Should vacuuming be this hard?

[magiteck]

I’m a new owner of an above ground pool, and have vacuumed twice now - so far it’s been very tedious.

I’m trying to determine if my vacuum attachment is just terrible, I don’t know what I’m doing, or if this is just normal.

This is the vacuum I bought:

Vinyl Liner Pool Vacuum Head | In The Swim

We stock the vacuum heads you need to clean your vinyl-lined pool. Scrub and vacuum your pool bottom clean in one easy step.

www.intheswim.com

Here’s what I do:
- Fill the hose with water.
- Connect skim vac attachment to skimmer , make sure it gets a tight seal / suction.
- Connect hose to skim vac attachment.
- Connect vacuum head with pole to hose.
- Make sure there’s suction.

Here’s where it breaks down. There’s some visible debris (Sand, plant matter, bugs, etc.). I press the vacuum along the floor, and it barely sucks anything up. If I don’t keep pushing down hard, the vacuum head floats back up. It largely just stirs up the debris- like it feels as if I’m just brushing with a heavy weight attached.

Any thoughts on how to make this better, either with technique or a better vac?

 

[Msch99]

Haven’t ever used one, we skipped from trying to use fine mesh hand skimmer to a robot. Cost a bit, but put it in and go take a nap or something.

 

[magiteck]

Haven’t ever used one, we skipped from trying to use fine mesh hand skimmer to a robot. Cost a bit, but put it in and go take a nap or something.

I definitely see a robot in my future at this rate... but hoping there’s a less costly but not quite so tedious middle option while I’m recovering for the cost of the pool build itself and everything that goes with it.

 

[Mdragger88]

You have to go very slowly- also try pulling it towards you instead of pushing it . Not sure how weighted it is but mine will get stuck on my stairs if i’m not careful due to suction. I’ve got an el cheepo triangle one. Haven’t used it but a handful of times cuz “Wall- e “my intex automatic vac does most of my manual labor.

 

[Newdude]

See posts # 5 and 6 in particular. I get the hurting fresh off the install, but this is worth every penny for you.

Robot or manual?

I have a 14,000gal above ground pool, and I'm trying to decide on what type of cleaner to get. Since we don't have a huge pump, I think avoiding a suction side cleaner will be the best for us, but I'd like to avoid spending over $600 for a cleaner when the pool was $1600. What is a good "intro...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[magiteck]

See posts # 5 and 6 in particular. I get the hurting fresh off the install, but this is worth every penny for you.

Robot or manual?

I have a 14,000gal above ground pool, and I'm trying to decide on what type of cleaner to get. Since we don't have a huge pump, I think avoiding a suction side cleaner will be the best for us, but I'd like to avoid spending over $600 for a cleaner when the pool was $1600. What is a good "intro...

www.troublefreepool.com

Looks like this could be a good option. Of course like everything else pool this year, it’s only available via 3rd party sellers for a good $100 more than normal.

 

[Mdragger88]

When i need to get my stairs & edges better i also use my rechargeable intex stick vac - but like everything else pool related what I paid $60 for 4 months ago is now $120. The intex automatic pool cleaner which is a pressure side cleaner was $50 4yrs ago when I purchased it & has at least doubled in price as well. When it dies I will be looking into a dolphin as they have rotating brushes

 

[Newdude]

Of course like everything else pool this year, it’s only available via 3rd party sellers for a good $100 more than normal

1st world problems. Whattayagonnado ? If that’s the worst that happens this week, we both got off easy.

 

[duraleigh]

I press the vacuum along the floor, and it barely sucks anything up. If I don’t keep pushing down hard, the vacuum head floats back up.

Uh, If your vac head floats up off the floor as you describe, you have an air leak. Pump running, do you see any bubbles or just water in the pump strainer basket? Don't run out to buy a robot just yet.

 

[magiteck]

Uh, If your vac head floats up off the floor as you describe, you have an air leak. Pump running, do you see any bubbles or just water in the pump strainer basket? Don't run out to buy a robot just yet.

