Skimmer clogged!

[PoolNewbRN]

Hi! My pool has 2 skimmer baskets & the one farthest from the equipment is clogged with leaves. I e read some old threads on using an air compressor or a garden hose to work the clog out, but I don’t understand what exactly I need to do. Also, my air compressor isn’t working properly, so I’m hoping the garden hose trick will work. Can someone please explain what to do? I tried to pull leaves out with my fingers, but now I think I’ve pushed them down further! Thank you for any help!

 

[PoolStored]

You want to blow air, or use water from the pump side of the return lines BACK TOWARD THE SKIMMER. Push them back the way they came.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Michelle,

You need something called a Drain King. You put it on the end of a garden hose and then into an open valve or into the inlet to your pump and force water backwards into the skimmer. The idea being that it will force the clog back out of the skimmer.

Looks like this ...

Amazon.com

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Michelle,

The real question is how did leaves get past your skimmer basket and into the pipe???

If you are like my daughter, you probably haven't check your skimmers in about a month...

Jim R.

 

[PoolNewbRN]

Thanks! I played with the jandy valve a few times & it looks like the clog was able to pull through into pump basket. There is now suction in that pipe. that line was open the entire time, so not sure what caused it to start working again.

@Jimrahbe I actually check the pool a few times a week, but there were a few times when I would check skimmer baskets & they were floating. I don’t want to blame my husband, but…. Since then I’ve put a stone in each of them to keep them seated properly. But I think some leaves made it underneath before I corrected that issue.

 

[PoolStored]

put a stone in each of them to keep them seated properly

Make sure the stone is bigger than the suction pipe inlet...

 

[Jimrahbe]

Michelle,

Turning the Jandy valve on and off causes a surge of water to flow through the pipe. Glad you got it working.

Just like in TV crime shows... "It is always the husband who is guilty."

Good job on adding the weights to keep the skimmer baskets down.

Thanks,

Jim R.