Have you ever seen a few leaves or bugs floating on your pool’s surface one minute and disappearing the next? Well, that’s your skimmer doing its job.
A pool skimmer is like your pool’s frontline cleaner. It’s built into the system to pull in floating debris before it sinks to the bottom, where it’s harder to clean. Think of it like a pre-filter that takes care of the heavy lifting before your actual filter gets to work.
How a Pool Skimmer Works
Surface water gets pulled into the skimmer
When your pool pump is on, it pulls water from the surface of the pool toward the skimmer. This creates a current that draws in floating debris like leaves or bugs before they have a chance to sink.
The weir door controls flow
At the mouth of the skimmer, there’s a small swinging flap called a weir door. It’s made to stay partially open when water flows in, but it tilts closed when the pump shuts off. This helps trap the debris inside the skimmer and keeps it from going back into the pool.
Debris gets collected in the skimmer basket
Once the water and debris pass the weir door, they land in a skimmer basket – a mesh container that catches larger debris. This basket is removable and easy to clean, and it acts as the first line of defense to stop leaves and gunk from clogging up your filtration system.
Clean water continues to the main filter
After passing through the basket, the water flows into your pool’s plumbing and heads toward the main filtration system. There, finer particles and contaminants are removed before the clean water is pushed back into the pool through the return jets.
The process repeats automatically
As long as your pump is running, this process keeps going on its own. The skimmer keeps skimming, your water stays clearer, and you don’t have to deal with as much buildup of floating debris.
Types of Pool Skimmers
Depending on your pool type and how much maintenance you’re willing to do, there are different kinds of skimmers available. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Built-in (In-Wall) Skimmers
These are the most common in inground pools. They’re installed right into the pool wall, just under the waterline. They look like small rectangular cutouts and work constantly while the pump is running, drawing in water and surface debris.
However, because they need to be integrated into the pool’s structure, they’re really only an option for inground pools – usually installed during construction or during a major renovation. If you have a permanent pool and want a hassle-free option that works seamlessly with your existing filtration system, this is the one to go with.
2. Floating Skimmers
Floating skimmers are a more flexible, plug-and-play option. They float on the water’s surface and often have a small onboard pump that draws in debris as they move across the pool. Some are solar-powered, others run on batteries, and they work independently of your main filtration system. You can drop one in and let it do its job without any plumbing or installation.
These are ideal for above-ground pools, temporary setups, or pool owners who want an easy-to-deploy option that doesn’t require professional installation. They’re also great as a secondary layer of skimming in larger pools. However, floating skimmers don’t have quite the same suction power or reliability as built-in systems, and they can occasionally get stuck in corners or lose efficiency when the battery runs low. Still, for convenience and flexibility, they’re a strong choice.
3. Manual Skimmer Nets
This is the simplest, most hands-on type of skimmer – a mesh net attached to a telescoping pole. You use it manually to scoop out floating debris from the surface of your pool.
It doesn’t connect to your pool’s plumbing or filter, and it doesn’t move on its own, but it’s essential for day-to-day spot cleaning – like when you notice a few leaves drifting around or need to remove a clump of bugs after a windy day.
Manual skimmers are suitable for every pool type – in-ground or above-ground. While they can’t do the heavy lifting of automated skimming, they’re perfect for quick maintenance
Why You Need a Pool Skimmer
A pool skimmer isn’t just an add-on, it’s a key part of your pool’s daily health. Without it, you’d be dealing with cloudy water, clogged filters, and a whole lot more cleaning than necessary.
Here’s how a skimmer really earns its keep:
1. It Catches Debris Before It Sinks
The skimmer’s job starts the moment something hits the water’s surface. Leaves, bugs, pollen, flower petals, whatever lands on your pool, floats for a short time before eventually sinking to the bottom. If that debris sinks, you have to manually vacuum it out or brush it toward the drain. But if your skimmer is doing its job, it’ll pull in those floaters before they have a chance to settle.
This means far less scrubbing, brushing, and vacuuming on your end. It’s not just about making the pool look clean – it’s about staying ahead of the mess so it never gets out of hand in the first place.
2. It Keeps Water Flowing and Chemicals Balanced
Your skimmer is also one of the main points where water enters your pool’s filtration system. As the skimmer pulls in water, it keeps it circulating through the filter, heater (if you have one), and chlorinator. That constant movement isn’t just good for filtration – it’s critical for chemical distribution.
If the water doesn’t flow properly, chemicals like chlorine won’t get evenly spread throughout the pool. That creates dead zones – areas where water just sits and goes stale. These spots are more prone to algae growth and bacterial buildup. So, without a skimmer helping drive circulation, even your chlorine won’t work as effectively.
3. It Takes the Pressure Off Your Filter
When debris like leaves and twigs goes straight to your pool filter, they clog it up fast. That means your filter has to work harder than it should, and you’ll be cleaning or replacing cartridges more often. A skimmer prevents that from happening. It traps the big stuff in its basket before it ever reaches the filter.
By skimming off surface debris early it reduces wear and tear on your filtration system. Your filter lasts longer, works better, and needs less maintenance overall.
4. It Improves Water Quality and Sanitizer Efficiency
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize – organic debris in the pool isn’t just annoying, it’s food for bacteria.
When you leave leaves, insects, or body oils floating in your water, they break down and release nutrients that bacteria and algae thrive on.
A skimmer helps stop that process in its tracks. By removing organic matter early, it prevents bacteria from getting the nutrients they need to grow. Plus, without all that debris in the water, your chlorine doesn’t get used up as quickly, fighting off contaminants. It stays active longer, keeping your pool sanitized more efficiently. So your water stays cleaner, safer, and clearer – with less chemical use and less cost.
FAQs
What Does a Skimmer Look Like on a Pool?
From the outside, it looks like a rectangular opening just under the waterline. If you open the circular lid on your pool deck above it, you’ll see the skimmer basket, which catches the debris. Inside the wall opening, there’s usually a floating flap called a weir that helps keep debris from floating back into the pool once it’s been skimmed.
Is a Pool Skimmer the Same as a Filter?
Nope – they’re two different things, though they work together.
The skimmer is like a first line of defense, collecting leaves and bugs. The filter handles the finer stuff – like dirt, body oils, and bacteria – after the water passes through the pump.
Both are essential, but if your skimmer isn’t working, your filter will get overloaded fast.
What Is a Pool Skimmer Basket?
This is the small, removable basket that sits inside the skimmer housing. It’s where all the debris gets collected. You’ll want to check and empty this basket regularly – especially if your pool is near trees or during windy days when debris piles up fast. A clogged skimmer basket can slow down water flow and reduce the effectiveness of your entire filtration system.