Due to the costly price tag attached to in-floor pool cleaning, it is not considered a necessity, and we recommend investing in a robotic pool cleaner instead. However, it is a helpful tool to acquire, and if requested, we are more than happy to assist in installing in-floor pool cleaning systems.
The way that in-floor cleaning products have been advertised to be ‘self-cleaning’ is a bit of a stretch and not as truthful to an unknowing buyer. There are four major parts involved in cleaning and maintaining a pool, and in-floor cleaning is only one part of that.
The four major parts are:
This website is supported by readers. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Sanitation – this is the process of extracting organic matter from the pool water through chlorine or salt chlorinators.
Filtration – this is the process of removing inorganic matter that clouds the water when trapped in the water column.
Skimming – The skimmer removes any debris, like leaves, that float on the water’s surface. However, sometimes debris falls to the bottom of the fall if it has not reached the skimmer. In-floor cleaning is beneficial as it collects and removes the debris from the pool’s floor.
Debris extraction of the pool floor – Like robotic pool cleaners, in-floor cleaning systems extract dirt from the pool floor. The in-floor cleaning system is powered by water jets that disperse dirt which will then be collected and removed from a centralized pickup point.
While in-floor pool systems operate effectively and proficiently in pools, the value to cost ratio is unbalanced. You pay too much money in electricity bills to use an in-floor pool cleaner, which is another less expensive product that could perform just as well.
While in-floor manufacturers like to point out the additional benefits of the product, like deep water circulation, heat retention, and chemical savings, no certification expressly endorses these benefits based on commissioned studies or tests.
All council and local government pools use robotic cleaners in maintaining their pools, which is what we recommend.
In-floor Cleaning Running Costs
In 2015, the standard price of electricity in Australia was $0.29/KWhr.
A regular in-floor system uses a 2.5KWpump and operates at a cycle of 4 hours per day.
The equation is straightforward. 365 (days) x 4 ( hrs / day) x (2.5(kW) x $0.29 (rate)) = $1058 – to work your in-floor pump to remove debris on the pool floor.
If the average household electricity bill sits around $500 per quarter, then an in-floor cleaning system will raise your home electricity usage by 50%.