Caring for your Intex pool is essential to keep it in prime condition. If you are a new pool owner, you may need to familiarize yourself with the right mix of chemicals for keeping your pool water sanitary and clean, as well as tools and techniques for maintaining your pool.
If your Intex pool has dual outlets, you need to know how to vacuum an Intex pool with dual outlets. This article provides you with a care guide on how to vacuum an Intex pool with dual outlets to help you know the tools, techniques, and maintenance hacks to keep it clean.
In this post we will cover:
- What are Intex Pools?
- How to Vacuum an Intex Pool with Dual Outlets
- Vacuuming your Intex pool manually
- How should you care for your Intex pool?
- How deep should the sand be on an above-ground pool?
- What is a pool sweeper and why do you need it?
- How do I get pollen out of my pool?
- What household products can you use to clean your pool?
What are Intex Pools?
Intex pools can either be above-ground pools or in-ground pools. The pools usually have pumps and cartridge filters that make it easy to swim in them as soon as you set them up. The pump capacity of their filter will vary based on the size of the pool you choose.
The options of Intex pools range from basic inflatables to steel-framed models, and they usually come with a debris cover and a ground cover.
The Intex pools have a shared foundation of a liner made of triple-ply polymer. The inflatable Intex pools are the most basic models of the Intex brand.
The metal-framed models are the most durable since they have a strong frame of powder-coated steel that is resistant to weathering and rust.
For additional support, the metal-framed models have reinforced polymer material encircling their entire bodies like a girdle.
The oval-framed Intex pools straddle the line between the basic inflatable models and the durable, high-end Intex pools. They have an elongated shape that can fit into a narrow backyard.
The pools use a snap-on frame instead of all-round elongated legs to support them without taking extra steps.
The ultra-framed Intex pools have a large footprint with upgraded aesthetics and materials that justify their higher price tag.
The powder-coated steel frames of the Intex models are extremely strong and rust-resistant. The pools also have an extra-durable three-ply line and are typically equipped with a cartridge pump filter.
The prism-framed Intex pools also have powder-coated steel frames that are engineered to fit them without bulky extra pins.
The Intex pumps have a built-in ground fault circuit interrupter that shuts down the pump automatically if any electrical current is exposed to water.
How to Vacuum an Intex Pool with Dual Outlets
To vacuum the pool, you will require a pool vacuum, a telescopic pole, a skimmer, a nylon-bristle pool brush, a water testing skit or test strip, extra hoses, and chemicals required to keep your water balanced, such as chlorine.
Below is a step-by-step guide to vacuuming an Intex pool with dual outlets:
Step 1: Remove visible debris using a skimmer. A skimmer holds all the leaves, dirt, garbage, dead insects, and other debris before they can get into the bottom of your pool. You must have a skimmer if you have an above-ground Intex pool.
Many Intex pools do not have a skimmer, so it is good practice to remove the debris that floats on the surface of the pool before it sinks to the bottom. Use a leaf rake and a standard telescopic pole of 8–15 inches to scoop small and large amounts of dirt from the pool floor.
Leaf rakes have large bags and a beveled front edge for scooping debris from the pool floor, large and small.
Step 2: Brush the walls and floors of your pool with a nylon-bristled brush because the vinyl liner on your Intex pool requires a gentle touch to prevent scratching and tearing.
Soft-sided pools made of vinyl, like Intex pools, can develop a thin biofilm of bacteria on the surface provided the conditions are right.
A good brush will prevent stains from forming on the pool liner and distribute chemicals in your pool.
Step 3: Vacuum the floor of your pool to remove dirt, debris, and dust that have collected there. The vacuuming is somewhat of a daunting task because of the suction, hoses, and a bit of technique required.
You will need an Intex pool vacuum to clean the bottom of your Intex pool. A standard pool vacuum will use the vacuum force in the skimmer line.
The circulation pump creates a vacuum in the skimmer lines, creating a back force on the pump under negative pressure.
Step 4: If your pool attracts a lot of leaves, use a Leaf Gulper garden hose vacuum to clean your Intex pool. Attach the Leaf Gulper to a pool pole and then connect it to a garden hose so that you can vacuum and fill the pool at the same time.
Vacuuming your Intex pool manually
Step 1: Prime your vacuum by purging all air from your vacuuming system. Take out any air pockets that may cause your vacuum to lose suction and help keep the system running longer.
Insert the vacuum into the water using a telescopic pole and move the vacuum head to the bottom of the pool floor.
Step 2: Connect the vacuum to the pump of the pool that will circulate the water in the pool. Then connect your vacuum hose to the skimmer’s suction port at the bottom.
Step 3: Vacuum your pool by moving the vacuum head back and forth along the pool’s surface until it is clean. All of the dirt and debris will be sucked up by the vacuum.
A hose will direct all of these items into the debris bag. Check your connection and properly reset it if you lose suction.
Using an automatic vacuum
An automatic vacuum can be a robotic vacuum, a suction-side vacuum, or a pressure-side vacuum. Automatic vacuums are good for cleaning drains, steps, and walls of your pool because they are well engineered to move in a random pattern. If you do not have a skimmer, you can use an automatic vacuum.
FAQs
How should you care for your Intex pool?
Balance your pool water: It is important to monitor and adjust the alkalinity and pH levels of the water in your Intex pool because this is the foundation of a healthy pool. Balanced pool water will assist your sanitizer in working more effectively.
Alkalinity protects your pool from extreme pH changes by buffering it against abrupt changes. You should aim for a level of alkalinity of 100–150 parts per million (ppm).
The water in your pool will be acidic if the pH is too low. To raise the pH level, in this case, add a base, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), to your water.
If the pH of the water is too high or too basic, an acid, such as sodium bisulfate, must be added to reduce it.
Filtration: The filter pump of your pool is responsible for circulating water and evenly distributing sanitizer and other chemicals while cleaning the water. Therefore, it is essential to run your filter pump at least 12 hours a day, daily.
Running the pump will circulate all the water in your pool. Also, replace the filter cartridge annually, whenever you close or open your pool during the off-season, when it is torn, or as recommended by the manufacturer.
Shocking your pool: The chlorine level in your pool should be between 1 and 3 ppm under normal conditions. However, as the chlorine hammers away at contaminants and bounds with them, you will need to recharge it. That is where shocking your pool comes in.
Shocking your pool will kill the bacteria and algae therein. The frequency of shocking the pool will depend on how often you use it. However, we recommend shocking your Intex pool every week, especially if you are in a climate with heavy rains or heat waves.
How deep should the sand be on an above-ground pool?
When installing an above-ground pool, some work needs to be done, including digging a hole that can accommodate the floor of the pool. The hole is usually padded with a layer of sand before installing the pool. However, how deep should the sand be in an above-ground pool?
Sand depth: sand is used under the pool to protect the vinyl liner of the above-ground pool from objects that could tear it. The sand also acts as a cushion for the pool’s floor. Therefore, an above-ground pool requires a standard depth of sand of about two inches.
Add the sand at the center of the pool and then spread it outwards. Then smooth out the sand to serve as the padding of your pool floor before placing the liner of the pool over it.
Additional padding above the sand base helps to further protect the pool liner from any possible tears and rips.
What is a pool sweeper and why do you need it?
A pool sweeper is a device used to remove debris and dirt from a swimming pool. A manual pool sweeper has three parts, which include a long pole for moving the sweeper head around the walls and floor of your pool.
The second is flexible hoses, which connect the cleaner to the filter system of the pool to suck dirt out of it. The third is the brush head, which does the actual work of moving debris into the hose and out of the pool.
The pool sweeper harnesses suction from the filter system of your pool to suck dirt out of your pool. The brush head scours and scrapes algae, dirt, and debris from the underwater surfaces.
Once the dirt is in the water, the suction from the system will be pulled into the filter where it can be removed completely.
How do I get pollen out of my pool?
If you have plants in your backyard, most likely, you will have to deal with pollen in your pool. Pollen floats at the top of the pool, and some may be picked up by your pool’s filtration system. Here is how to remove pollen from your pool:
Step 1: Run the filter system because it is the first line of defense. It is the best place to start, even though it will not completely get rid of the pollen. It will reduce the amount of labor you will have to put in to eliminate the pollen.
Step 2: Regularly skim the water using a skimmer with a fine mesh head every morning. During the heavy pollen season, you may want to repeat the process more than once a day.
Step 3: Add Aluminum Sulfate to your pool water to remove pollen that is too small to be picked up by a skimmer. The Sulfate will bind to the pollen, causing it to clump together and making it easier for the filter and skimmer to capture.
Step 4: Shock your pool to kill anything that may get comfortable there because of the pollen floating in your pool water. Shock your pool in the evening and next morning, then skim it to eliminate the pollen and other things left in the water.
Step 5: Vacuum as necessary because filtering and skimming will not be enough to get rid of pollen in your pool. You will have to vacuum your pool manually and when done replace the water removed during the process.
What household products can you use to clean your pool?
Baking soda: A simple paste of baking soda and water creates a non-abrasive cleaner that works excellently on pool tile and grout. It can also be used on stone or concrete pool decks.
It also increases the alkalinity of your pool. Just add 1.5 pounds of baking soda for every 10,000 gallons of water.
White vinegar: White vinegar can be used to remove calcium buildup from your pool. Make a 50/50 vinegar-water solution, dip a soft cloth or sponge in it, and scrub the residue away.
Vitamin C tablets: Vitamin C is ascorbic acid, which eliminates stains and rust. Crushed vitamin C tables are excellent stain removers and can go a long way in removing stains from your pool. Crush the tablets and remove stains on the surfaces of your pool.
Bleach: Bleach which is also known as sodium hypochlorite, can remove stains from grout that cannot be removed by baking powder. You can also use bleach to shock your pool to raise the level of chlorine to kill algae and bacteria in your pool.
Simple Green: This is a non-toxic cleaner that is environmentally friendly, so you can use it as a natural cleaner on your pool. With a little elbow grease, it removes grimy residues, stains, and a small amount of rust.
Borax: Add water to it to make a paste and then use it to scrub slippery spots, stick residues, and stains in and out of your pool. You can also use borax to raise the pH level in your pool by adding half a cup per 10,000 gallons of water.
Lemon juice: The citric acid contained in lemon juice is a natural cleanser that can remove grime, calcium buildup, and even rust in some cases.
Mix a cup of the juice with some salt to make a slurry, then apply it to tile or metal with a sponge and gently rub the gunk or rust away. Use undiluted lemon juice if the rust or calcium buildup is bad.
Olive oil: olive oil is a natural cleaner that can be applied to break down sticky buildup. Then clean it up with warm water, mild soap, and a sponge. The oil can also be used on your pool cover and plastic pool toys.
