What you need to know about replacing your swimming pool's skimmer & jets

The skimmer plays an important role in your pools circulation. Water is sucked through your skimmer into your pool pump where it is then fed through your filter, heater and back into your pool with your return jets. Having a leak free plumbing system means your pump will be quieter and last longer. Your skimmer and jets should last 20 years or longer with proper water chemistry, while most pool liners last up to 20 years. When a new liner is installed, that is the best time to have your skimmer and jets replaced. This is a proactive approach in maintenance as well as being cost effective for you down the road.

Common skimmer problems on older pools:

  • skimmer/wall separation
  • shifting that causes skimmer cracks
  • sinking concrete decks that puts stress on the skimmer
  • leaky or rusty/rotten plumbing underneath the skimmer

SkimmerFurther more, the weir in your skimmer (floppy thing in skimmer mouth) can sometimes break and cause your pump to draw in air. The purpose of the weir is to create a waterfall effect into the bottom of the skimmer and speed up the flow of water, drawing in more floating debris such as leaves. The weir also helps keep floating debris in the skimmer when the pump is turned off.

Replacing a skimmer: Involves cutting the concrete surrounding it, removing it from the wall and replacing the plumbing underneath the ground. Once the new skimmer is in place and plumbing attached, then the new concrete can be poured back into place.

Newer style skimmers are called wide mouth skimmers and are a rectangle shape. They skim the water better than the older style "square" mouth ones.