The pool in-floor cleaning system is a wonderful invention that revolutionized the way you clean your pool. This cleaning system comprises a cleaning pad, a water pad, and a vacuum. The cleaning pad is used to clean the floor of the pool, while the water pad and the vacuum work together to keep the pool clean.
The good news for those homeowners often finding it challenging to maintain their swimming pools is that advanced technology has made it easy, extending the pools’ lifetime and adding many health benefits.
In this article, I will discuss in detail this effective poll cleaning system, and its advantages or disadvantages. I firmly believe that my experience will aid you in making appropriate decisions.
What Is An In-Floor Swimming Pool Cleaning System?
The in-floor swimming pool cleaning system is a brilliant invention, which saves a lot of time and money while maintaining the cleanliness of your pool. These systems provide exceptional efficiency in achieving pool cleanliness and making the pool maintenance process virtually effortless. As an owner, it will relieve you from the painful hassle of cleaning the pool, saving valuable time.
This system provides the best possible efficiency by systematically removing heavy debris from the main drain of the pool. Here, the standard filtration process helps the most. A pop-up head or cleaning nozzle is installed on the pool’s floor, swim-outs, benches, steps, and guides this complex process.
A water valve (distributor valve) acts as the central cleaning element of the pool, and it controls the cleaning nozzles. Based on the size of the pool, the valves have 5 to 10 stations closed to the pool. These valves rotate clockwise, working from the shallow edge to the deep edge.
You may have known that in-floor cleaning systems are primarily designed to work with 100% of pool flow. That is why the pool is not cleaned properly when there is a hydraulic change in the system. So, if you replace a pump not fitting the size, or add equipment, such as a solar heater, ozonation, or salt chlorinator, these can confuse the system by changing the hydraulics.
Therefore, if you want to add such installations, inform the manufacturer in advance so that he can design your system accordingly.
A pool in-floor cleaning system disperses water across the pool, saving you time, labor, and money. I can assure you these systems will save up to 30% on average chemical usage, 30% on electricity, and 40% on additional heating. A lifetime warranty and a 99% cleaning guarantee on the parts by most of the manufacturers will surely surprise you.
Different Parts Of An In-Floor Pool Or Spa Cleaning System:
An in-floor pool or spa cleaning system is a series of pipes and equipment installed on the floor of the pool or spa. This system keeps the water clean and sanitized by removing dirt and debris from the water.
The system circulates water through the pipes so that the water picks up the dirt, debris, and other contaminants as it travels through the pipes. The water is then pumped through the filtration system, where the dirt, debris, and other contaminants are removed before being circulated back into the pool or spa.
You will find much more than just cleaning the pool or spa floors with these self-cleaning systems. There are 4 important components involved in this system for keeping a pool clean, which are described below.
1. Sanitation:
It is important to remove organic matter from the water, as those can affect your health. Oxidizing agents, such as chlorine plays a very effective role in this work and, in most cases, people use chlorine for in-floor pool cleaning. However, many people use salt chlorinators for the same purpose.
2. Filtration:
Filtration is very effective in removing organic, and some organic matter from the water. The filter traps in the system trap fine particles of matter. Otherwise, they can dilute the water while it is in suspension in the water column.
3. Skimming:
The skimmer box keeps the water clean by removing floating debris from the surface of the pool. You can often see that debris falls to the bottom of the pool as it is removed from the surface.
Cleaning the floor in this situation can give you a significant benefit. This is because the in-floor cleaning system works excellently to remove debris from the pool floor.
4. Debris Removal From The Floor:
In-floor cleaning systems can intensively remove debris from pool floors. A water jet blows debris randomly around the pool and throws it in a concentrated pickup point for removal from the pool.
An in-floor pool or spa cleaning system usually works in the four parts mentioned above. This system is a much faster and more efficient way to keep your pool cleaner than traditional cleaning methods.
How Does An In-Floor Cleaning System Work?
Pop-ups in in-floor cleaning systems spray filtered water at high speed to remove debris. This causes dirt or debris to flow to a certain point in the prime drain. Drain sucks this debris and you can easily remove them.
Usually, pop-ups do not work individually, but in groups. This makes the cleaning process more efficient. Each group has 2 to 10 pop-ups and the groups clear certain sections. Pop-ups can move debris from the shallow to the deepest, and they usually work in turns to move the debris to a specific point in the drain.
The system is installed based on the size and design of the pool so that the debris will use the designated path. Also, the pop-up heads rotate when they need to spray water in different directions to get or remove debris from the floor.
When enabling pop-up groups, you can set the desired speed, which allows you to get the desired cleanliness. The time between each section of cleaning can vary from 30 to 60 seconds. If you are thinking of routine clean-up, use brief sessions. If more dirt accumulates or you need intensive cleaning, use longer sessions.
Benefits Of An In-Floor Pool Cleaning System
The major benefit of having an in-floor pool or spa cleaning system is that it will keep the water in the pool or spa clean and sanitized. This cleaning system is fully integrated into the floor of the pool or spa, therefore the total system is hidden from view. The system will allow you to inspect the floor of the pool for dirt and debris, which will help you to keep your pool in good shape over time.
