5 Things to Know About Vacuuming Your Pool on Waste

Vacuum on waste to avoid clogging your filter When you vacuum on filter, stirred-up dirt and algae go through the sand and can clog it or get pumped back into the pool. Waste bypasses the filter entirely and sends the gunk out the backwash hose.

Use waste for cloudy or green water For normal maintenance with light debris, vacuuming on filter then backwashing works fine. But if the water looks cloudy or green, waste is your friend.

Expect to lose water Vacuuming on waste sends water out the backwash hose, so watch the skimmer level and top off after. A little water loss is cheaper than a sand change.

Prime the hose before starting Set the valve to waste, attach your vacuum head and pole, then hold the hose over a return jet until bubbles stop. Then start vacuuming.

Turn the pump off before moving the valve lever Moving the lever while the pump is running can break the spider gasket. Always shut the pump off first.