Options in Pool Cleaners
By Stephanie Powel
Nothing looks more inviting than a sparkling pool with crystal clear water. Cleaning, however, is a big part of keeping a pool looking great and operating well.
Today's pool cleaners can save time, money and energy. Sure, a little elbow grease will always be required - even automatic cleaners don't completely eliminate the manual upkeep, but they do offer a great deal of options to fit your budget and busy schedule. The price range overall can be as low as $100 for a manual vacuum or $3,000-plus for an in-floor system, which is typically installed when the pool is being built. Suction-side, pressure-side and robotic cleaners fall in the median price range, respectively.
Manual
The least expensive route is a manual pool vac. This consists of a vac head attached to a telescoping pool and a hose that connects from the vac head to a special suction fitting on the pool wall. It is up to you to navigate the vacuum around the pool floor, walls and steps to suck up any dirt and debris. While economical, you'll probably spend about three hours per week vacuuming the pool by hand.
Before you purchase an automatic cleaner, make sure it is the right style for your type of pool. Inexpensive cleaners around the $100 - $200 range tend to be for smaller aboveground pools. Also, some cleaners have vac heads designed to scrub plaster or aggregate pool surfaces, but these may actually damage some vinyl-lined pools.
Suction-Side Cleaners
Unlike pressure-side cleaners, which require a booster pump and piping, suction-side cleaners work like a vacuum with a hose connected to the pool's skimmer or a dedicated suction line. They move around the pool, sucking debris from the floor and walls and depositing it into the skimmer. Some models also come with brushes that loosen algae and debris as the unit glides along the pool's floor and walls. Because suction-side cleaners use the power of the pool pump to vacuum up debris, these units are only as powerful as the pool's pump and filter system. Most pool pumps, however, can be sized to accommodate suction cleaners.
The main problem with suction cleaners occurs in pools that have only one skimmer. In this situation, skimmer action must be suspended while the cleaner is operating. If your pool typically has a lot of debris on the bottom, you might want to invest in an in-line strainer basket for the hose. This will catch large debris before it has a chance to fill up the filter pump basket.
The least expensive and easiest to install, suction-side units work best for small leaves and debris. These cleaners are typically priced from $200 to $500, depending on the features and manufacturer's warranty. While suction-side cleaners can run full time (from four to eight hours a day or whenever the pool pump kicks on), most manufacturers recommend using them less (part time or on weekends, for instance) to increase the unit's lifespan. Used appropriately, suction-side cleaners can last from three to five years, with some small wearable parts needing to be replaced every six months to one year.
Pressure-Side Cleaners
Equipped with two, three or four wheels, pressure-side cleaners roll over pool surfaces while vacuuming debris into a bag or net located on top of the unit. Most pressure-side cleaners also have a tail or whip that stirs up the pool water as it moves along the pool's surface. The tail's back-and-forth motion flushes smaller particles toward the skimmer or main drain for capture and filtration. Because they have relatively large openings (up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), pressure-side cleaners do well in areas where bulky debris, like acorns or large leaves, tends to be a problem.
Pressure-side cleaners are propelled around the pool via the water that passes through the pool's filter, although many manufacturers recommend installing a booster pump to increase the pressure of the water flow. Keeping a pressure-side cleaner in top performing condition can help it last for more than a decade. And many manufacturers say pressure-side cleaners can be rebuilt or simply tuned up to remain in peak condition. Some companies are touting advancements like durable, disposable filter bags. Made from high-tech fibers that ensure the highest levels of microfiltration for crystal clear water, these filter bags can simply be thrown away when they get full. More expensive than suction-side cleaners, you can expect to pay between $500 and $900 for a pressure-side cleaner with a booster pump.
Robotic Cleaners
Powered by low-voltage, on-board motors with pumps and filters built-in, robotic cleaners suck up debris while rotating brushes and/or rollers scrub the walls and floor. Some robotic models come equipped with powerwashing jets, rather than brushes to achieve the same effect.
Because they have such large openings (up to 10 or 11 inches in some cases), robotic cleaners have always been popular with people who live in areas where large debris is common. That is not to say that robotic cleaners do not work well in locations with much finer particles of sand, pollen and silt. Many models, especially those with features such as powerwashing jets, are very capable of cleaning porous surfaces, seams and corners where brushes alone cannot reach.
Because there are no hoses to measure, no pressure lines to add and no suction measurements needed, robotic cleaners can easily be installed in any pool. They are also the only category of cleaners that can be used when the pool's circulation system is turned off. To care for robotic cleaners, electrical connections should be visually checked regularly, and the entire unit should be cleaned periodically. Ideally, the filter/bag should be cleaned after each use for maximum efficiency. With proper care, robotic cleaners can last for ten to fifteen years. These types of cleaners typically start around $600 or $700, with some models even lower. The average price of models with mid-level features hovers near $1,000.
In-Floor Systems
If you are looking for a top-of-the-line cleaner with the features, functionality and price tag to match, look no further than an in-floor system. In-floor systems work for a pool like inground sprinkler systems work for a lawn. Owners set intervals via a timer, and on cue, recessed jets rise up from the pool's floor and spray streams of water in specific zones. These streams of water direct large particles of debris toward the main drain in the deep end where they are filtered out. Meanwhile, smaller particles suspended in the water are stirred up for filtration by the circulation system. When the cycle is complete, the jets retract into the pool floor, recreating a smooth, even surface.
Although there is little maintenance involved with in-floor systems once they are installed, there is a large amount of work required for initial configuration. In-floor systems involve a lot of piping within pool floors, so the best time to install an in-floor system is during new construction or a major resurfacing project. Be prepared, however, to fork over the additional cash for this low-maintenance, high-performance system. Prices start around $3,000 and go up based on the size of the pool and nature of the installation.