In-Floor Pool Cleaning Systems - Worth It? (Pros And Cons)

Having your own pool is appealing in every way but one, and that one way is maintenance. Even though we often purchase pools for relaxation and recreation, you may find yourself spending more time dealing with your pool’s upkeep rather than enjoying it!

This is where in-floor pool cleaning systems come in. These systems seek to make cleaning your pool an automated experience, allowing you to spend more time in the water than tending to it. But, what are these cleaning systems, and how do they work?

In this article, we will talk about what in-floor pool cleaning systems are, how they work, how much they cost, and what the pros and cons of owning one are. We also discuss alternatives to in-floor pool cleaning systems in case this premium option is outside of your budget.

What Are In-Floor Pool Cleaning Systems?

In-floor pool cleaning systems consist of multiple valve-operated drains along the floor of your pool.

These drains can be opened as needed to suck in debris that has settled to the floor of your pool. This water is then circulated through your filter system as normal and returned to the pool.

This entire cleaning process is streamlined to be user-friendly. This means that you can usually get everything done with the simple push of a button, depending on the model that you have.

How Much Do They Cost?

In-floor pool cleaning systems have a high initial cost that can range from $9,000-$15,000+. They also have high electricity costs associated with the operation of the machine.

Companies that provide these pool cleaners often warn that estimates for the annual electricity bill of these systems alone will cost around $1,000, assuming that your pool is open all year and that the system is used for short periods daily.

In-Floor Pool Cleaning System Pros And Cons

Pros

Effective Clean

These cleaning systems can remove all debris that has settled to the floor of your pool, eliminating the need for vacuuming and providing a better appearance in these areas.

Water Circulation

In-floor cleaning systems are optimised to achieve the best water circulation possible, eliminating any dead zones in your pool that become stagnant. Some sources suggest that this helps your chemicals work more effectively.

Low-Effort

These systems are automated. Rather than spending your energy vacuuming your pool, you can get all the debris out of the way almost instantly with the flip of a switch.

Cons

Expensive

In-floor cleaning systems can cost nearly a third of the price of your original pool. Furthermore, if they encounter issues, they can often be costly to repair.

Unnecessary

While they are great if you are specifically looking to avoid vacuuming, in-floor pool cleaning systems are not capable of keeping your entire pool clean.

You will still need to operate and maintain skimmer baskets, proper chlorination, and occasional scrubbing of the walls even if you have an in-floor cleaning system.

Over-Hyped

In-floor pool cleaning systems are often toted to accomplish more than their intended purpose.

While these systems do keep the floor of your pool clean, it is good to be suspicious of claims that these systems will help with heat retention, lower your pool’s electrical or chemical costs, or eliminate the need for cleaning overall.

Alternatives To In-Floor Pool Cleaning Systems

If you are interested in making aspects of your pool’s cleaning process more simple, automated, robotic pool cleaners are often recommended in place of in-floor pool cleaning systems.

These robots cover the entire surface area of your pool while sucking up debris, and even top models are a fraction of the cost of an at-home pool cleaning system.

These automated pool cleaners make a much more affordable alternative for those looking to escape their routine vacuuming duties.

Conclusion

In-floor pool cleaning systems are a premium option for pool maintenance. These systems provide automated cleaning and can save you from having to vacuum your pool so often.

However, they are not a complete cleaning system. All other regular maintenance will still need to be performed as usual.

If you are interested in taking a look at some of the more popular systems out there, take a look at these companies:

• Waterco
• Paramount

Do you have any questions about in-floor pool cleaning systems? Get in touch with us in the comment section down below! We’d love to help you out as best we can!