Written by Lisa Hallett Taylor and published on https://www.thespruce.com/
The last thing I ever want to do is handle yard and swimming pool maintenance. So the best solution would be to minimize the amount of time I have to spend doing the maintenance job, especially during the hot summer month. No one wants to be sweaty cleaning their pool instead of taking a dip in it. This is where a pool skimmer comes into play.
A pool does need a skimmer, but it is not a necessity. However, the benefits of having a pool skimmer are too significant to ignore. It prevents debris from being sucked into your pool water pipes, which may end up clogging them. This will require hiring a professional to clear them, making it an expensive affair. It also makes cleaning the pool much easier.
Why You Need a Pool Skimmer for Cleaning Your Swimming Pool or Spa
Swimming Pool Parts and Maintenance
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/swimming-pool-skimmer-1017636468-04461c18969d475fb99c1a9fe8173424.jpg)
Think of a pool skimmer in a residential swimming pool like you would a gutter in a larger public swimming pool: it helps to clean by skimming water and capturing floating debris such as leaves, flower petals, dirt, twigs, dead insects, and oil (sunblock)―before the waste can sink to the pool’s bottom.
What Is a Pool Skimmer?
Pool skimmer are filters that capture floating debris before it can sink to the bottom of the pool.
Most skimmers on in-ground pools are built into its upper sides, where the suction draws debris and traps it. Most pool skimmers are accessed via the pool deck area through a trap door or hatch. The skimmer is also in a convenient location to attach a suction line for a pool vacuum.
Skimmers for In-Ground Pools
A surface skimmer is typically made of plastic (or PVC) or precast concrete and has a tank with a projecting throat on its upper side. The skimming action is performed by the weir, which regulates the amount of water entering the skimmer. Since the weird adjusts to permit only a thin layer of water to spill over, water is pulled off the surface quickly―keeping a large part of the pool surface clear.
One skimmer that is positioned in a good location can keep about 500 square feet of its surface clean. If the debris gathered by the skimmer is left to accumulate, it can put additional strain on the pump. For this reason, among others, the skimmer basket should be cleaned out daily during swim season.
A skimmer must be installed with an equalizer line, which is a pipe that connects from the bottom of the skimmer basket through the pool wall and into the water. The equalizer helps to prevent air from being sucked into the system if evaporation causes the water level to drop below the weir level. Make sure air doesn’t enter the system―it could cause the pump to stall.
Many pool skimmers come equipped with automatic water level controls and automatic chlorinators.
Robotic Pool Skimmers
In recent years, floating and robotic pool skimmers have entered the market and offer an alternative to a stationary model. Operated by batteries or solar power, these automatic skimmers float on the surface of a pool, collecting debris as it moves through the pool. Devotees of products such as the Solar Breeze NX claim it cuts down on time and work, especially in areas prone to winds carrying leaves and debris into the pool or regions with lots of insects. It can also lower the cost of energy bills, as it is designed to work independently of the pool pump.
Other automatic skimmers, such as the whirlpool-like the SkimmerMotion, is designed to connect to an automatic pool cleaner (vacuum), then collects surface debris as it floats through the pool. Debris is sent to the pool’s filtration system.
Above-Ground Skimmers
Because above-ground pools have thin walls, floating pool skimmers are most often used, as are units that hang on the pool’s edge. To keep skimmers for above- and in-ground pools working properly, try to clean out the skimmer basket daily during swim season.
Skimmers for Spas and Hot Tubs
Skimmers for redwood hot tubs usually have no basket; instead, they skim the surface and pull debris to a plastic screen. Some portable spas have skimmers with built-in cartridge filters.
Should You Add Chlorine Tabs to a Pool Skimmer?
While some pool owners claim that placing those chlorine tablets―known as hockey or chlorine pucks―right in the skimmer basket cuts down on time, many pros advised against this. The high concentration of acid can break down parts of the filter, possibly causing a need for more frequent replacement.
Original post here https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-a-pool-skimmer-used-for-2736857/.