No bubbles in the strainer, and the skim vac attachment holds a suction-tight seal over the basket. I'm also getting a solid/strong flow from the return.

'Floats' off the floor might not be the best way to describe; it's not like a forceful rise, the head just lifts up if I'm not physically pressing against the floor. I'm thinking my pole doesn't help as well - I bought a longer pole thinking I'd want to be able to vac from outside the pool and still reach, but it's a bit awkward to handle while inside the pool. And with how I have to push down on this thing, I'm not sure if it would even be possible to do from outside of the pool.

I guess in my mind I imagined the vacuum should suction somehow to the floor, but the brushes hold the vac head a good half inch over the ground, water gets underneath and the suction from just the center of the head isn't enough to compensate for the water underneath.

It could also be that I'm moving too fast - but again my (poor) basis of comparison is vacuuming carpet, which is obviously not the same as vacuuming under water.

In my mind, the things that would make the vac work better would be if it was heaver, or didn't have brushes all around it. When I'm pushing (or pulling) it along the floor it's like the front (or rear) brushes just push the dirt up off the ground, so then it ends up floating above the vacuum and can't get sucked up. Then I feel like I have to lift up the vacuum and try to hover it over the dirt or set it back down on top of it to try to actually suck it up.

Something like this seems like it would work a lot better, but the reviews scare me a bit as some people talk about the wheels having burrs that can cause liner damage.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JYX4WPW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_wAFbFbMB34ZT5

Appreciate the thoughts and suggestions!

 

[duraleigh]

I guess in my mind I imagined the vacuum should suction somehow to the floor

It should. It should be fairly difficult for you to lift it off. Since it isn't, I would say you are not getting adequate flow through the vac head. What is the psi of your filter when you are trying to vac?

 

[duraleigh]

I had a roller vac head just exactly like that (on a vinyl liner pool) and it worked perfectly. If there is nothing broken or malfunctioning on your current head, I would try that.

 

[Newdude]

It could also be that I'm moving too fast - but again my (poor) basis of comparison is vacuuming carpet, which is obviously not the same as vacuuming under water.

This may not be the only issue but it’s a huge one too. If my 20x40 pool was carpet it would take me 5 minutes instead of an hour. Vacuuming is a futile lesson in patience.

The angle of the pole makes a big difference also. If the pole is at shoulder height or more, the weight of the pole helps keep the head down. When the pole gets waist high or lower it will try to pull the vac head up. I can feel a huge difference between doing my shallow end and deep end just by walking from one to the other.

My favorite hack is to vac while swimming with a snorkel mask. First off it feels like swimming and not work. Secondly it gives you so much more control and underwater you can see the bottom perfectly with the mask.

 

[SouthVirginiaPool]

No bubbles in the strainer, and the skim vac attachment holds a suction-tight seal over the basket. I'm also getting a solid/strong flow from the return.

'Floats' off the floor might not be the best way to describe; it's not like a forceful rise, the head just lifts up if I'm not physically pressing against the floor. I'm thinking my pole doesn't help as well - I bought a longer pole thinking I'd want to be able to vac from outside the pool and still reach, but it's a bit awkward to handle while inside the pool. And with how I have to push down on this thing, I'm not sure if it would even be possible to do from outside of the pool.

I guess in my mind I imagined the vacuum should suction somehow to the floor, but the brushes hold the vac head a good half inch over the ground, water gets underneath and the suction from just the center of the head isn't enough to compensate for the water underneath.

It could also be that I'm moving too fast - but again my (poor) basis of comparison is vacuuming carpet, which is obviously not the same as vacuuming under water.

In my mind, the things that would make the vac work better would be if it was heaver, or didn't have brushes all around it. When I'm pushing (or pulling) it along the floor it's like the front (or rear) brushes just push the dirt up off the ground, so then it ends up floating above the vacuum and can't get sucked up. Then I feel like I have to lift up the vacuum and try to hover it over the dirt or set it back down on top of it to try to actually suck it up.

