Empty the skimmer and pump basket
A clogged skimmer basket cuts flow and forces your pump to work harder than it needs to.
What you'll learn
- Why a full basket makes your pump run hot
- A weekly schedule for checking skimmer and pump baskets
- Adjusting for fall leaf drop seasonally
- What it means when sand or fine particles show up in the pump basket
Step by step
- Turn off the pump at the timer before opening any baskets.
- Remove the skimmer lid, take out the basket, dump the debris, and rinse it.
- Take off the pump lid (the clear cover on top of the pump housing).
- Pull the pump basket out, dump it, rinse, and put it back.
- Put the lid back on hand-tight, then restart the pump.
Safety note
Fine particles or sand in the pump basket point to a filter issue. Could be a broken lateral in your sand filter or a cracked DE grid. Time to book a repair.
Prefer to let a professional take care of it?
For weekly maintenance, repairs, or urgent issues anywhere in San Diego County, leave us a message and we'll return your call.
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