How To Manually Vacuum An Inground Pool

Beginner Info, Pool

how to manually vacuum an inground pool
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Well, in this post, I would be walking you through some of the best ways that you can try out to manually vacuum your inground pool.

Moreover, all these steps are newbie-friendly and you can expedite them without any professional help.

In fact, manually vacuuming your pool would be of great help when it comes to getting rid of your pool’s algae quickly.

But, before that, I would like to say that as a pool owner, you need to maintain your pool’s health and chemical balance in the best possible manner to prevent any unprecedented situation.

Furthermore, for vacuuming your pool manually, you would be needing certain tools to get the job done rightly, and you might also be required to invest in a robotic pool cleaner.

So, it is my humble request to you to be with us till the end to reap the maximum benefits from the piece of information that we’re going to bombard you.

Without any further ado, let’s dive in…

Vacuum pool manually using sand filter

Important Tools That You Might Be Needing For The Job

It goes without saying that cost-effective and high-quality tools are known to make our work easier.

Please allow me to discuss some of the tools that I’ve been using for quite a few years now.

Are we on the same page?

Pool Vacuum Head

The Hayward SP1078 pool vacuum cleaner head is one of its kind and makes cleaning fast and hassle-free because of its see-through design.

I’ve personally got success against an alarming growth of algae that turned my pool green overnight with the help of Hayward SP1078 as it possesses long-wearing bushes that are meant to quickly loosen tough algae spots.

Moreover, step and corner cleaning is a cakewalk because of its contoured shape.

Whichever pool vacuum heads you’re planning to buy ensure that it is weighted so as to stay on the surface without floating around.

Well, another important thing that you need to take into consideration is the surface of your pool as certain types of heads are made specifically to be safer for vinyl and not for others.

Telescoping Pool

Definitely, a telescoping pool helps you in expediting the entire process fast and quickly.

Moreover, I’m gonna talk about a cost-effective yet highly efficient 3-stage telescoping extension pole that would help you to extend your reach from 7.5 to 20 feet with ease.

Well, the great thing about these universal poles is that they can also get connected to pool skimmers, nets, and hooks so it is always a good thing to have one.

I personally have one that reaches the bottom of my pool with ease.

Vacuum Hose

So, here I come with one of the best pool vacuum hoses that are known for their ability to attach to all systems.

While buying a high-quality cost-effective vacuum hose always ensure to purchase one that is long enough to reach every nook and corner of your pool.

Skim Vac

Well, a Skim Vac or a vacuum plate would allow you to use the skimmer basket instead of the pump strainer basket, thus eliminating the need to turn the pool pump on/off.

I’ve used Hayward SP1106 Skim Vac (check the current price on Amazon) and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

How can I manually vacuum my inground pool quickly and effortlessly?

Well, it is really important for you to understand that vacuuming your inground pool at times can be a tedious and time-consuming process especially if you’re just starting out.

I own a pool for almost a decade now and trust me, I and my two small kids have tried almost all the tips and tricks that we could.

So, now, you’ve got all the equipment in place so it’s time now to get down to the business.

Moreover, I would be walking you through the step-by-step process, and if you get stuck at any step you can either ask us in the comment section or even mail to our query resolution team at yardmonkpro.com.

Cutting long-story-short, let’s begin the discussion.

Prime Your Vacuum

First and foremost, you need to purge all the air from your vacuum system and thus you would be able to effectively prime your vacuum.

Moreover, it is equally important for you to understand that the air pockets can make your unit lose suction, so the best thing that you can do is remove them ahead of time in order to keep the system going longer.

Expediting the process is definitely newbie-friendly and wouldn’t consume a lot of your time.

All you need to do is simply snap the vacuum head onto the telescoping pole and lower it to the bottom of the pool floor.

Henceforth, you need to push the other end of the hose against a jet and allow it to push all the air out of the hose.

So, whether the air is flowing through the hose or NOT can be easily found out from the fact whether or not the air bubbles are floating up from the vacuum head.

Once the air bubbles stop coming out of the vacuum head, the hose becomes air-free and you can start.

Connect to the Pump

Well, most of you would be aware of the fact that the vacuum system works after you attach it to a skimmer inlet powered by the suction of the pool circulation pump.

Don’t forget to remove the strainer basket before you connect the open end of the hose to the inlet.

Once you’re done with the aforementioned steps all you need to do is simply plug your open vacuum hose into the suction port at the bottom of the skimmer.

Vacuum Your Pool

So, here comes the most important step wherein you’ll have to move the vacuum head back and forth along the surface of your pool until it becomes neat and clean.

The process is simple and anyone can expedite it effortlessly.

In case of losing suction, repeat the first two steps.

Moreover, if you still face a problem with the process, my serious advice would be to contact a professional.

How to vacuum your pool with a garden hose?

Well, it is really easy and less time-consuming to vacuum your pool with a garden hose.

Attaching a vacuum system to your garden hose isn’t difficult and trust me, you don’t need any specific skillset for the same.

