I just had a gunite pool installed and I noticed it didn't have weir flaps on the skimmer openings. I questioned the builder and he told me they don't install the doors anymore because they have a tendency to get stuck and will ruin the pump. He also said the flap doesn't serve any useful purpose. Is there any truth to his claim or should I insist he install the flaps before I make the final payment?
Skimmer door question
- Thread starter 96vette
- Start date
Hey there 96Vette, welcome to TFP 
To be blunt- your builder is an idiot. Weir doors keep the water in the skimmer area when the pump is on, then when the pump goes off it keeps any debris captured in the skimmer basket from returning to the pool.
Maddie
To be blunt- your builder is an idiot. Weir doors keep the water in the skimmer area when the pump is on, then when the pump goes off it keeps any debris captured in the skimmer basket from returning to the pool.
Maddie
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,212
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
If you have a "floating weir" style skimmer basket, a weir door would not be needed. The floating weir basket is made of two parts. The inside floats up and down with the water level.
It has the regular one piece basket. How effective are the floating weir baskets as an alternative to the flaps?
The other important job of the weir door is to accelerate the water at the surface and skim just the top inch or so of water, rather than pulling from the entire height of the skimmer. There's a very noticable difference in performance when I remove mine.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,212
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
It works great. The floating weir is less sensitive to water level and it does a good job of holding debris when the pump is off. The only downside is the inability to use a skimmer sock or hairnet to filter smaller objects. I'm not sure all skimmers are compatible with floating weir baskets.
The acceleration of water with a floating weir is achieved by the flat top edge of the inner basket.
If you fit the weir door, you will know right away by lifting it up if it is going to get stuck. Sometimes they catch at the top sides if the skimmer is buckled or out of shape. I make sure there are skimmers on every pool I service, even if I have to pay for it myself. It makes a huge difference, especially over time because you don't want all that debris coming back out of your skimmer and dropping to the bottom of your pool where it WILL stain.
In pools that have been remoddled and the weir door is sticking, you can use a B37 and B38 Admiral/pentair floating wier (mentioned above) although I don't think it's as good as the original weir.
Ask your builder for the weir. A replacement may cost you between $30-$40 at the pool store. If you have any difficulty in identifying the part take photos of your skimmer and the underside of the lid.
In pools that have been remoddled and the weir door is sticking, you can use a B37 and B38 Admiral/pentair floating wier (mentioned above) although I don't think it's as good as the original weir.
Ask your builder for the weir. A replacement may cost you between $30-$40 at the pool store. If you have any difficulty in identifying the part take photos of your skimmer and the underside of the lid.
96,
I second the thought that your pool builder is an idiot!!!
A skimmer without a weir door is about 50% as effective as the same skimmer with a weir door. Tell your pool builder to reinstall the door.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I second the thought that your pool builder is an idiot!!!
A skimmer without a weir door is about 50% as effective as the same skimmer with a weir door. Tell your pool builder to reinstall the door.
Thanks,
Jim R.
He suppose bring the weirs when he comes pick up his final payment
Here's a few photos
Here's a few photos
96,
Just confirms our "idiot" diagnosis...
Do you have any paperwork showing the make and model of the skimmers that you have.. I don't see any pin holes, or pins, that I usually see.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Just confirms our "idiot" diagnosis...
Do you have any paperwork showing the make and model of the skimmers that you have.. I don't see any pin holes, or pins, that I usually see.
Thanks,
Jim R.
96,
Just confirms our "idiot" diagnosis...
Do you have any paperwork showing the make and model of the skimmers that you have.. I don't see any pin holes, or pins, that I usually see.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I think the grout is covering the holes. I know it had the flaps because I saw them in the box with the rest of the skimmer parts.
ohmygawd. Burning up the pump? Have we ever heard that one before blamed on the weir doors, folks?!?!?!?! 
Maddie
Maddie
Now that we have his number do you want me to educate him
ohmygawd. Burning up the pump? Have we ever heard that one before blamed on the weir doors, folks?!?!?!?!
Maddie,
Well, there is a very small nugget of truth in what he said.. If you allow the pump to run for a long time with only a little water going to the pump, it can overheat and melt the plastic. But, if weir doors constantly caused that issue, we would have thousands and thousands of melted pumps. Just because there is a very slight chance of something happening is no reason to not add the weir doors.
Similar to " Don't buy a pool" because people drown in them"..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Oh, I get that Jim, one reason I'm extra thankful my builder put the main drain on its own line to the pump. But geez, I can't recall one thread here on TFP about a weir door causing a burned up pump.
<holding breath...its 2020... we'll get one next week since I wrote that>
Maddie
<holding breath...its 2020... we'll get one next week since I wrote that>
Maddie
gingrbredman
Gold Supporter
- Jun 10, 2020
- 732
- Pool Size
- 11200
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Was he going to say "I can steal them from one of...…. another build we have going on?"
Steal them, as in, we always throw them away, so the next build, before we throw theirs away, we can steal them?
Seems unnecessarily difficult by the PB in that text string. Customer wants the doors put on, with the parts that actually come with the skimmer, so why not just put them on? Does this builder really have such a rash of failed pumps because of the doors? Seems just lazy to me and a very strange response.
Steal them, as in, we always throw them away, so the next build, before we throw theirs away, we can steal them?
Seems unnecessarily difficult by the PB in that text string. Customer wants the doors put on, with the parts that actually come with the skimmer, so why not just put them on? Does this builder really have such a rash of failed pumps because of the doors? Seems just lazy to me and a very strange response.