01/02/2021
Did you know that there are Seven Essential Pool Parts?
Aside from all the extra equipment and accessories you can buy, every pool has the same seven main parts:
skimmer
main drain
suction line(s)
pump
filter
return lines
return jets
Some of them are situated on the suction side of the pool, while the others are on the pressure side. Once you know what each part of the pool does, its location will make sense.
1. The Suction Side
Its name says it all. This is the side of the pool that takes or sucks in water and introduces it to the filtration system, beginning the circulation process.
2. Skimmers
Built into the side of the pool, these are plastic buckets that house skimmer baskets. The baskets are there to catch larger debris such as leaves, twigs, bugs, and anything else that’s too large to go through your filter.
Pool water enters the skimmer and begins its journey through the pool’s filtration system.
3. Main Drain
Usually located in the floor of the pool’s deep end, the main drain’s name may be a little misleading. While it can be used to drain the pool, it’s seldom used that way. Normally, it performs the same function as the skimmers.
This allows for better circulation as water is pulled from the top by the skimmers, and from the bottom by the main drain.
Important: Newer inground pools usually have two main drains. This is a safety measure to reduce the suction force in case something—or someone—blocks one of the drains. Older inground pools may not have two main drains, making pool safety practices even more important.
4. Suction Lines
These pipes, usually made of PVC, carry the pool water from the skimmer to the pump.
5. The Filtration System
Serving two entirely separate but equally important purposes, the pool pump and pool filter make up the filtration system.
6. The Pump
Pool water doesn’t just fall into the skimmers. The pool pump contains an impeller, which spins fast enough to create a vacuum, which pulls the water into the filtration system.
The impeller is powered by a motor, so pool pumps are identified by horsepower. They usually range from ¾ to 3 horsepower. The pump size you need will depend on the size of your pool. The larger the pool, the more horsepower the pump will need to move the higher volume of water.
As the water passes through the pump, the force being exerted on it changes from pulling to pushing. The pump then pushes the water into the filter.
7. The Filter
While sanitizers like chlorine kill viruses and bacteria, that’s only half the job of cleaning the water. The filter does the rest, removing fine debris, tiny particles, and in some cases, even bacteria that may have made it past the sanitizer.
Pool filters are available in three varieties: sand, diatomaceous earth (D.E.), and cartridge. They each have their pros and cons, but all are effective and easy to maintain.
Credit to swimuniversity.com
