. When your TDS level is greater than 2,500 parts per million (PPM), you’ll need to drain and replace some of your pool water with fresh water.
Another reason to replace your pool water? Your Cyanuric Acid (CYA) levels are too high. The only way to bring those levels down is by partially draining your pool and replacing it with fresh water.
2. You need to make structural repairs
You can handle most pool repairs without draining all of the water from your above ground pool. It’s even possible to patch and repair your pool liner while it’s still underwater. Special maintenance, however, may require an empty pool. And that includes jobs like completely replacing your pool liner or repairing your pool frame’s base.
3. You need to store your pool for the winter
If you have a smaller above ground swimming pool and live in a cold climate, you may need to drain and store it during the winter. Not only will this protect your pool from freezing temperatures, but storing your pool in the off-season may be required to preserve your warranty.
How to Prepare an Above Ground Pool for Draining
Before you drain your above ground pool, you’ll need to have a few things prepared:
- Have a water disposal plan. Check with your city for rules or regulations about how to dispose of pool water, especially if you’re draining your entire pool. Most areas won’t allow you to empty your pool water into storm drains, so you’ll need to empty it directly into the sanitary sewer line outside your home.
- Bring down your pool’s chemical levels. No matter where you’ll dispose of the water, you need to be sure your pool water isn’t full of chemicals before you do. Stop adding chemicals in the days before you drain and test your water before you empty your pool to make sure it’s chlorine neutral. Then check with your local water authority for other chemical requirements. If you need to speed up the process, consider using a chlorine neutralizer.
- Wait for mild, warm weather. Depending on where you live, you may be limited in terms of when you can drain your pool. Check with the local water authority for any rules. But otherwise, plan on waiting for a clear day that’s not too hot. Aim for temperatures at or below 85°F (29°C) to prevent damage to your pool liner.
- Turn off pumps, filters, heaters and automatic timers. If you have any pool equipment with automatic timers, like pumps, turn them off before you start draining. If the water level falls below the skimmer line and the pump turns on, it can overheat.
- Plan to stay near your pool when it drains.
Never leave your pool unattended while it’s draining or refilling. You can expect it to take 8 to 14 hours to drain, based on the size of your pool and whether you’re using a pump or a hose. And keep in mind that you’ll also spend about the same amount of time filling it up again (check out our pool fill time calculator to help you determine how much time it’ll take to drain or fill your pool).
3 Ways to Drain an Above Ground Pool
You have three options for how to drain an above ground pool: siphoning water with a garden hose, using a submersible pump, or using your pool’s drain adapter.
If you only need to partially drain your pool because you need to adjust your water chemistry, siphoning the water out with a garden hose is an easy option. However, if you need to completely drain a larger pool, you’ll want to use a sump pump to speed up the process.
Finally, if you’re draining a pool to store it during the winter months in a colder climate, you may want to use your pool’s built-in drain adapter (if there is one).
Here’s a step-by-step walk-through of each method.
How to Drain an Above Ground Pool Without A Pump: Garden Hose Siphon Method
If you’re only partially draining your pool or you don’t want to use a pump, you can use a garden hose to siphon out your pool water. It will take longer than using a pump, but this easy, DIY method means you won’t need to buy or rent any equipment.
The easiest way to create a siphon is by submerging the entire garden hose underwater and then removing one end of the hose out of the pool:
- Submerge the entire hose underwater in the pool. Hold both ends below the surface until the air bubbles stop. This means the hose is now full of water.
- Place your hand over one end of the hose. While keeping that end covered, pull that end of the hose out of the water.
- Place the end you’re holding on the ground at a lower level than the pool’s waterline. When you move your hand away, the water should start siphoning out. The hose on the outside of the pool needs to be lower than the water level in the pool. And make sure the end that’s in the water remains under the surface.
If your water level is too shallow for this method or you’re not getting a siphon, you can speed up the process by attaching your garden hose to your house’s spigot (or outdoor faucet).
How to Make a Garden Hose Siphon with a Spigot
- Connect one end of your garden hose to your spigot and place the other end in your pool. This setup is the same as if you were going to fill up your pool with water. Make sure the end of the garden hose that’s in the pool is secured or weighed down so it won’t pop out.
- Turn on the water. Water should be running through your hose and filling your pool.
- Once the hose is completely full of water, unscrew it from the spigot. Place that end of the hose on the ground and then turn off your spigot. This should create a siphon at this point and water should be draining from your pool out the hose. Just make sure this end of the hose is lower the water level in your pool.
Keep in mind that your hose siphon will get slower and slower as the water level decreases. If you have a larger above ground pool, it can take several days to complete the draining process. It’ll also leave an inch or two of water at the bottom of your pool liner. Any remaining water can be removed by a shop vac.
By the way, if you want more pool care tips like this one, check out our Pool Care Video Course.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
How to Drain an Above Ground Pool With a Sump Pump
Using a submersible electric pump, a.k.a. a sump pump, to drain your pool is much quicker than using a garden hose. And if you need to drain your pool every winter, buying a sump pump can be a worthwhile investment. But you can also rent one from a local hardware store if it’s a one-time job and you want to save some money.
You’ll need:
Make sure the power cord of your sump pump is long enough to reach the bottom of the pool from the nearest outlet. While it is possible to use an extension cord, it needs to be heavy-duty enough to handle a sump pump.
- Attach the garden hose to your sump pump.
- Locate your house’s clean-out port. This is usually in the ground in your front yard near a water spigot. Open the clean-out port by unscrewing the cap. Unravel your garden hose and place it inside the port. Just keep in mind that your hose won’t be sanitary afterward.
- Place the sump pump underwater in the middle of your pool floor. Turn on the sump pump by plugging it in. Remember, try not to use an extension cord. At this point, water should be flowing through the hose.
- Monitor your water flow. Carefully watch the pump, hose, and power cords to make sure everything is running smoothly and that the water is properly draining into the clean-out port. Remember, never leave a sump pump running unmonitored.
- Turn off your pump once the water level is too low. Once the water level is low enough that the pump isn’t pushing water out, turn it off and take it out of the pool. It’s okay if you still have a few inches of water at the bottom. If you need to remove all of the water, use a shop vac.
How to Drain an Above Ground Pool With a Drain Adapter
If you have an Intex, Coleman, or other temporary above ground pool, your pool may have a drain adapter. This allows you to drain the pool faster if you have to take it down at the end of the season.
- Connect the drain plug to a garden hose before opening the value. Without a hose, the water will drain around and underneath the pool, softening the ground your pool sits on. You may need an adapter to connect your garden hose to your pool.
- Place the other end of the garden hose away from the pool. Be sure it’s not draining into a neighbor’s yard.
- Monitor the flow of water. Depending on how many gallons of water your pool holds, you may need to move your hose occasionally. Remember, your water shouldn’t be flowing into a storm drain.
How to Refill Your Above Ground Pool
If you’re making repairs or adding fresh water, don’t plan on leaving your pool empty or dry for too long. Sunlight and weather can damage the liner of an empty pool. So as soon as you’ve completed your repairs, start refilling your pool. Consider using multiple garden hoses to speed up the process.
Once the water reaches halfway up your skimmer, you can turn on your pool pump and filter again. Then retest and rebalance your water. If you need help figuring out the right chemistry levels for your pool, check out our guide on Basic Pool Chemistry 101.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Drain an Above Ground Pool
Looking for more help with draining your pool? Find answers to the most common questions here.
How long does it take to drain an above ground pool?
It can take anywhere from 8 to 14 hours to drain your pool, depending on how large it is and whether you use a garden hose or a sump pump. Do not leave a sump pump unattended as you drain.
What’s the fastest way to drain an above ground pool?
Using a submersible pump is the fastest way to drain your pool. It acts like a vacuum to remove water quickly, but you’ll need to monitor it while it’s running. A garden hose siphon is another option for draining out water, but it will take much longer.
How often do I need to drain an above ground pool?
It is rare that you will ever have to completely drain an above-ground pool, unless you take it down every year for the winter. Otherwise, most minor leaks and liner repairs can be done while there is still water in the pool. However, if your cyanuric acid or Total Dissolved Solid levels are too high, you’ll need to partially drain and replace your water.
How do I drain my above ground pool without a pump?
You can drain your above ground swimming pool using a regular garden hose and creating a siphon. It will just take much longer than using a sump pump and the siphon will start to slow down as your pool’s water level gets low.
Can I drain my pool with my pool pump?
Never use your pool pump to drain an above ground pool. You’ll pull air into the suction line, which can damage or burn up your pump. Always use a submersible pump to drain an above ground swimming pool.
Need More Pool Maintenance Help?
- Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
- Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
- Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.
The post How to Drain an Above Ground Pool (Even Without a Pump) appeared first on Swim University®.
The best pool cleaner you can get is a robotic pool cleaner. You can’t beat the convenience of simply dropping an automatic cleaner into your pool without running your filter system.
You’ll find a few robotic cleaners for less than $500, but most cost between $500 and $1,000. While the inexpensive models will get the job done, premium models have convenient features like waterline scrubbing, remote controls, and programmable cleaning cycles.
But how do pool owners choose the best robotic pool cleaner? What features do you need to look for? What do you need to know before you buy one?
The Best Robotic Pool Cleaner for Inground Pools
DOLPHIN Nautilus CC Robotic Pool Cleaner
Ideal for swimming pools up to 50 feet. Cleans large pools in just 2 hours. Includes dual scrubbing brushes and a built-in schedule using 3 settings: every day, every other day, or every 3rd day.
This cleaner continues to dominate and remains the king of robotic pool cleaners in our opinion.
Instead of relying on random patterns to navigate your pool, this robotic cleaner scans your pool to optimize its path around your pool floor and walls.
The Dolphin Nautilus has dual scrubbing brushes which provide more friction to pick up both large and small debris. It works best in pools up to 50 feet long, and the cord has swiveling technology to keep it from getting tangled. The filters are also simple to remove, empty, rinse, and reload.
The Best Robotic Pool Cleaner for Above Ground Pools
Dolphin E10 Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner for Above Grounds
Designed for above ground swimming pools up to 30 feet. It takes less than 2 hours to clean your pool with built-in water filtering and scrubbing.
The Dolphin e10 pool cleaner not only looks cool, but it’s also affordable too! It takes all the power of an inground robotic pool cleaner and puts it in a smaller package that’ll clean your entire pool in two hours or less.
And Dolphin cleaners are super energy efficient. The average operating costs are about $0.05 an hour.
NOTE: These automatic robotic pool cleaners are available to buy on either Amazon and InTheSwim.com. Check both sites for availability. All the links are affiliate links which means if you click a link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps us keep the lights on 
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It’ll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
How Does A Robotic Pool Cleaner Work?
These powerful little machines pick up debris of all sizes. Even better, they don’t attach to your pool circulation system at all, so they don’t rely on your pool filter. They run on good, old electricity. That’s right—you plug them in, and then put them in the water. Sounds counterintuitive, right?
They run on very low voltage, so they’re submersible. They have very long power cords that can only be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets. Those are the outlets that will automatically shut off if any electrical imbalance is detected, so you won’t get shocked.
Some models are also “double insulated,” which means they’re designed to work safely without the grounding prong plug. However, for safety’s sake, it’s best if you plug those into a GFCI outlet too.
A robotic pool cleaner drives around your pool, scrubbing the walls and floor with little brushes and vacuuming up everything from silt to acorns. Most models will clean your pool floor and walls, while some can even scrub the waterline around your pool. Because they’re not hooked into your filter system. Robotic cleaners have a filter bag or built-in cartridge for debris collection.
BONUS: Robotic Pool Cleaners also improve water circulation and act as a second filter to your pool. As water is pulled into the cleaner, debris is collected into a bag that can filter the water down to 2 microns for a really clean pool.
Why Robotic Cleaners Are Better Than Pressure-Side and Suction-Side Pool Cleaners
Suction-Side Pool Cleaners attach to your pool skimmer. It uses the suction of your pump and filter to power the cleaner around your pool and pick up debris from the floor. These are the least expensive of the automatic pool cleaners. But because they rely on your filter system, a lot can go wrong if you’re not around to watch it.
Pressure-Side Pool Cleaners (like a Polaris 360 or Polaris 65) attach to one of the return jets in your pool. They use water pressure from your pump and filter to move the cleaner around your pool. It also creates a water vortex vacuum to pull debris into its own filter bag. This cleaner also relies on your filtration system, but at least it has its own filter bag, so a lot less can go wrong.
Robotic pool cleaners are the best of both cleaners. They clean your pool without the use of your filter system. And they use suction instead of pressure and collect dirt and debris in its own filter bag inside.
If you wanna learn more about all the different types of automatic pool cleaners, when you use them, and which one will work best for your pool, invest in our pool maintenance video course. Not only does it include lessons on automatic pool cleaners, but it’ll also show you how to master pool chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting.
The 10 Best Features to Look For in a Robotic Pool Cleaner
1. Lightweight
While the size of a pool cleaner doesn’t matter, the weight does. Sure, the bigger the pool the bigger the robot, but you need to make sure you can lift it to get it in and out of the pool. If the pool cleaner is too heavy, you’ll have a hard time caring for it—and your pool—without a little help.
2. Wide Tires and Four Wheel Drive
No, you won’t be taking it off-roading. But a pool cleaner can’t do its job if it can’t get around your pool. We recommend four-wheel drive and wide tires made of rubber—not plastic—so the cleaner can easily get over bumps and won’t have any trouble navigating slippery surfaces along the sides and bottom of your pool.
3. Swivel Cord
Unfortunately, you can’t escape the need for cords with a pool cleaner. Because it’ll be moving around your pool and climbing vertical walls and even stairs, the cord can easily tangle, keeping the cleaner from moving. A swivel cord can help prevent tangles and give your robotic pool cleaner the freedom of movement it needs.
4. High-Quality Brushes
Removing the dirt and debris from your pool is hard work, and pool cleaners accomplish it with brushes. We recommend hard-bristle brushes or rotating rubber brushes that can scrub dirt from almost any surface in your pool.
5. Programmable Timer
The whole point of a pool cleaner is to make your life easier. If you have to go out and start it every time you want it to run, it takes away the automation and ease of use. The best cleaners come with programmable timers so you can set it and forget it. Just don’t forget to clean it out once in awhile. Even a cleaner needs to be cleaned!
6. Climbing Ability
Ideally, you want a robotic pool cleaner that’s good at climbing. The best ones can easily climb the sides of your pool, clean the waterline, and even climb your pool’s stairs (if you have them) to do a thorough job.
7. Deflecting Features and Sensors
One of the most frustrating things about robotic pool cleaners is that they can get stuck in corners from time to time. Some of them come with deflecting features that help prevent the robot from getting stuck in a corner or on other obstacles.
8. Efficient Pool Cleaning Cycles
Every pool cleaner has a different pool cleaning cycle, with some lasting longer than others. Ideally, you want one that can clean your pool as quickly and efficiently as possible while still doing a good job. Some cleaners come with multiple cycles for different levels of pool cleaning.
9. Durability
Pool cleaners can be expensive, so you’ll want one made from high-quality materials that will last. Eventually, you may have to repair it, but you shouldn’t need to do that for at least a few swimming seasons. Read your warranty before using your cleaner so you know what to do if it fails.
10. Energy Efficiency
The size of your pool cleaner will determine how much energy it uses. You can expect smaller cleaners to consume around 200 watts of power per hour. Larger units will use more, but try to avoid models that use more than 1,000 watts per hour as they’ll cost more to operate over time.
How to Use a Robotic Pool Vacuum
- After assembling your cleaner, plug it into a GFCI outlet.
- Select your preferred pool cleaning settings. These options will vary by model, but some common modes include Bottom Only and Waterline Only.
- Bring your robotic cleaner to the halfway point of your pool length to reduce cable tangling.
- Submerge the cleaner, gently shifting it from side to side, allowing all air to escape.
- Turn on your pool cleaner, and let it sink to the bottom of the pool. Important: Do not turn your cleaner on before submerging it as it can damage the machine. Also, remember to turn it off before removing it from the water.
- During its first wall-cleaning cycle, watch to be sure your cleaner is able to fully climb your pool walls. If not, you’ll need to make adjustments per the manufacturer’s suggestions.
- Always remove your cleaner after it’s finished working. Lift it from the pool, allowing all the water to drain out before storing it.
How Long Do Robotic Pool Cleaners Last?
Once you find the best pool cleaner for you, make sure to take good care of it. It’s the only way to avoid an eventual robot uprising. Oh, wait—different kind of robot.
But taking care of your machine will keep it running well so it can do its job for a good, long time. Always read any instructions that come with the device before you let it loose in your pool. At the very least, perform some general care to keep it functioning well.
- Take the cleaner out of your pool once its cycle is complete. It’ll help preserve the motor and make your pool a safer place to swim.
- Drain the cleaner of water according to manufacturer instructions.
