Stainless steel fittings

Stainless steel pool fittings for a premium look

A skimmer is essential for keeping a pool clean and hygienic. Its main purpose is to collect floating debris such as leaves, pollen, petals and insects directly from the water surface. This prevents debris from sinking to the bottom, where it becomes much harder to remove and can reduce water quality. By investing in a skimmer, pool owners can save time and effort on manual cleaning while maintaining optimum water quality and benefiting from effective filtration.

Pool skimmers come in two main designs to suit different pool constructions and needs:

• A surface skimmer is the most common type of surface-water outlet. It is usually mounted at the pool edge and has a strategically positioned opening that draws in floating debris efficiently. This design is ideal for most pool installations and helps keep the surface clear of debris, supporting effective water filtration.
• An overflow outlet is another skimmer variant, often integrated into one corner of the pool. It has a wider opening that collects surface debris across a larger area. This is particularly effective for quickly and thoroughly removing floating debris from a broader surface, which is useful when building a pool with specific design requirements or considering an enclosure. The overflow outlet provides more comprehensive, effective cleaning by maximising the collection area.

Both surface skimmers and overflow outlets effectively remove floating debris from a pool. The best type for you depends on your pool construction and personal preferences.

A pool skimmer must be installed and maintained correctly to work effectively. Surface skimmers need regular cleaning to remove dirt and algae that may block the opening. Overflow outlets also need regular cleaning, but less often than surface skimmers.

Here are some tips for installing and maintaining a pool skimmer:

• Install the pool skimmer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Clean the surface skimmer at least once a week.
• Clean the overflow outlet at least once a month.

Following these tips helps your skimmer work effectively and keep your pool clean.