Suddenly you realize that your pool is not working properly, and that the state of the water is not the usual, there is much more dirt. What’s going on?The elements that make up the hydraulic installation of a swimming pool must work properly so that they can perform their water circulation and filtration tasks.
Filtering is the most important water process so that then your pool looks clean, transparent and appetizing to give you a bath. So if there is any fault or break in any of these parts this will not be fulfilled and will need to be analyzed and fixed.
So, if you see that the water is dirty, that it is not translucent and has microparticles that there should not be, quite possibly the pool skimmer has stopped doing its functions properly for some right, right.
In today’s article we want you to know what the pool skimmer is, what its tasks are, and how you need to repair it if you see that it is not working properly.
What is skimmer?
Well, it’s the primary element for the filtration of your pool’s water.It is usually located in the top of the pool, on the opposite side of the area where are found propulsion nozzles of the pool.I’m sure we’ve all seen those little little features at the top of the wall, for that element is the skimmer.This tool is located next to the filter, sink, suction pump, etc.
What are the functions of the skimmer?
The vital function of the skimmer is to prevent dirt from the outside, plants, insects or the like, from accumulating at the bottom of your pool,so that it sucks all this dirt when it is still on the surface.
It performs this task of sucking the water, and then filtering it, by a smooth and slow movement. Doing so also oxygenates the water and reduced all particles that help the proliferation of algae in the pool.
The skimmer has a lid on top which opens and closes so that you can easily access the bucket in which the dirt is deposited so that you can empty it and put it back quickly. Normally in well-made installations, a tube from the skimmer is connected to the rest of the filtering equipment.
Other elements of the installation
As we mentioned above, there are other elements that help the pool filtration process next to the skimmer,and are: the suction pump and the drive jets.
The suction pump is connected to the skimmer so when activated it is the one that causes the particles or the elements to be removed from the surface of the water to be attracted to the skimmer in a gentle but very effective way. If, in addition, the suction valves of the background cleaner and the sink are closed the suction will be done exclusively by the skimmer, which is our goal.
The drive jets are on the opposite side of the skimmer so that when the water comes out through them the current goes in favor of suction and helps the skimmer to fulfill its function.
How do I repair the pool skimmer?
In any pool installation the elements that form it can be deteriorated, present leaks or failures that cause them to stop working properly and that we have to take action on it.
In case you detect any breakage in the skimmer a good solution is to dry the whole piece and put specialized PVC glue in the fissure and let it penetrate until it is sealed again. Above all, you will have to wait for the glue to dry before putting the skimmer back in place and getting wet.
If you see that the skimmer does not work well it could also be that there has been a leak. In this case we advise you to check if there are cracks in the pipe or if any elbows have loosened. If you find where the leak is, you can fix it or change the part you consider. For optimal maintenance the best option will always be to resort to the support of a professional.