Checking your skimmer basket may be one of the most important ways to protect your pool.
Our first Summer 2023 blog is about the importance of maintaining the proper water level in your pool. One of the key systems that water level drives is your pool’s filtration system.
Let’s focus on how easy and important it is to help keep your filtration system working efficiently. One of the easiest ways is by frequently checking and emptying your skimmer baskets of any debris.
Here’s how:
Check your pool’s skimmer baskets every few days
Skimmer baskets are designed to capture anything that might otherwise clog or impede your filtration system. That can be bugs, leaves, flowers, plastic wrappers – anything that might otherwise lead to costly filtration system repairs.
OK, how do I check it?
Good question; easy answer!
TIP: First, make sure there aren’t a lot of leaves or other debris floating in the pool just outside the filter/skimmer basket inlet. You don’t want anything to get sucked into the filtration system while you are removing and emptying the skimmer basket.
- Your skimmer baskets are typically accessed by a covering in the deck of your pool. Remove the cover and you’ll see the skimmer basket below in the water.
- A polite note of caution: there may be bugs, toads, or other potentially undesirable and/or harmful “critters” that sometimes find themselves into the skimmer basket. Use caution or perhaps even protective gloves accordingly.
- If you see any debris in the basket, simply lift it out and empty it. If it’s already empty, no problem. Always good to make sure!
- Replace the skimmer basket after emptying.
IMPORTANT: make sure the skimmer basket sinks all the way to the bottom of space that has been provided for it. Sometimes all it needs is a gentle push. If the skimmer basket floats up out of the enclosure, perhaps a small weight – even a stone – may be necessary. You don’t want any debris escaping past the basket and into the filtration system.
THAT’S IT…THAT’S REALLY ALL IT TAKES FROM YOU!!!
OK…why is an empty skimmer basket so important?
Skimmer baskets prevent debris from flowing directly into. The filtration system. Keeping the skimmer basket empty helps ensure that debris-free water flows efficiently into the filtration system. This helps the filtration system run as smoothly and cost-effectively as possible.
What happens if I don’t keep the skimmer basket(s) free?
A number of things can happen – from making it more difficult to keep the pool clean to ultimately affecting the proper, efficient operation of your pool’s filtration system:
* It’s your pool’s first automated defense against, debris, etc., getting sucked into the filtration system. Poor maintenance of your skimmer baskets can lead to premature breakdown and costly repairs.
* Together with proper water level (see the related blog post), it is the key to properly circulating water throughout other pool systems like heating, chemical balance, etc.
What happens if a skimmer basket is missing, cracked or broken, etc.?
* If your skimmer basket is missing or damaged, we’d suggest you give us a call immediately to get a replacement. We strongly recommend you avoid the headaches that can follow if any major debris finds its way into your filtration system.
