The stronger the pool filter’s suction power, the better the cleaning efficiency. If you find it too weak, here’s how to increase suction in pool skimmer.
The vacuum of a pool’s filter is important because it determines how strong the filter is able to suck in the water and filter out the dirt. That’s why a lot of pool owners put a high emphasis on suction power. If the vacuum of your pool skimmer is too weak, then you won’t be able to take in all of the dirt in your pool.
Thankfully, there are ways on how to increase suction in pool skimmer if you find it too weak. With the steps on how to adjust pool skimmer suction below, you’ll be able to know how to strengthen the power if it’s not high enough and at the same time weaken it if you deem it too much.
With that said, take a look at our guide below:
Contents
What Causes Low Suction On Pool Skimmer?
Before we go to the tips on how to increase pool pump pressure, it’s important to know the main reasons as to why the pool pump pressure weakens. That way, you can pinpoint exactly where the problem lies.
Here are the 2 main reasons to take note of:
Clogging In The Pump
The first reason is clogging in the pump area. After a period of time taking dirt in, there will usually be a buildup of debris somewhere in the suction area. The clogging is either in the impeller, pump basket, pipe, or the valve. You need to determine where the clog is to know what you have to do.
Issues With The Skimmer Valve
If there is no clogging in the suction and pump area, then the problem may lie in the skimmer valve. There is a chance of clogging in this area or possible damage in the skimmer line. Check if this area has any clogs or if the skimmer valve needs to be opened.
How To Increase Suction In Pool Skimmer
Now that we’ve gone through the possible causes of weak suction, let’s go on to the solutions. We’ve got a couple of solutions that you can use in order to troubleshoot your suction power.
Let’s take a look at them below:
Clean Out The Impeller
The first thing that you may want to check is the pump impeller. Over the course of cleaning your pool, debris may get stuck inside. To check the impeller, you need to turn off the pump, take off the lid and remove the pump basket.
You’ll see a small hole there that leads to the impeller. You can use a screwdriver to check if it turns easily and if debris falls out. If you happen to find a lot of debris there, you can use an air compressor to blow the dirt through the skimmer and into the debris bag.
Check The Piping
If the problem is not in the impeller, then there is a big chance that it is piping that’s clogged. Again, use an air compressor and a nozzle to force the dirt out of the pipe. This should bring the suction back to its normal strength.
Diagnose The Skimmer Valve
These two solutions are usually done if you see that the pressure is irregular. If the pressure level is quite normal but the skimmer suction is weak, then the valve may be the problem.
You need to check if the skimmer valve is fully open. If not, there may be a clog somewhere in the skimmer line. Just like with our last solution, you need to clean out the skimmer line to get the debris out.
Once all of the thick dirt is flushed out, the suction power should return to regular strength.
Conclusion
Now, there are a few more other ways to troubleshoot and repair low suction power in pool skimmers, but these are by far the most common solutions. Out of all the problems that pool owners encounter, these three tips seem to be the most useful. As long as you try these tips on how to increase suction in pool skimmer, you should be able to get your pool suction back to its full strength.
So, if you believe that your pool skimmer’s suction power is weaker than it usually is, whip out this guide and try out some of the fixes that we’ve mentioned above. One of them is sure to work.
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