Vacuum Heads and Hoses; tools

Vacuuming a pool is necessary to have a sparkling clean pool. In the old days, a pool was rectangular in shape with straight walls and a sloping bottom from shallow to deep. The vacuums were aluminum and not flexible. They were heavy and cumbersome, but with the introduction of a curved bottom pool, the vac heads were made to flex. With new plaster one had to use a brush vac so no wheel marks were left in the soft and curing plaster. After a month of using the brush vac, the plaster was hard and ready for the wheel vac. The flexs vac had 8 wheels on it for the standard size, 14 in. The silicone wheels were much better, they lasted longer. To vacuum a pool, the sides and the steps are brushed. The vacuum is put in the shallow end and one works toward the deep end, let gravity work with you. The vac hose comes in several lengths, depending on the size of the pool. A 30 ft. hose was ample for most pools. For larger pools the hose can be connected with shorter sections to suit the size required. Before inserting the hose to the suction line, all the air must be removed from the hose. If it is not you may loose the prime in the pump. With above ground systems it is time consuming and sometimes difficult to prime. With pool service a vacuum a week was mandatory.

Automatic pool cleaner; tools

For the energetic person who wants to service their own pool, the automatic pool sweep is the way to go. There is still a lot for the person to do. The chemicals need to be checked and the flow of the water through a clean filter is a must.. The leaf pot needs to be cleaned to allow the water a free unobstructed circulation. The product I have used is the Kreepy Krauler. It is a widely sold device with only one moving part. A wedge shape flapper, activated by the suction, is what moves the Krauler along by kinetic energy. Good water flow is important so the device works well. Even though the pool is vacuumed, the steps an walls need to be brushed regularly to assure a clean pool. The Kreepy Krauler is well designed, with minimal up keep to let it last for years.

Skimmer Nets and Wall Brushes, tools

The skimmer net and the wall brush are a must for a clean pool. Skimmer nets have evolved from a complete net to one where the net can be replaced. The standard net was a net between a stainless steal rectangular tubular frame in different depths, 6in to 12 in. They were a durable net but would wear out where the net met the plaster, which meant buying a complete net at a high cost. The later leaf nets allowed one to replace the net only, keeping the stainless steal frame for future use. A great savings for the pool man.
The wall brush comes in different lengths and is used to brush the walls and the bottom of the pool. By brushing the pool completely, one loosens any dirt that sticks to the plaster. By brushing in a circular direction around the main drain, and all the suction to the drain, the pool can be cleaned pretty well. The brush would wear out after a while, but they added stainless steal bristles by 50% which made the brush last longer and it was good for rubbing black algae growth that grows on the surface of the plaster. Times have changed but for the better.

Telescoping pool pole, tools

The telescoping pool pole is a must for anyone with a pool. There are two widely used poles, fiberglass and aluminum. I have never used the fiberglass pole but have heard some positive things about them. Aluminum was my choice, light weight and durable. They average in 8 ft lengths and about 15 extended. There is the elliptical lock and the cam lock. I used both and found the elliptical lock better. The cam lock has a devise on the end of the inside pole with a cam that locked the two together. The cam wore out and had to be replaced. The elliptical pole was just that, elliptical in shape and when the inside pole was twisted, it would lock in place. With time being important when one does many pools a day, the elliptical lock was my choice.

Pool cleaners tools, Leaf Gobbler, Leaf Vac

The "leaf gobbler" is a very useful tool for cleaning leafs and other debris that accumulates on the bottom surface of the pool. The gobbler attaches to the end of the telescoping pole and a garden hose is attached to the gobbler. The water pressure creates a suction that works well for leafs and foreign material. It stores it in a bag above the gobbler. The better the pressure, the better the end results. Water pressure under 30 lbs does not work well. The mesh of the bag is important if one wants to catch sand, but after the dirt settles to the bottom, a quick vacuum is all one needs to make the pool inviting. When a gobbler is used, not only is the debris collected but the water level is increased. Good tool and I found it very helpful!