- Wash your pool cleaner after every use. That means checking the brushes and wheels for debris as well as emptying and rinsing the filter.
- Keep an eye on the wear of your brushes, and replace them when they get worn down. Think of it as getting a new toothbrush for your swimming pool.
- Store your cleaner out of direct sunlight.
- If you notice the cord becomes kinked over time, wrap it in the opposite direction than you usually do when storing.
- Replace worn brushes promptly to ensure optimal cleaning power.
Caring for your cleaner doesn’t have to be hard. Some minor maintenance pales in comparison to the hours of cleaning it’ll save you.
Robotic Pool Cleaner Troubleshooting Tips
- Any type of issue: First check that it’s plugged in tightly, and that the power cord has no damage.
- If the cleaner gets stuck: Check the brushes, drive tracks, and impellers for lodged debris.
- If your machine doesn’t seem to be moving properly: Lift it partially out of the water to see whether the unit is sucking water as it should. If it’s not, you may need to have it professionally repaired (one of the few times in life you’ll need to fix something because it doesn’t suck).
Are Robotic Pool Cleaners Worth It?
Bottom Line: Yes! Robotic pool cleaners are 100% worth the investment. It’ll be the best money you ever spent on your swimming pool.
Any automatic swimming pool cleaner should be able to clean your pool within about three hours, depending on your pool’s size. Its performance can be affected significantly by routine maintenance, such as keeping filters clean and valve settings optimized.
Even if you check every element of your cleaner after every use, the time and work involved in keeping it in tip-top shape will be insignificant compared to the time you’re currently spending bent over your poolside, scrubbing with a brush.
The only thing you’ve got to lose by investing in an automatic pool cleaner is that pain in your back.
Happy Swimming!
The post The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners appeared first on Swim University®.
The best option for pool owners on a budget is a suction pool cleaner. This type of cleaner hooks up to your skimmer or dedicated suction line. It rolls around your pool cleaning up debris, sending it through your pool’s filtration system. It will pick up mostly medium debris, but some models can be set to pick up silt and small debris too.
You can usually buy a suction-side cleaner for somewhere between $100 and $400. While they cost a little less to own and operate, remember they rely on your pool filter to clean the water. This means you may find yourself spending a bit more time cleaning your filter.
NOTE: The following automatic suction-side pool cleaners are available to buy on either Amazon and InTheSwim.com. Check both sites for availability. All the links are affiliate links which means if you click a link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps us keep the lights on
The Best Suction Pool Cleaner for an Inground Pool: Kreepy Krauly
Kreepy Krauly Suction-Side Automatic Inground Pool Cleaner
It connects directly to your pool filter system and includes 32 ft. of hose. It’s powerful, balanced, and doesn’t have any hammering noises (common in other suction-side pool cleaners) for quiet operation.
The Kreepy Krauly is a well-known and highly respected automatic vacuum in the pool industry. Its unique cleaning function was invented by a South African hydraulics engineer named Ferdinand Chauvier. The first version of the cleaner was launched in 1976 and was an immediate success.
This modern automatic pool cleaner has a built-in navigation system that guides the unit throughout the entire pool – from the water line to the wall and to the bottom of the pool. And an automatic valve regulates water flow control the travel speed for thorough cleaning.
It’ll even clean around steps and ladders. And the wings help grab leaves, dirt, and large debris.
The Best Suction Pool Cleaner for an Above Ground Pool: Kreepy Krauly
Pentair Kreepy Krauly E-Z Vac Suction-Side Above Ground Pool Cleaner
This Kreepy Krauly pool vacuum attaches directly to your pool skimmer line and is powered by your pool’s pump, using an internal free skimming valve to automatically regulate water flow, ensuring the unit is cleaning at the proper speed.
The Kreep Krauly E-Z Vac is the little brother and more affordable version for above ground and some Intex pools. It works exactly the same way as in the inground version.
It has only moving part (the flapper). No wheels or gears to fix over time. And it has the same valve to automatically regulate water flow to control speed for a more thorough, but random cleaning pattern.
And while there are a lot of brands to choose from including Hayward and Zodiac, we feel that the Pentair cleaners will be the best bang for your buck!
How Do Suction Pool Cleaners Work?
An automatic suction pool cleaner works the same way as your manual vacuum. It connects to your skimmer to create a siphon that sucks up dirt and large debris from the bottom of your swimming pool.
The cleaner moves on its own randomly around the pool. This is possible because it has a device that creates a start-and-stop pulsing effect which helps the cleaner to move.
Dirt and large debris are sucked up through the cleaner and into the hose which is connected to your skimmer.
What is the Difference Between a Suction and Pressure Pool Cleaner?
Pressure-Side Pool Cleaners attach to the return jet instead of the skimmer. So it uses the water flow coming from your filter system to power the cleaner.
They have a lot of moving parts including a drive belt, wheels, and a net to catch debris. It’s a self-contained cleaning unit and keeps the debris in a filter bag and doesn’t use your filter to clean. It only uses the clean water pressure from your pump.
Pressure-side cleaner tends to be a bit more expensive (especially if you need to add a booster pump) and can break more often because of all the moving parts. However, they’re better because they don’t require your filter to collect debris.
The best of both worlds is a robotic pool cleaner that runs completely independent of your filter system, uses suction instead of pressure, and collects all the dirt and debris into its own filter bag located inside the cleaner.
Buying Guide: What We Looked For In A Suction-Side Pool Cleaner
We put lots of automatic suction pool cleaners to the test over the years. And we’ve read thousands of customer reviews. Ultimately, we narrowed down our top picks to these key features.
Wall Climbing Ability
This was a must-have feature, especially for fiberglass, vinyl, and concrete inground swimming pools. With the price of a suction side cleaner being as high as even a robotic pool cleaner, this was important to nail down at this price range. We ruled out all cleaners that struggled with this.
