Actually, they aren't a bad thing to remove all together. Skimmer flaps are a notorious place for algae, especially black or mustard, and bacteria to hide and grow, which makes reoccurance terribly probable. Removing them all together will not harm the performance of your pool.
I beg to differ with the answer above -
The skimmer works because the water jets create a flow which pushes the water past the skimmer. The skimmer is pulling water down which causes debris on the top of the water to get caught in the basket. The skimmer flap(s) limits the amount of water being sucked in by the skimmer causing more suction and making the skimmer more efficient. It is important for the skimmer doors, or "weirs" as they are called, to be in place for your skimmer to work properly.
Try it for yourself. With the skimmer running, place your hand, a brick or some other obstruction where the skimmer door should be. Restrict the water flow a bit in some way. You will see a much larger volume of water being sucked into the skimmer than with no door at all. If you already have a flap or wier in place, do the reverse. With the skimmer running, hold the door completely open and see hose the flow virtually ceases.
Replacement weirs or flaps can easily be found at your pool store. Just take your old one with you or measure the opening where it should sit. Little pegs on the sides of the replacements are spring loaded to keep it properly situated so it is very important that the new weir be exactly where you want it before pulling the pins securing the pegs.
I hope this has helped!
As skimmer boxes in in ground pools are built in this is usually a very difficult and possibly expensive operation and may well require the attention of a pool builder or repairer. However if the cost proves to be prohibitive you can replace the skimmer box with a suction side floating pool skimmer. these plug into the suction via a pool hose and take the place of the skimmer box they can be left on a short hose or a long one and be positioned or left to float freely in the pool. they are in fact a far better skimmer then the existing static skimmer box.
NO the leak is in the entrance to the skimmer, a grout line was broken when I had the pool replastered and the vibrations from the jackhammers did it. The plaster co. will not take responsibility for this.
You have to actually determine that the skimmer is in fact leaking. Repair kits are available on the market just for this situation. However, the leak has to be at the very bottom or near bottom of the skimmer. Have you had a pressure test on the system?
Reduce the water level down to approx. 3 inches below the skimmer. Loosen the existing screws of the skimmer but don't remove them. Only remove the skimmer body. If the skimmer body does not come off the outside pool wall then you have screws holding it under the face plate. Unfortunately, in this case you will have to remove the faceplate to get at the screws which hold the body to the pool wall. It is best to leave the face plate on so you don't lose the position of the liner in relationship to the already existing holes. You can pull back the faceplate enough to put some Duct Tape on the liner and the pool wall to hold it in place. You can screw through the duct tape. Install new skimmer without losing the cut out or screw holes. It is also advantageous to use new gaskets.
There is a special puddy you can buy from your local pool place to fix a cracked skimmer. It dries quickly & its easy to use. You may have to do this yearly. We have had to twice now.
They are usually attached with a hose to vac source & float on top.
Generally, the skimmer area of the pool can be sleeved with PVC if there is a leak
I have etching in my inground concrette pool and i need to know how to fix it. the pool was made in 1973 i bought the house three years ago.
It would be easier to replace with a floating skimmer Check poolrite dragonfly
Yes it can be done
They last longer and easier to take care of.
First of all you cut the concrete 2 paralell cuts from pool edge toward the pool equipment, jack hammer out concrete remove old skimmer and coping , plaster, etc, trench out from skimmer location to exist skimmer/drain line,set new skimmer in place plumbin to old skimmer line pour concrete around base of skimmer to set in place, wrap 1/2" rebar drilled and epoxyed into exist pool gunite, build form around skimmer and rebar, pour form with rapid set mortar, pour final layer of finish concrete, replace coping repair plaster and voila you r done
No as long as the skimmer section of the pool is properly supported like the rest of the pool
it depends on what the pool is made of if it is concrete then all of if its carbon fiber then about half of it.
You really can't. You can put a "skamper ramp" on your pool to help them get out but its hit or miss they'll see it. There is a an ingenious lightweight, net device called Critter Guard that provides a ladder for frogs and other animals to use to climb out of a pool. Visit the Critter Guard Web site at or at Critterguard.net for Purchases and additional information.
The wall is steel and concrete so the short answer is that you do not.
try a shop vack drain the pond/pool down to the bottom of the front of the skimmer then turn the pump for 25 sec till you see the water drop in the line let it dry a bit then shop vack it
you can back wash the pool and drain to proper level Throw a pool party with lots of energetic kids.
Justin Bieber has a inground pool