While some pool owners find manually vacuuming their pool to be tranquil and calming, most of you dread it.
An automatic pool cleaner will absolutely make pool maintenance easier.
There are 3 types of automatic pool cleaners:
- suction-side pool cleaners
- pressure-side pool cleaners
- robotic pool cleaners
The suction-side automatic pool cleaners utilize the suction-side of the pump. A suction-side cleaner is literally an automatic cross-over of the manual vacuum assembly. Our Pool Manual has all of the information you need about suction-side automatic pool cleaners. While a suction-side cleaner is a viable automatic pool cleaner, a pressure-side cleaner or a robotic cleaner are recommended...highly recommended.
The pressure-side automatic pool cleaners utilize the pressure-side of the pump; some even use a secondary booster pump. Our Pool Manual has all of the information you need about pressure-side automatic pool cleaners. A pressure-side cleaner is highly recommended.
A robotic automatic pool cleaner is the only automatic pool cleaner that acts totally independent of your pool pump. Our Pool Manual has all of the information you need about robotic automatic pool cleaners. A robotic cleaner is highly recommended.
Regardless of the type of automatic pool cleaner., while there is a little more involved than just throwing the cleaner in the pool and letting it do its thing, there really isn't that much more involved.
With an automatic pool cleaner, if you are having a pool party on Saturday, you can throw the pool cleaner in the pool Friday night, let it do its thing, and wake-up Saturday with a pool ready for the pool party; of course, that is assuming that you also took care of your pre-party chemical obligations too.
While a top-rated automatic pool cleaner (preferably a pressure-side cleaner or a robotic cleaner) will cost about or even over $1,000.00 for the cleaner, they are well worth the cost; it is not an expense, it is an investment.
Please know, though, that even though an automatic pool cleaner (preferably a pressure-side cleaner or a robotic cleaner) is absolutely a worthwhile investment and great for routine maintenance, there are times when the automatic cleaner should not be used. When you initially open the pool, dirt and debris may be too concentrated and too widespread; this is the time for a manual vacuum (likely to a designated waste line, if applicable). Even if you purchased the best-of-the-best automatic pool cleaner on the market, you will highly likely want to use your manual vacuum when the pool is initially opened for the season. Thereafter, you may never have to vacuum manually all season...unless you get algae; do not use your automatic cleaner to vacuum the pool if you have algae in the pool.
You can read the Pool Manual for additional information about automatic pool cleaners and their role in making pool maintenance much easier.