Avoid Clogged Plumbing in Inground Swimming Pools

One pool problem worth avoiding is a clogged plumbing line. It is a fairly common occurrence in residential swimming pools, especially when the surrounding environment includes many trees and bushes. All it takes is one big rain or wind storm that overloads the pool with debris, and if the proper precautions aren't taken, a plumbing line can quickly get clogged with sticks, leaves, and other debris. Once this happens it can be a major headache to unclog the line. Following are some common sense tips to avoiding this problem.

Keep Debris Out of the Pool - of course the best defense to avoid a clogged pool plumbing line is to design the landscape that surrounds the pool with that in mind. Avoid large trees and bushes hanging over the pool and large landscape material such as bark and rocks that may get sucked up by a pool cleaner. With a clean landscape designed specifically for a pool, less debris will end up in the pool reducing the chances of a clogged line.

Weight in the Skimmer Basket - when the pool equipment turns off, if the pool skimmer basket does not have any weight to keep it down, it may end up floating and sometimes they will get turned upside down or get wedged in the skimmer in such a way that when the pool equipment turns back on debris can get by and enter the plumbing below. To avoid this problem, simply keep a medium sized rock or weight of some kind in the skimmer basket to keep it weighted down. Make sure the rock or weight is larger than the plumbing line below so if the basket cracks the rock doesn't end up stuck in the plumbing line.

Heavy Duty Skimmer Baskets - better than keeping a rock in the skimmer basket, invest in a heavy duty skimmer basket. They are well worth the additional cost and will last for many years without cracking or floating.

Keep Skimmer Basket Clean - during the transition seasons when the trees are blooming or shedding and the weather is more stormy, make it a habit of cleaning the skimmer basket often to avoid it getting clogged with debris. An overloaded basket can easily crack releasing the leaves, sticks, and other debris into the plumbing line.

Use a Pool Cleaner Leaf Canister - if your pool uses a suction pool cleaner such as the Hayward Navigator or the Kreepy Krauly that cleans up the pool by vacuuming debris from the bottom of the pool, a pool cleaner leaf canister is a must. Without a leaf canister, if the pool cleaner sucks up large debris of any kind it can potentially clog up the plumbing line between the cleaner and the pool pump.

All it takes is one large piece of debris getting in the plumbing line and getting lodged at a 90 degree elbow, and quickly or over time other debris will start building up in that area until the line is clogged and the water flow slows down significantly or stops completely. Be sure to follow the above tips to avoid the time consuming and potentially costly pool problem of a clogged plumbing line.

 

 

More Articles on Pool Troubleshooting