Clean and Automatic
Your guide to automatic pool cleaners. Which type is best for you?
By Anna Brannen
When it comes to cleaning your swimming pool, you have two choices: do it yourself or get someone—or something—else to do the dirty work. Many pool owners turn to outside cleaning services, while others use their own muscles to get the job done; however, more and more pool owners are turning to automatic pool cleaners.
Automatic pool cleaners are easy to use and remove debris effectively, saving you time and effort. They come in three types: robotic, pressure-side, and suction-side. Each one varies in price and the way it operates, so read on to determine which pool cleaner is best for you.
Robotic Cleaners
Robotic cleaners are compact and self-contained machines that travel around the pool, sucking up dirt and debris while rotating brushes or rollers scrub surfaces. Typically, robotic cleaners have two intake ports with a combined 11-inch opening and can handle large debris while also taking care of small particles like pollen and sand. They are also adept at handling porous surfaces, seams, and hard-to-brush corners. Robotic cleaners get their power from a chargeable battery, solar power, or from a water-safe electrical cord that is plugged into a standard or GFCI-protected outlet. Robotic cleaners sweep the pool in about one to two hours and should be used two or three times per week. On average, the cost of this type of pool cleaner starts at $1,190 and can run as high as $3,350 for higher-end models.
Pressure-side Cleaners
With an opening of up to 2 ½ inches in diameter, pressure-side cleaners are perfect for locations with lots of trees because they easily remove leaves and acorns. Using the power of water pressure, these cleaners roll across pool surfaces sucking matter into attached bags, taking three to four hours to clean an average-sized pool. One style connects via a hose to the pool’s return line, pressurizing the water and creating a circulation effect to flush dirt upwards into the cleaner. More commonly, however, a pressure-side cleaner has its own booster pump with a dedicated water pressure line to power the cleaner. A tail swishes back and forth to flush up fine particles for the pool’s skimmer or main drain to filter out. Pressure-side cleaners cost approximately $425 without a booster pump and $800 with a booster pump.
Suction-side Cleaners
A suction-side cleaner connects to the pool’s skimmer or a dedicated suction line. It navigates the pool using the suction power of the filtration system, and most models transfer debris like sand, dirt, and other small items into the pool’s skimmer. Some models, however, include their own filter bags so leaves and other large items do not clog the skimmer. Additionally, a few models come with brushes to loosen algae and include automatic steering features so the cleaner won’t get stuck in the pool’s corners. Suction-side cleaners can run full-time (four to eight hours per day, or whenever the pool pump turns on), but manufacturers recommend using the cleaner only part-time in order to save energy and wear and tear. Suction-side cleaners are the most economical, costing approximately $400.
Cleaning from Below
If you are in the pool planning stage or are about to commission a major renovation, you may consider an in-floor pool cleaning system. Because this type of automatic cleaner involves significant piping and needs to be installed during the pool’s construction phase, it will be customized to work within the parameters of your system--and priced accordingly. Although an in-floor cleaner is the most expensive cleaner on the market, it can be an effective tool if you’re looking for a system that does not require supplemental accessories. Plus, once installed, in-floor cleaners require little maintenance or hands-on management. Simply program each cleaning cycle via a timer, and you’re set!
Most systems consist of rotating jets that are configured along the pool floor, steps, and other underwater areas where debris is likely to settle. When activated, the jets go to work by projecting high-pressure steams of water that sweep unwanted matter along the floor and walls toward the pool’s main drain. Smaller particles that are suspended in the water are stirred up for filtration by the circulation system. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, the jets retract back into the floor, returning the bottom to a smooth, even surface.
Photo courtesy of Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc.