In ground or above ground skimmer

[Celso Costa]

Hi All, i am planning to build a new pool. It is in the backyard surrounded by walls in a very sunny area.

I am lost if a should opt for an in ground or above ground skimmer. My focus is long term durability and efficiency.

There is a lot of talk about above ground skimmers but very few (in comparison) about in ground.

I must say that there risk of burning the pump, which seems something related to the in ground (in case water level is low), raises my concern about this type. I am a very careful type of person, but who knows what can happen is the next 10 / 15 years.

Many thanks. Detailed comments are highly appreciated

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! We usually see two forms of water suction to the pump - either a poolside skimmer (at the waterline) or a main drain (pool floor). The poolside skimmer helps to collect debris that floats on top of the water before it sinks. The main drain on the pool floor may collect some fine dirt or debris, but also helps to ensure good water floor as long as it is serviceable and in good condition. In many pools, both lines are plumbed to the pump to ensure good water flow should the pool waterline get too low for the skimmer. Does that make sense?

 

[Celso Costa]

Hi, i may not expressed myself well. I am planning to build a pool. I am wondering if i should not install the in ground skimmer and only have the above ground one, or should i really install the in ground one. It is a concrete pool. Is the above ground one better than the in ground? Tks

 

[Texas Splash]

Many pools, like my own, operate with only a waterline skimmer. They have no drain, or perhaps they did at one time and the line went bad and had to be plugged. Main (floor) drains are convenient at times, but are not mandatory. If I had to select only one, the skimmer (upper waterline) product is more important. If you wish to have a skimmer AND floor main drain, that is a personal choice and certainly fine. If you do, be sure to run plumbing seperately for each suction device back to the equipment pad so you can control them independently.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Celso,

There is no such thing as an "Above ground skimmer" for an in-ground pool.

Skimmers have to be at the water level. Above ground skimmers are used on above ground pools.

Do you have any pictures or drawings of what your pool will look like?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

Nomenclature time. Skimmer - The assembly behind the rectangular hole in the pool wall at the tile. If there is a weir, as there should be, it will allow the water to be "skimmed." The number of skimmers a pool should have are usually set out in local codes.

Suction port at the bottom of the pool - Main drain. Not an actual drain like a sink but an additional suction port so that water can be circulated from the bottom of the pool as well as the top. Some pools don't have main drains that are active, some not at all. Most codes now require them to be split, having two in the pool connected to one line underground. It is good to have the ability to control the main drain and skimmer lines with their own line to the pad, but the majority of pools don't have that. Most builders don't like to run separate lines as it adds cost to the build.