In floor cleaning? Worth the money?

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B

bassadict69

0
May 26, 2007
144
Benton, La
As discussed in another thread, I am getting pool quotes and just received the first one. He included just over $11,000 for an in floor cleaning system and $1300 for a Polaris 280...I do know I can get the Polaris much cheaper, but is the 11 grand worth it for an in floor cleaning system?

My gut tells me no...

Also, can I post my first quote on here and have you all look it over and suggest what I need to ask or have him get more specific?
 
Not sure of the rules about such things, but I've seen pool build quotes here before. Maybe leave out the builder name for privacy.

I'm with you and would leave out the in-floor. I'd also leave out the Polaris and that part of the quote might include a dedicated plumbing line. I'd buy a robotic cleaner instead because it will do some of the brushing for you, as well as a great job of vacuuming up dust and debris.
 
I would not do the in-floor system and certainly not a pressure-side cleaner. I've had both and hated both.

Definitely have a line installed for a suction-side cleaner. It is cheap to add now and you don't have to use it if you choose a robot. I did not like my robot and happily went back to using my suction-side cleaner.
 
B,

In the old days, when the only option for an automatic pool cleaner was either a suction side or pressure side cleaner, the in-floor option made some sense.. With today's DC powered robots, in my mind, it now makes no sense at all. The main disadvantage is that you have to run your pump, for a relatively long time, at a very high RPM, to get the in-floor system to work.

We do have some staunch in-floor system owners that I'm sure will have a different point of view, but in most case they live in the desert and have frequent dust storms.

I always like to say... water powered cleaners are like the original black rotary dial phones... yes, they still work, but wouldn't your rather have a new cell phone, technology wise???

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
WOW $11,000....that's a lot of money!

My neighbors were "sold" on an in-floor system by the local big-box pool builder in our area and they *HATE* it. Basically they have to manually vacuum the pool because the IFC is useless for the kind of debris they get.

I went from 4 years with a suction cleaner to an S300i in April and I LOVE the robot. So much better than my suction cleaner and I run my pumps at a lot lower speeds now. Overall my pool is either equally as clean or cleaner. I have a dedicated vacuum port (because of the suction cleaner) and I would definitely add that to a build if I were building a new pool because having a dedicated suction port makes manual vacuuming a lot easier.

Ditch the IFC, save yourself $10k and add a $1,200-$1,600 to the build for a top-shelf robot. Just make sure that there is a convenient, 120V AC electrical outlet near the pool/equipment pad to plug the robot power cord into.
 
There are three pools with infloor cleaning systems on my block. Mine, my sons, and my best friend. Mine doesn't work very well, and if I had it to do over, it wouldn't be there. Both the other system work very well and neither has any problems. But, there is a key difference in our pools. My pool is a play pool, 3.5/5/4 depth. Both of the others have a deep well area with the drain at the bottom. For a floor system to work it move debris to the main drain, where it is picked up. With a deep well that works just fine, but with a relatively flat bottom, debris is just blown around. If it ends up at the drain, it's just by luck. So, I would only consider infloor in a deep pool, not in a sport/play pool.

BTW: $11k!!!! Mine was less than half that.
 

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I'm pretty happy, finally, with our in-floor cleaning system. They came and made some adjustments and the dead spots appear to be gone.

Our pool season is short and I don't want to deal with a cleaner or robot, nor do I want to look at it. I just want to swim and see my pretty water.

Mine also cost less than half than your quote.
 
My Paramount ICS was $5000. It works perfectly, it has its own pump for the cleaning jets, 4 hours a day has been keeping it spotless, I'm going to experiment with shorter times, I'm betting I can get it down to 2 hours.
 
I had the PCC2000 installed in my new pool 20 years ago, for only $2000. Probably the best $2000 I've ever spent! 20 years later, it still performs like it did on day one. I never brush my pool, it's pretty much self-cleaning! I've always used in line chlorinators to maintain proper levels, and I vigilantly test and maintain PH in the pool. I'm always surprised to hear bad reviews about the PCC2000 system, as my experience has been so good with it! Of course, if the system is installed wrong or the operator doesn't know how to maintain it properly, the results may vary.
 
I'm getting an in floor cleaner in mine for under $4,000, it's guaranteed for life. After repairing pools for 30 years I like them and they've come a long way, if all you get is dirt and small debris they work great. I have no deciduous trees in my yard so it will work fine without tons of leaves, but any cleaner sucks with a lot of leaves.
I really dislike suction cleaners and dealing with people playing with the hoses of other cleaners and breaking them and squirting my windows. I can't count the number of times people forgot to put the cleaner back in the pool after not unplugging it from the wall and then the pump comes on when they're away or asleep and it drains half the pool, same with suction cleaners, leave it on the deck with it still plugged in or it gets stuck somewhere and run the pump all night or day just pulling air and melting the plumbing or pump basket and burning the seal in the pump.
On the cleaners with the 1.5" hoses the current usually takes them where the current wants to go instead of where you want them to clean so it can be frustrating setting the eyeballs (return water) so the cleaner behaves properly. The system I'm getting only needs one pump so it'll cost less in the long run, looks nicer and have no hose in the way to deal with. I like guaranteed for life the best. That's just me though. You can put an infloor cleaner in when building with an extra return or suction line in the wall for a different cleaner if you don't like the floor cleaner but you can't put the floor cleaner in after it's built.
 
I would never put an in floor system in a pool that does not have a deep well. In play pools they just blow the debris around and unless it just accidentally ends up in the drain, it all stays in the pool.
 
Nope

Everyone I know that has them has issues with them. Lots of complexity and plumbing.
If the company that installs it goes out of business what good is lifetime warranty?
Better read that warranty pretty close as to who pays for what when you have a problem.

2nd vote for suction side cleaner.

A suction side cleaner can't "squirt" , only pressure side cleaners do that.

Robot 2nd.

UD
 

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