Suction Power
Suction cleaners function identically to your manual vacuum. And with a manual pool vacuum, you have control over getting large debris at the bottom of your pool. So we made sure our top picks had this ability.
How Long Is The Hose And Can It Be Extended?
Another important feature for both inground and above ground pools so that our top picks would work for everyone. Even if the hose that comes with the cleaner isn’t long enough, we wanted to make sure you could easily add extensions. This also makes it easier to store.
Very Few Moving Parts
We tested a bunch of cleaners with a lot of moving parts. And even though they worked fine, they didn’t pass this test. Suction-side cleaners should be simple. And the simpler they are, the easier they are to fix and maintain.
Durability and Build
You don’t wanna spend upwards of $400 for an automatic pool cleaner just to have it break all the time. And besides the important factor of few moving parts, we looked for cleaners that we felt were made well and durable. Our goal is to recommend cleaners that will stand the test of time and hold up in even the harshest conditions.
How Do You Connect a Suction Pool Vacuum?
The setup comprises several steps, but once you’ve done it a few times, it’ll become second nature.
- Turn off your pump.
- Vacuum your pool, then clean your filter and pump basket.
- Run your pump for five minutes to clear the lines after cleaning, then shut it off again.
- Close your pool main drain line.
- Aim the return lines downward.
- Install the wall fitting to your return line or valve assembly inside the skimmer suction port.
- Lay the hose across your pool from the return line or skimmer to the farthest pool wall. Trim or remove sections of the hose to eliminate excess length.
- Attach the leader hose to the pool cleaner end of the hose.
- Submerge the hose, allowing it to fill with water.
- Submerge your automatic pool cleaner, so it will also fill with water.
- If your model has a flow regulator valve, install it on the hose now.
- Attach the leader hose to your pool cleaner.
- Allow your cleaner to sink to the pool floor, then turn on your pool pump and let your suction-side cleaner get to work.
Once your suction-side cleaner is hooked up to your skimmer, the power of the water being sucked through it will help it amble around your pool floor. Some suction-side cleaners will also climb walls, and some have wheels, while others have rubber disks that lay flat against your pool floor.
You can use your cleaner daily if you wish, but you’ll at least need to use it several times a week to keep your pool clean.
Suction-Side Pool Cleaner Maintenance
In addition to their bargain prices, the simple construction of suction-side cleaners makes them easy to care for.
- Empty your filter canister frequently, as it fills with debris from the vacuum.
- Some suction-side cleaners have in-line canisters to trap larger debris before it fills up your filter canister. If yours has one, be sure to empty it often as well.
- Check all inlets, brushes, and wheels for trapped debris after every use. Remove anything you find junking up the works. In some models, this will mean opening the body to access the engine, but don’t worry. It’s not like a car engine, just some little paddles that help suck up debris.
- Check and replace cleaning parts on your suction-side cleaner as needed. Depending on the design of your model, this could mean brushes, foot pads, and filters.
- Always store your pool cleaner hoses flat so they don’t develop kinks.
Note: Due to wide variations in design of suction-side cleaners, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the parts diagram and maintenance recommendations in your manual.
Suction Pool Vacuum Troubleshooting Tips
Something not quite right with your cleaner? You should be able to fix most issues on your own.
- The cleaner isn’t sitting on the pool floor correctly: Check the pressure. Hold your cleaner just below the pool surface with pump running. Depending on the model, you’ll either count wheel rotations or use a flow gauge. Adjust pressure if necessary per your pool cleaner’s specifications.
- The hose becomes kinked: Lay the hose in the sun for a day, or flush it with hot water to soften the plastic. Once it’s lying flat, store it flat so it doesn’t develop kinks again.
Storing an Automatic Swimming Pool Cleaner
When you close your pool, winter storage is a breeze. Disassemble all hoses and connectors. Drain all the water from the cleaner and hoses, then lay the hoses flat.
If you have a disc cleaner, lay the disc flat, too. Store the hoses and the cleaner out of direct sunlight.
Lifetime Extra Large Deck Storage Box
Perfect for storing pool maintenance equipment like cleaners, nets, brushes, hoses, and more. Also great protecting your pool gear from the sun and critters all year long.
Are Suction Pool Cleaners Any Good?
Like we said at the beginning, they’re the best automatic pool cleaner for anyone on a budget. While they have their drawbacks, using a suction side pool cleaner is better than not having an automatic pool cleaner at all.
Bottom line: we highly recommend investing in an automatic pool cleaner. And if you’re looking just to get started or have a tight budget to work with, we think you’ll be happy with our top picks for suction side pool cleaners for inground and above ground swimming pools.
Happy Swimming!
The post The Best Suction Pool Cleaner appeared first on Swim University®.
Pressure-side cleaners are available across a wide price range, with most models usually falling between $200 and $900.
NOTE: The following automatic pressure-side pool cleaners are available to buy on either Amazon and InTheSwim.com. Check both sites for availability. All the links are affiliate links which means if you click a link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps us keep the lights on
The Best Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner for an Inground Pool: Polaris 360
Polaris Vac-Sweep 360 Pressure Side Inground Pool Cleaner
The Polaris 360 automatic pool cleaner improves water circulation and helps mix chemicals and heat while it cleans the bottom and walls of your pool. It’s powerful enough to pick up larger items like leaves and pebbles, catching the debris in its own filter bag.
Polaris Cleaners are a trusted brand in the pool industry. And the Polaris 360 is the gold standard in pressure-side automatic cleaners. We chose this one specifically because it DOES NOT require a booster pump and perfect for all inground pools of any size and shape.
