Understanding Your Pool System

by | Sep 2, 2023 | Pool Service & Repair

Swimming pools are wonderful additions to any home, but understanding how to maintain and operate them can sometimes feel overwhelming. The mechanics of pool systems can often seem like a complicated labyrinth of pipes and valves. To simplify things, this guide will explain the basic workings of your pool system, with or without a spa attached.

 

Basic Pool System (Without Spa)

How It Works

  1. Skimming for Debris: Initially, water is drawn from the pool through the skimmer. The skimmer captures large debris such as leaves and twigs that have fallen into the water.
  2. Second Leaf Basket: After the skimmer, the water moves through a second leaf basket at the pump. This is another opportunity to trap any additional large debris before the water reaches the pump impeller.
  3. Pumping and Filtering: Once through the leaf basket, the water goes through the pump, which drives it into the main filter. The filter is responsible for removing smaller debris and dirt particles.
  4. Back to the Pool: Finally, the clean, filtered water is returned back to the pool, ready for swimmers to enjoy.
  5. Automated Timing: Most pool systems come with an automatic timer that runs the entire process for a specific duration each day, typically between 6-12 hours.

 

Pool System with Spa

When you have a pool and a spa (hot tub) integrated into the same system, there are a few additional considerations.

 

Normal Operation

  1. Valves: Set the valves so that water is drawn from the pool and returned to both the pool and the spa.
  2. Spa Overflow: This setup ensures that the spa water naturally overflows into the pool, thus ensuring that water from both the pool and the spa gets filtered.
  3. Don’t Drain the Spa: It’s important not to set the system to pull water from the spa, as this could unintentionally drain it.
  4. Set and Forget: Once you’ve set the valves, they typically won’t need adjusting unless you’re planning to heat the spa.

 

 

To Heat the Spa

  1. Suction Valve Adjustment: Adjust the suction valve to draw water only from the spa and not the pool.
  2. Return Valve Adjustment: Adjust the return valve to direct water back only into the spa.
  3. Isolated Heating: This will allow you to heat the water in the spa exclusively, without affecting the pool temperature.