Please allow me to walk you through some simple steps in order to help you expedite the process effortlessly.

  • First and foremost, you need to connect the telescoping pole to the vacuum head
  • The other end of your pole needs to be connected to the end of the hose
  • Moreover, make sure that the other end of your hose is connected to its spigot
  • And, then, attach the vacuum bag to the proper opening on the vacuum
  • In the next step, you need to turn off your pool’s filtration system
  • Furthermore, turn on the water
  • Now, submerge the vacuum into the pool
  • Last but not least, move your vacuum back and forth along the surface in order to expedite vacuuming your pool in an effective way, and also, ensure that the dirt and debris are removed

Well, you need to pull the vacuum out and empty the collection bag in case your vacuum by any means loses suction during the process.

You can even try turning off the water source and then turning it back on again before you plan to lower it back into the pool water.

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned professional, it is really important for you to ensure that you don’t rush through the aforementioned job.

Once you’ve expedited all 8 steps, all you need to do is to turn the filtration system back on to remove any residual floating debris.

How can I clean my pool with the help of a sand filter?

Frankly speaking, quite a few of my clients were inquisitive about knowing the steps involved in cleaning the pool with the help of a sand filter.

I’ve tried to the best of my capabilities to come up with minimum steps without compromising the effectiveness of the process.

Well, if you want to choose a sand filter for your vacuum filtration process, then definitely, you need to choose the setting accurately.

Most of the filter systems that I’ve used for this purpose come with six settings, that is, rinse, recirculate, backwash, waste, filter, or closed.

Personally, I prefer the filter setting as it is the most common setting that you can use to vacuum a pool.

In fact, it will handle minimal debris with no visible algae.

But, it is also important for you to understand that a filter setting will only suffice your cleaning needs if a regular and effective maintenance process is in place.

On the contrary, if your pool seems to be dirtier than usual then definitely you need to try a waste setting for ensuring optimum results.

Moreover, once you’ve vacuumed your pool, it is equally important that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and backwashing the filter to keep it running without any hassle.

If the algae have taken all over your pool along with debris then definitely this type of filter system wouldn’t do any miracles and thus, I request you to refrain from using it.

Moreover, if your pool has turned green overnight or in an epigrammatic span of time, then definitely, you should try a more extensive algae cleaning method for achieving optimum output.

Should I invest in an automatic cleaner?

Well, quite a few times, a major chunk of my clientele have asked me the question, should I invest in an automatic cleaner?

So, I’ve decided to answer it right now and right away so that you can also get benefited from it.

To be honest, an effective and high-quality filter would definitely do a lot of work for you, and in most cases, it is alone capable of taking care of cleaning jobs.

But, at times, you need the help of an extra cleaning method to deal with unprecedented as well as uncontrolled events successfully.

For example, events such as your pool turning green in less than 24 hours or excessive rain causing chemical imbalance definitely need the uttermost attention.

Definitely, cleaning methods such as manually scrubbing and vacuuming your pool would give you satisfactory results but for the extraordinary outcome, you should opt for an automatic pool cleaner.

Needless to say, if you’re NOT on a shoestring budget then definitely an automatic pool cleaner like this one (check current price on Amazon) could be a great investment in terms of both time and money.

Types of automatic cleaners

Depending on your budget and requirements, you can select an automatic cleaner.

They are of 3 different types and we would be discussing each one of them in a while to help you in narrowing down the options and thus help you in buying a “value for money” product.

Robotic Cleaner

Frankly speaking, there has been a surge in the demand for an automatic robotic cleaner because of the power-packed superlative features that it comes with.

I’ve been using it for quite a few years now, and trust me, it’s worth the investment.

Other than the high cost, you’ll not find any drawbacks, particularly with this robotic cleaner. (check the current price on Amazon)

To be honest, if you’re an owner of a small pool then definitely, you don’t need a robotic cleaner.

On the other hand, if you own a large pool that comprises hard-to-reach areas then I would definitely suggest you should opt for a robotic cleaner that comes with remote control.

Suction-Side Cleaner

As the name suggests, a suction side cleaner is attached to your pool filter to create suction.

Well, it’s an expensive option and you should only use it if your pool is full of dust and debris.

Pressure-Side Cleaner

It is attached to the return hose on your pool filter for suction and also comprises a collection bag.

Some of you might find this process tedious and time-consuming as you need to replace the collection bag too often.

But, at the same time, you need to understand that they do reduce wear and tear on your pool’s filter by collecting their own debris.

It’s A Wrap

First and foremost, I would like to thank you for being with us till the end.

I along with my core team have tried to the best of our capabilities to come up with feasible and cost-effective ways to help you vacuum your pool fastly and effortlessly.

Furthermore, it would be great if you could take out a few minutes from your busy schedule to rate our post on a scale of 1 to 5 with the latter being the best.

Last but not least, share this piece of information with the ones who are in need of it.

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