The Polaris 360 includes three jets to create the water vortex that vacuums up medium and large debris (see diagram below). It comes with a 31-foot hose and single chamber filter bag. Plus a backup valve that automatically frees the pool cleaner if it gets cornered so it keeps cleaning without interruption.
The Best Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner for an Above Ground Pool: Polaris 65
Polaris Vac-Sweep 65 Pressure Side Pool Cleaner for Above Ground Pools
Connects to the pressure side of your pool and uses a patented jet sweep assembly to loosen and remove dirt and other particles from hard-to-reach places. It also has a trailing all-purpose debris bag that scoops up some of the larger items that are blasted loose from the pool floor.
Again, Polaris tops our list for above ground pools. The Polaris 65 is the most unique cleaner on the market. This simple floating spaceship design moves back and forth across the surface of your pool. Then, using water pressure, it has a long 6-foot hose attached to a filter bag that descends to the bottom of your pool sweeping medium and large debris.
You’ll be surprised by how well and fast this cleaner works. And it has very few moving parts, so it’s easy to fix and maintenance when needed — which is rare.
How Do Pressure Pool Cleaners Work?
Pressure-side pool cleaners hook up to a return jet in your pool and use water pressure from the filter system to propel itself through your pool and vacuum using a water vortex.
Pressure-side pool cleaners have wheels, a filter bag, a sweep hose, and a return-jet hose. They’re great at picking up medium and large debris.
The cleaner moves on its own randomly around the pool. If it gets stuck anywhere, most come with a backup valve. The valve kicks on every so often, stopping water flow to the cleaner and instead, blasting all the water through a tiny jet on the side of the valve. This produces a burst of force that shoves the cleaner to a new location so you can get on with your life and not worry about whether your pool cleaner is doing its job.
What’s the Difference Between Pressure-Side and Suction-Side Pool Cleaners?
Suction-Side Pool Cleaners attach to the skimmer. And it uses the suction power of your filter system to move the cleaner and pick up debris from your pool.
Pressure-Side Pool Cleaners attach to the return jet. They use the water pressure from your filter system to power the cleaner and create a water vortex to pull debris into its own filter bag.
A robotic pool cleaner is the best of both cleaners. They clean your pool without the use of your filter system. They use suction instead of pressure and collect dirt and debris in its own filter bag inside.
Buying Guide: 5 Key Features We Looked For In A Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner
We put lots of automatic pressure pool cleaners to the test over the years. And we’ve read thousands of customer reviews. Ultimately, we narrowed down our top picks to these features.
1. Wall Climbing Ability
This was a must-have feature for fiberglass, vinyl, and concrete inground swimming pools. We even noted if it climbed and cleaned stairs.
2. Does It Require A Booster Pump?
Some pools won’t have quite enough water pressure to run certain pressure-side cleaners. If you choose a cleaner that needs a lot of oomph, you may also need a booster pump that hooks into your pool’s filter system boosts the water pressure.
Note: If you must use a booster pump, we recommend having a professional install it. It’s a little more complicated than just the pool cleaner.
3. Does It Have a Backup Valve?
Many pressure-side automatic pool cleaners have this simple-looking little doodad that helps redirect your pool cleaner so it will clean the entirety of your pool, rather than spend a few hours stuck by your stairs.
4. How Long Is The Hose And Can It Be Extended?
Another important feature for both inground and above ground pools so that our top picks would work for everyone. Even if the hose that comes with the cleaner isn’t long enough, we wanted to make sure you could easily add extensions. This also makes it easier to store.
5. Durability and Build
You don’t wanna invest in an automatic pool cleaner just to have it break constantly. We looked for cleaners that we felt were made well and durable. Our goal is to recommend cleaners that will stand the test of time and hold up in even the harshest conditions.
Plus, many local pool dealers have the ability to repair Polaris pool cleaners since they’re so popular. You won’t have trouble finding any parts to keep your cleaner for a very long time.
How to Install and Use a Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner
Once installed, your pool pump pushes water through a hose to jets located underneath the pool cleaner and along with the sweep hose. These concentrated streams of water work to move the cleaner along while also loosening debris and pushing it up into the filter bag. Fine particles will flow through the filter bag and get cleaned out in the pool filtration system.
This process is very similar to the installation and use of a suction-side cleaner, just opposite in some ways as it works at the end of the circulation cycle rather than the beginning.
- Clean your pool filter.
- Flush your return line by turning your pump on for five minutes, then back off again.
- Install a universal wall fitting into your dedicated return line or a return jet.
- Trim the leader hose so its length equals the deepest part of your pool.
- Screw the leader hose into the wall fitting. Note: The leader hose is installed on the opposite end from suction-side pool cleaner installation.
- Attach the leader hose to the feed hose.
- Extend the feed hose across the pool surface to the farthest pool edge from the return line. If it extends far past the pool edge, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for trimming the hose. Typically, you’ll cut equal amounts from each section when making adjustments.
- Ensure all feed hose floats are evenly spaced.
- Connect the feed hose to the pool cleaner.
- Secure the filter bag per the instructions for your model.
- Prime your pool pump. If you’re using a booster pump, turn it on next.
Important: Measure rotations per minute (RPMs) of the cleaner’s wheels to ensure they’re within the range recommended for your model. If your pressure-side pool cleaner’s wheels rotate too slowly, the cleaner won’t get around the pool well. If they’re rotating too quickly, the cleaner will lift off the floor, and won’t be able to vacuum properly. Ideal RPMs vary by model, so consult your manual before continuing.
- Using a marker, put a small line on one tire.
- Turn the cleaner on, and submerge it just below the pool surface.
- Set a timer for one minute.
- Count one tire rotation each time your mark passes the starting point.
- When the minute is up, compare the RPMs you counted to the manual to ensure the total falls somewhere within the recommended range.
