Hi folks,
I don’t know where you may be currently residing, but if you live within 500 miles of Las Vegas you most likely experience ridiculously crazy winds periodically. What does this mean for your pool?
Back to the basics. If you’ve seen my website and read the section about ‘Let’s Get Started’, you’ll have an understanding about how a swimming pool system is similar to the human body. In this instance, it’s about circulation, circulation, circulation! Did I emphasize that enough? I don’t think so. If every port of entry is clogged with leaves, plastic bags, and discarded swimming trunks, how do you expect the pump to pull water through the filter and keep your pool sparkling clean? You can’t. So what should you look for? You probably already know to clear the skimmer and pump basket. But one of the most common problems with lack of circulation is a blocked up impeller. What the… impeller? If you plan on taking care of your own pool, you have to know where the impeller is and the importance of its function.
O.K. Function first. An impeller draws water into the pump which initiates the entire circulation process. (Think of a blocked artery and you’ll get the picture of why it is important to keep this clear). Where is it? Remove your pump basket. You’ll find an opening towards the motor. Depending on the model of your pump (or the length of your fingers) you’ll be able to reach the impeller. If you don’t feel anything solid; stick a wire, screw driver or a twig into the hole and feel for any debris caught in the impeller openings. Your ultimate goal is to clear anything stuck inside the impeller and be able to feel it turn. I hope I don’t have to say that you need to do this when the pump is off, but just in case, be sure the pump is off and is not ready to turn on when you have the pump lid open and your fingers are inside a (potentially) turning impeller. (Think garbage disposal) Many people assume that when there is a lack of circulation or their pump won’t fully prime, their pipes are full of debris. This is sometimes the case, but it is not as common as a blocked impeller.
So to summarize:
When the wind is blowing, check your baskets on a daily basis, sometimes every half hour, depending on the amount of trees, and keep your impeller debris free. This will help prevent hours of maintenance and will be a major step in keeping your water clear during hot summer months. Hope this helps.
See you next time. Lucy”
