Use of weirs in community swimming pool

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HoustonPrince
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Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby HoustonPrince » Wed 15 Jul, 2009 23:03

Hi all.

I've been a pool owner for the past year or so and after much research I have a decent handle on proper upkeep and the equipment involved. My neighborhood HOA has a community pool that is quite large and I can't help but notice apparent deficiencies with it.

One that has particularly irked me is the absence of any weir's in any of the numerous skimmer throats. These have likely been broken by curious kids over time and never replaced I advised the neighborhood management a couple of months ago of the technical neccessity of a weir. In a nutshell...if there is no weir...then the skimmer is not skimming! Body oils, suntan lotions, and other floating particulate will never make its way into the filter since the water will be pulled from below. I've learned that many think the weir is there simply to trap debris that has sucked into the throat and prevent it from escaping back into the pool.

I followed up with HOA management and they said the pool service company that maintains our pool said that the weirs simply do not function well in a public pool. Huh? HOA management went on to say that the service company said that the weirs' presence actually impedes the pumps ability to draw the needed water flow! I politely replied that I guess I'll have to defer to these "professionals" but it still surprises me.

Can anyone provide an authoritve link to the importance of a weir and the skimming action that it provides?


Me...
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Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby Me... » Tue 21 Jul, 2009 09:37

The skimmers that use the gate weir quite often, as you say, have the gates removed/broken by kids. What we have done a lot is put a floating weir inside the skimmer. This keeps the pool skimming but the gates are no longer there for entertainment purposes.
JamesWPoolPerson

Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby JamesWPoolPerson » Wed 22 Jul, 2009 00:14

The most common problem is that the doors bang when people splash and make waves. When the doors bang hard enough, they will break. If the skimmers have enough flow, the doors are usually pulled down enough to prevent them from banging. Most likely, the skimmers do not have enough flow.

As the other replier noted, you can use a skimmer basket that comes with a floating weir.
HoustonPrince
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Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 15 Jul, 2009 22:23
Location: Houston

Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby HoustonPrince » Wed 22 Jul, 2009 08:30

I appreciate the replies on how to replace the weirs and ways to keep them in place once installed...but my question is not about that. I'm looking for a technical and/or medical and/or scientific reason for the importance of having functioning weirs in the pool. Even better...what are the consequences, if any, of not having any weirs in the pool.
JamesWPoolPerson

Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby JamesWPoolPerson » Thu 23 Jul, 2009 02:16

The weir's job is to increase the flow rate of water being pulled from the surface. Without a weir, floating debris will not be effectively removed.

Most public pools need to be inspected by the City Health Department and given a certificate to operate.

Contact your local Health Department and ask them if swimming pool skimmers are required to have weirs. The Health Department Inspector can require that the weirs be reinstalled if it is written into the code or if the inspector feels it is necessary.

Contact the service company and ask them what the required flow rate is per skimmer and what the actual flow rate per skimmer is. Most likely, the skimmers are not receiving the minimum amount of flow to keep the weirs from banging and breaking.
Bryan P.

Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby Bryan P. » Sun 26 Jun, 2011 14:21

I know your post is old, but going to reply anyways. I have a pool cleaning service and to be honest, I do not know the exact importance of the weir. But, in Florida, they are required to be on all Community/Commercial Pools. Over the years, I have not seen where they help with the circulation of the pool. I can't even recall hearing a weir banging either. Many are missing due to people messing with them. Other break due to the little knobs that hold it in place get brittle over time and break off due to chlorine. I have had many weirs hinder circulation due to getting stuck part way open. Main importance I can see that a weir does is when to the pool is off the door closes keeping any debris from floating back out into the pool. If there is a difference in debris being pulled into the skimmer whether a weir is on or not, I have not noticed. But, I do know, maintaining a water level no more than half way up the skimmer window is best. The higher the water level is, the less the skimmer works. Check with your Health Department and they will tell you if you need them or not (I am going to venture and say since it is a Community/Commercial Pool that they are required). The Health Department, here in Florida, usually does an inspection 2 times a year. I am sure they do more inspections on pools with higher volumes of use, like Hotels and large Condo Units. I hope this was of some help. Take care and good luck with your pool !!!
SLPKNOT

Use of weirs in community swimming pool

Postby SLPKNOT » Sat 14 Jul, 2012 00:45

The weir allows to the suction to draw only the surface of the water. The surface tension as it is called is important in the effectiveness of the skimmer.

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