- If it doesn’t, adjust as necessary, and repeat the test until you achieve a good number of RPMs.
Now your pressure-side cleaner is ready to roll! Use it at least twice a week, or as often as needed.
How to Maintain a Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner
Though they save you a lot of manual labor, you’ll still need to take a few practical steps to ensure your pool cleaner lives a full life. Keeping it clean is pretty simple, and routine maintenance will keep your pressure-side pool cleaner operating at peak performance.
- Carefully remove the filter bag, and allow it to dry out of direct sunlight. Once the debris inside has fully dried, you can easily dump it out.
- If the filter bag looks clogged up, give it a good spray with a hose before reattaching it to the pool cleaner. Tip: Alternate between two bags for hassle-free cleaning.
- Open the filter assembly. Remove the in-line filter, and wash it out with water.
- Secure the filter back inside the assembly.
- Check your sweep hose for debris, and hose it down when necessary.
- Clear the openings on the end of your sweep hose and in the body of the cleaner as needed. It’s a good idea to check these areas after each use.
- Ensure snug hose connections by gently hand tightening, if possible. Avoid over-tightening, which can strip the connectors.
Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner Troubleshooting Tips
Every once in a while, your pool cleaner may not work exactly the way it’s supposed to. You can fix most problems pretty easily.
- RPMs are outside the optimal range: Make adjustments per the manufacturer’s specifications. This may involve removing or adding flow restrictors, adjusting the in-line flow, cleaning your in-line filter, or cleaning your pool filter system components.
- The pool cleaner isn’t getting around the pool the way it should: Most models let you adjust the thrust jet to add or remove some power.
- The pool cleaner is spraying water outside your pool, or moving too rapidly: Adjust your sweep hose per your model’s specifications. The sweep hose should gently swish back and forth behind your pool cleaner, not flail wildly like a tube man.
- The backup valve isn’t working properly: Lift the cleaner out of the water. Wait to see if water sprays out of the valve every few minutes. If it doesn’t, you may need to replace the valve, or have your cleaner professionally serviced.
Storing a Pressure-Side Pool Cleaner
Closing your pool for the winter? Rinse the cleaner off, clean the filter and filter bag, then allow everything to dry. Store the pool cleaner and all its parts and accessories out of direct sunlight.
Lifetime Extra Large Deck Storage Box
Perfect for storing pool maintenance equipment like cleaners, nets, brushes, hoses, and more. Also great protecting your pool gear from the sun and critters all year long.
Are Pressure-Side Pool Cleaners Any Good?
Bottom line: we highly recommend investing in an automatic pool cleaner. And if you’re not ready to invest in a robotic pool cleaner, a pressure pool cleaner is your next best option. You’ll be happy with our top picks for inground and above ground swimming pools.
Happy Swimming!
The post The Best Pressure Side Pool Cleaner appeared first on Swim University®.
Your filter is one of the main components in keeping your pool clean, so it also needs to be kept clean. But maybe you’re new to pool maintenance. Or maybe you just got a new type of filter. Whatever the case, knowing how to clean a pool filter is an essential part of owning a pool.
But as long as you have the right equipment, enough time, and the desire to swim in a clean, clear pool (and who doesn’t want that?!), cleaning your pool filter will be a snap.
How to Clean a Pool Filter Depends on the Filter
Depending on the type of pool filter you have—cartridge, sand, or diatomaceous earth (D.E.)—the proper cleaning method will vary.
Just make sure you have the proper equipment on hand for your type of filter, and then set aside some time to make sure it’s done properly. A dirty filter makes for a dirty pool.
How to Clean a Cartridge Pool Filter
This is an easy type of filter to clean. That’s because with a cartridge filter, you can most often simply pull out the cartridge, clean it, and replace it.
Still, you’ll need to follow a few (OK, maybe more than a few) steps to make sure it’s done right. You’ll also need some equipment.
What You Need
- Garden hose
- Spray nozzle
- Filter cleaner
- 5-gallon bucket, if needed
- O-ring Lubricant
- Replacement O-Ring, if needed
- Replacement filter cartridge, if needed
- Owner’s manual, just in case
Once you have all the supplies you’ll need, set aside some time to clean the pool filter. The process may even extend overnight, depending on how dirty the cartridge is.
- Turn off the pool pump and the filter system.
- Remove air from the system. Turn the air relief valve (usually located on top of the filter) slowly to remove any excess air from the system.
- Remove the clamps (or other latching mechanisms) holding the filter together. If you’re unsure how to open it, check the owner’s manual.
- Remove the top of the filter.
- Slowly and carefully remove the cartridge and set it aside. Inspect it for damage and wear. If you find any cracks or tears, or it’s past the point where cleaning will be effective, it’s time to replace the cartridge.
- Clean the cartridge: Use a spray nozzle on your garden hose to spray down the cartridge, making sure to get between the pleats. If the cartridge is really dirty, use a filter cleaner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If the cartridge is really dirty, soak the cartridge in filter cleaner overnight. Use a 5-gallon bucket, and make sure the cartridge is completely covered with the water and cleaner mixture.
- Check the O-ring on the filter tank. If it’s in good shape, lightly apply some lubricant to keep it that way. If it’s dry-rotted or appears worn out, replace it.
- Rinse the cartridge thoroughly.
- Return the cartridge to the filter, and secure it in place.
- Replace the filter top and close the clamps.
- Turn the system back on, and open the air relief valve to release any excess air in the system. Keep the valve open until a steady stream of water sprays from it.
- Check the system pressure to be sure it’s in normal range. If the pounds per square inch (PSI) is off, you may have put the filter back together incorrectly, or something else may be wrong with the system. Troubleshoot the pool filter to identify and correct the problem.