Besides these, there are several other benefits I describe below.
- In-floor nozzles allow debris to flow to smaller sections of the pool, making it easier to brush and vacuum. Removes dirt and debris, resulting in clean and healthy water.
- All debris and dirt removal processes are automatic, so you don’t have to worry. You can manage your time and energy.
- You can easily install this cleaning system in any type of pool.
- Improves water circulation and heat distribution system.
- As difficult as it is to clean manually, the cost of electricity is much higher. The in-floor cleaning method saves electricity.
- It is much quieter than robotic or other methods.
- While cleaning the pool floor, there is a possibility of stains. But this method can prevent all kinds of stains.
Disadvantages Of Pool In-Floor Cleaning System
Each system has advantages as well as disadvantages. The major disadvantage of having a pool in-floor cleaning system is that it is fully integrated into the floor of the pool so it is not portable. This means that if you want to take your cleaning system with you when you move, you will need to have a trolley or trailer designed for transporting pool cleaning systems. This will make it difficult to move your pool in-floor cleaning system if you decide to move to a different location.
Other minor disadvantages include:
- You will need a large financial investment to install this fancy system.
- Although this system plays a very effective role in keeping the floor clean, it is not very convenient for cleaning the surface.
- An in-floor cleaning system is quite difficult to install in an existing pool, which you will need to install during pool construction.
- If broken, the entire system can be quite difficult to repair.
- A pool vacuum may have to be used to properly clean the pool after heavy winds or storms.
4 Reasons Why You Should Install A Pool In-Floor Cleaning System:
From my discussion so far, it is clear that this is a relatively expensive project. Which is why many ask, why would I spend so much money on an in-floor pool cleaning system?
There are four good reasons to install this system in your swimming pool:
1. Greater Circulation:
Most standard pool maintenance procedures rarely keep your pool as clean as you would like. It is difficult to disperse water across the pool as not all traditional cleaners carry water effectively. So, it can be extremely difficult to clean the pool evenly everywhere.
In a pool in-floor cleaning system, it is possible to conduct evenly flowing water throughout the entire pool. This system takes the pool waste to the deep end, and it filters the debris through a drain, which can be cleaned incredibly easily.
2. Cuts Out The Clutter Of Hoses:
You may have a hard time controlling and removing the messy and cluttered hoses. Since a pool owner always wants his pool to look beautiful and tidy, hoses can be seen as a big aesthetic flaw there.
The pool in-floor cleaning system allows you to cut out the clutter hoses. Frees you from trouble and always keeps the beauty of pools intact. Instead of being embarrassed by the hoses, all you have to do is turn on the cleaner and leave.
3. Handles Both Shallow And Deep Parts:
You can often get frustrated by trying to clean the pool using old technology. Especially when cleaning the deepest part from the shallow part of the pool. Even at this stage, you might wonder, is a pool really that important?
But your installed in-floor pool cleaning system can clean equally shallow and deep parts at the same time and you have virtually no hassle. So with this automatic system, you can rest assured of the responsibility of cleaning the pool.
4. Saves Money:
Maintaining a pool can be quite expensive if you can’t spend time or work hard here. Hiring a guy means an extra expense. Traditional cleaning methods consume relatively more cleaning agents or electricity.
But you don’t have to hire a separate person to run a modern in-floor cleaning system. In addition, the amount of electricity and cleaning agents in this method is much less. So it saves you money regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Much Does It Cost To Install An In-Floor Cleaning System?
You may budget from $5000 to $10000 to install these self-cleaning systems. The cost, however, depends on many factors including the pool’s size, equipment, and sometimes the area.
But a pool contractor can give you the best idea. Often, expensive in-floor cleaning systems are more efficient and durable. This is a good cleaning system where the investment will meet all the requirements of your pool and you can avoid common problems related to the pool.
How Long Do Pool Pop-Ups Last?
Once an area of the heads is activated, the heads pop up for 30 to 60 seconds. However, it depends a lot on the system and the speed of the pump. You can increase or decrease this time if you wish.
You can usually set the pop-up time to 30 seconds as part of a regular cleanup. If deep clean is required, you should set it to 60 seconds.
How Long Does A Pool In-Floor Cleaning System Have To Run Every Day?
The running time of this system every day is not always the same. If a system has only one water valve, you should keep it running for 4 hours every day. If the system has two or three water valves, you should operate it for at least five and a half hours daily. However, in extreme weather, new pools with little landscaping may take longer.
Final Verdict
Enormous pools and backyard spas are fantastic in providing relaxation and entertainment options. The only drawback with having such a large pool or spa is the time and money required to keep it clean.
But installing a pool in-floor cleaning system can take care of your time, labor, and money as well as keep you entertained as you desire. Here I have discussed all you demand to know about this modern pool cleaning system. Hope it helps you.
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