A robot pool cleaner is essential for pool maintenance, but so is your skimmer. Failing to empty your skimmer regularly can cause debris to build up over time and hinder water circulation, placing additional stress on your filtration system. But how often do you need to empty it? So, let’s look at the best skimmer maintenance practices to keep your pool in pristine condition.
Introducing Skimmer Basket Cleanup
A pool skimmer gathers leaves, bugs, and dirt from the water surface before they sink to the bottom. Your pump has to work overtime to push water through the skimmer, and dirty water will wreak havoc on the pump motor. Connect your skimmer to a pool vacuum, pool robot, pool cleaner, or vacuum pool to ensure your pool remains clean without needing to do much manually.
Do You Need to Empty Pool Skimmers and How Often?
The frequency varies with weather, pool usage, and nearby foliage, among other factors. Here’s a general guideline:
Daily – Check and empty the skimmer basket if trees surround your pool or are in heavy use.
Every 2–3 Days – This is enough for most pools to inspect and clean the skimmer every 2–3 days.
Weekly Maintenance—Perform a deep clean at least once weekly to ensure the basket does not have clogs or cracks.
Employing a pool cleaning robot, such as Beatbot iSkim Ultra, Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro, or Beatbot AquaSense 2, regularly reduces debris, allowing your skimmer to perform better.
How to Know When to Empty Your Skimmer
One of Jumpstart’s most significant issues was, and still is, ignoring your skimmer. Look out for these red flags:
Decreased water flow — A clogged skimmer basket limits circulation.
Floating dirt – If dirt remains on the water, your skimmer may be too full.
Pump strain – A blocked skimmer could be causing your pool pump to make strange sounds.
[Part I] Improving Skimmer Performance with Pool Robots
A swimming pool robot cleaner operates parallel to your skimmer, collecting debris that settles on the bottom. A pool or pool vacuum robot keeps your pool cleaner with less effort.
More Pool Maintenance Tips
In addition to regularly cleaning your skimmer, here are some vital maintenance steps:
Use a wall-climbing pool cleaner to ensure walls remain clean of dirt and algae.
Are you confused about how to acid-wash a pool? Acid washing will get rid of any problematic stains, but it is best done in moderation.
Do you need to drain your pool? Find out how to drain an inground pool without a pump to avoid liner damage.
Fighting algae? The best solution for algae is a pool vacuum.
Thinking about better filtration? A pool booster pump is a necessity for optimizing circulation.
Conclusion
First things first, empty out your pool skimmer regularly. Combining it with a robot pool cleaner and a pool vacuum can keep debris to a minimum and allow for better water circulation. With a well-kept skimmer, a Maytronics pool cleaner, and a pool vacuum robot, you can achieve and maintain a crystal-clear pool all season long.