How to Clean a Sand Pool Filter
This is a little more involved, but don’t let cleaning a sand filter intimidate you to the point where you don’t do it as often as you should. It’ll only make the task more difficult when you do get around to it.
You have two options here. You can backwash the sand filter, which you’ll need to do whenever it reaches 10 psi over the normal operating level. It may also be time to clean the filter if you start to notice cloudy pool water.
But at least once a year, you need to chemically clean your sand filter. To do this, you’ll need a couple of supplies.
What You Need
- Backwash hose
- Sand filter cleaner
- Owner’s manual, just in case
In The Swim Liquid Pool Sand Filter Cleaner – 1 qt.
If you thought cleaning a cartridge filter was easy, just wait until you clean a sand filter!
- Backwash the filter for 3 to 5 minutes to remove debris.
- Turn off the pump, and turn the valve to Filter.
- Remove the pump’s strainer lid.
- Pour sand filter cleaner into the strainer basket, and replace the lid.
- Turn the pump on for about 15 seconds, just long enough to transfer the cleaner from the pump to the filter.
- Turn off the pump, and leave it off for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Backwash the filter for 3 to 5 minutes again to remove dirt and debris dislodged by the filter cleaner.
- Turn the filter system back on.
If you don’t already have a sand filter, you may want to consider investing in one. The time you’ll save in cleaning is time you can spend enjoying your pool.
How to Clean a D.E. Pool Filter
This combines the processes of cleaning a cartridge filter and a sand filter. You can chemically clean a D.E. filter, almost like you would a cartridge.
Or you can backwash a D.E. filter, and just like the sand filter, it’s time to do that when the filter’s gauge reads 10 psi above the normal operating level. Cloudy water can also be an indicator that the filter needs a good cleaning. Aside from those indicators, it’s a good idea to clean your D.E. filter at least once a month.
What You Need
- Backwash hose
- Garden hose
- D.E. filter cleaner
- O-ring Lubricant
- 5-gallon bucket
- Diatomaceous earth powder
- Muriatic acid (optional)
- Safety goggles (if using muriatic acid)
- Acid-resistant gloves (if using muriatic acid)
- Owner’s manual, just in case
Cleaning with D.E. Filter Cleaner
This is the quicker, easier, and less dangerous cleaning method.
- Backwash the filter for 3 to 5 minutes to remove debris.
- Turn the pump off.
- Open the air relief valve.
- Remove the drain plug, and let the water drain out of the filter tank.
- Remove the clamps (or other latching mechanisms) holding the filter together. If you’re unsure how to open it, check the owner’s manual.
- Open the filter tank.
- Remove the filter manifold, and take out all the grids.
- Rinse out the tank with the garden hose.
- Clean the manifold: Use a spray nozzle on your garden hose to spray down the manifold, making sure to thoroughly flush the grids of all debris. If the manifold is really dirty, use a D.E. filter cleaner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If the manifold is really dirty, you may want to soak it overnight in a muriatic acid solution.
- Use a garden hose to rinse the filter grids, flushing out all debris, including the D.E. powder.
- Place the grids back into the filter tank.
Cleaning with Muriatic Acid
We recommend using this method if your filter is so filthy that regular filter cleaner isn’t enough. And if you use this method, do so sparingly. Once a year is plenty.
Important: The acid in muriatic acid is exactly that. It’s caustic, and can cause injury if you’re not careful. Take all the precautions necessary to protect yourself, and anyone else who may be around while you’re cleaning your filter.
- Backwash the filter for 3 to 5 minutes to remove debris.
- Turn the pump off.
- Open the air relief valve.
- Remove the drain plug, and let the water drain out of the filter tank.
- Remove the clamps (or other latching mechanisms) holding the filter together. If you’re unsure how to open it, check the owner’s manual.
- Open the filter tank.
- Remove the filter manifold, and take out all the grids.
- Rinse out the tank with the garden hose.
- Clean the manifold: Use a spray nozzle on your garden hose to spray down the manifold, making sure to thoroughly flush the grids of all debris. Put on the safety goggles and acid-resistant gloves. We also recommend you wear long sleeves, pants, and closed shoes. Dilute the muriatic acid with water in a 5-gallon bucket. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution. Place the manifold in the bucket, ensuring it’s completely covered with the diluted solution. Allow it to soak overnight.
- Use a garden hose to rinse the filter grids, flushing out all debris, including the D.E. powder.
- Place the grids back into the filter tank.
- Run the pool pump for at least 30 minutes to allow the D.E. to distribute evenly over the filter grids.
How to Add D.E. Powder to The Filter
- Refer to your filter owner’s manual to determine how much D.E. powder you’ll need to add.
- Prime the pool pump.
- Remove the strainer basket lid.
- Fill the basket with water, and allow some water to run through the incoming line.
- Lubricate the O-ring inside the tank.
- Replace the filter lid, and tighten the clamps or bolts to secure it.
- Open the air relief valve to release excess air from the filter tank.
- Turn on the pool pump.
- Close the air relief valve when water starts coming out.
- Mix the appropriate amount of D.E powder with enough water to make a slurry, which is a thin, creamy solution.
- Make sure the pump is running.
- Pour the slurry directly into the pool skimmer.
- Run the pool pump for at least 30 minutes to allow the D.E. to distribute evenly over the filter grids.
If you’ve been wondering how to clean a pool filter, wonder no more! Keep the supplies on hand so you’re always ready to clean the filter the minute you notice it’s not working as well as it should.
And more than having clean pool water, keeping your filter clean will also help it run longer and more efficiently, saving you money, energy, and time. The longer you keep your filter in good working condition, the longer you can wait to replace it, and the more you can focus on enjoying your pool.
Happy Swimming!
The post How to Clean a Pool Filter (Sand, Cartridge, D.E.) appeared first on Swim University®.