Something like this seems like it would work a lot better, but the reviews scare me a bit as some people talk about the wheels having burrs that can cause liner damage.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JYX4WPW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_wAFbFbMB34ZT5

Appreciate the thoughts and suggestions!

I have a vinyl in ground pool and I have the opposite issue - with a triangle head vac on high filter, it sticks so hard to the pool floor I'm scared of it creating a hickey on the liner or a tear. I have to use low filter flow. I did switch to the roller type head and made sure there are no burrs etc. Mine does have bristles on the bottom too so I'm brushing the bottom at the same time I'm vacuuming, and it holds it off the liner to prevent a tear. Much happier.

 

[Wobblerlorri]

I have a Watertech Pool Blaster, runs off batteries. Best $80 I ever spent.

 

[Saturn94]

I’m a new owner of an above ground pool, and have vacuumed twice now - so far it’s been very tedious.

I’m trying to determine if my vacuum attachment is just terrible, I don’t know what I’m doing, or if this is just normal.

This is the vacuum I bought:

Vinyl Liner Pool Vacuum Head | In The Swim

We stock the vacuum heads you need to clean your vinyl-lined pool. Scrub and vacuum your pool bottom clean in one easy step.

www.intheswim.com

Here’s what I do:
- Fill the hose with water.
- Connect skim vac attachment to skimmer , make sure it gets a tight seal / suction.
- Connect hose to skim vac attachment.
- Connect vacuum head with pole to hose.
- Make sure there’s suction.

Here’s where it breaks down. There’s some visible debris (Sand, plant matter, bugs, etc.). I press the vacuum along the floor, and it barely sucks anything up. If I don’t keep pushing down hard, the vacuum head floats back up. It largely just stirs up the debris- like it feels as if I’m just brushing with a heavy weight attached.

Any thoughts on how to make this better, either with technique or a better vac?

Our pool came with that same vacuum head. It never seem to perform well. I replaced it with this one which performs much better.

Hayward SP1068 Pool Vacuum Cleaner Head https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EL3YME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_GKLbFbGSNC9HB

 

[magiteck]

It should. It should be fairly difficult for you to lift it off. Since it isn't, I would say you are not getting adequate flow through the vac head. What is the psi of your filter when you are trying to vac?

I had a roller vac head just exactly like that (on a vinyl liner pool) and it worked perfectly. If there is nothing broken or malfunctioning on your current head, I would try that.

I’ll check the PSI next time I vacuum. My filter normally runs at 17psi- should it be the same, higher, or lower when vacuuming?

I did also order the roller vac and I’m going to try that as well. I’ll compare the pressure readings between the two heads as well.

Thanks again for all the feedback. Loving it here!

 

[magiteck]

Our pool came with that same vacuum head. It never seem to perform well. I replaced it with this one which performs much better.

Hayward SP1068 Pool Vacuum Cleaner Head https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EL3YME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_GKLbFbGSNC9HB

Thanks for the reply. Did you have any issues with the bristles falling off like a lot of the reviews are saying?

These things are cheap enough I feel like I can test every style of head and still be much cheaper than a robot.

 

[Saturn94]

Thanks for the reply. Did you have any issues with the bristles falling off like a lot of the reviews are saying?

These things are cheap enough I feel like I can test every style of head and still be much cheaper than a robot.

The bristles will become brittle over time and start to break off. They are replaceable without having to buy whole new vac head. I bought the Hayward vac head in 2004 and have replaced the bristles twice (I get about 7 years out of a set of bristles).

For reference, I use the vac head at spring opening, and about 1-2 times a month during the season.

 

[WaterIsLife]

I bought this. It’s a great middle ground pool vac. Easier/quicker to use than a regular vac without the expense of a robotic (all the robotic ones I found were around $400-$600). Zero worry about getting air out of hoses or letting air get into the pump/filter. Just attach it to your attachments pole, hit “ON”, and you’re off. What a time saver! It came with a micro filter debris bag and it’s impressive with the amount of stuff it picks up! It holds its charge for about 60 min, which is plenty of time for me (and by “me” I mean the kids ) to vacuum our 24’ pool.