Does it seem like the leaves never end? Does it seem like once you skim your pool that ten times more leaves fall in the water? You are not alone. We put together a few tips to make leaf removal easy.
If you don’t remove the leaves from your pool, they get stuck in the manifold and filters. Once the filters get clogged, they will have a hard time filtering out other debris. The pool vacuum may stop working, your pool will get dirty, and stains can accumulate on your pool tile.
After all the hard work you put into choosing the perfect swimming pool tiles, maintaining the cleanliness of the pool all summer, and enjoying a refreshing swim, it is best to keep up with maintenance and clean the leaves out regularly.
Use a Pool Cover
A pool cover is the easiest way to keep leaves out of your pool. But how do you know what kind to use? There are a few different ones to choose from, which include:
- Leaf Net Cover
- Mesh Pool Cover
- Winter Pool Cover
We will go over each one so you have a better understanding of which one suits your needs.
Leaf Net Cover
A leaf net cover is used by itself or on top of your regular pool cover. If you decide to use it on top of your regular cover, the leaves will be easier to clean up when you reopen your pool. This is because the leaf net cover is lighter than a regular pool cover, so you just pick up the net, which catches all the debris during the winter and remove it from your pool.
The leaf net cover is also used when you have a bad leaf problem before you close down your pool. Just put the cover over your pool to catch any leaves and debris. When you are ready to swim, simply take the cover off and jump in the pool. It is much lighter than regular covers so it is a good option for fall when the leaves are constantly making their way into your pool.
Mesh Pool Cover
A mesh pool cover keeps leaves out of your pool and stops water from pooling on the cover. Rainwater seeps through the mesh, but leaves, sticks, and other debris are trapped in the mesh so they are easily removed.
When you are ready to swim, make sure to remove the leaves from the cover so they don’t dump into the pool. You can remove the leaves from the cover by a leaf blower, broom, a water hose, or a pool brush.
Winter Pool Cover
A winter pool cover can be either manual or automatic. Automatic is the easiest as winter pool covers can be heavy, especially if they have accumulated leaves and water.
Winter pool covers can be used all year long, but if you use them with a leaf net cover it makes cleaning the debris off a lot easier. If you do decide on a winter pool cover, you will need a pool cover pump to remove the dirty water that has built up over the winter.
Keep up With Your Lawn
If you maintain your lawn, it will be easier to take care of your pool. For example, if you trim your trees every few years, there will be fewer dead branches falling into your pool. Another option is to use a bag when mowing your lawn to cut down on grass clippings that may fly into the water. Furthermore, rake leaves up when they start falling, don’t wait until the last minute. The fewer leaves that are in your yard, the fewer that will fall in your pool.
Landscaping Tips
When you think about what types of plants you want around your pool, consider tropical trees and bushes. These have large leaves that don’t leave a big mess when they fall. A couple of larger leaves are easier to pick up than a hundred smaller leaves.
If tropical trees aren’t an option for you, consider a crabapple or dogwood tree. They are still beautiful and tend not to drop as many leaves like a maple or an oak tree.
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls keep debris out of the water while offering some privacy to your pool area. Shrubs, low fences, and rocks are all options for retaining walls. Retaining walls don’t have to be simple or boring, they can be elaborate if you find the right landscaping designer.
Ways to Removal Leaves
Even if you do all of the above, you most likely will find yourself removing leaves from your pool. Mother Nature has her ideas and sometimes there is no stopping her. So how now what.
Leaf Vacuum
A leaf vacuum is a heavy-duty option. If you have a lot of leaves, heavy leaves, or they are just too deep for you to reach then a leaf vacuum is a good option. It attaches to the water hose, pressure powers the jet inside of it, and then it forces the leaves into a collection bag.
Leaf Rake
Leaf rakes are specially designed for removing debris from pools. They look similar to skimmer nets, but they are larger, more durable, and have a deeper net.
The rakes can be tricky to use, so practice with it a few times before you completely give up. You need to find a balance between moving too fast or too slow.
Leaf Trap
A leaf trap is attached to your pool vacuuming system. You still need to control the vacuum, but it basically does the work for you. The vacuum also catches more leaves than a skimmer so you don’t have to empty it every couple of minutes.
Bringing it all Together
There are many ways to keep leaves out of your pool, from nets to vacuums to covers. Take time to consider which one is right for you. Keeping leaves and debris out of your pool is essential to pool maintenance and will keep your ceramic pool tiles looking newer for a long time.
