Skimmers are where the actual filtration of your swimming pool begins. Located on the side wall of your pool, you can have anywhere from one to four skimmers. Remember, the more water in your pool, the more skimmers your pool will need.

What does it look like, you ask? Well, from the inside of your pool, it looks like a square or rectangle shaped hole in the inside wall of your pool with a flap, called a weir door, hinged at the bottom of the opening. From the outside of the pool - well that varies depending on what type of pool you have.

• Above-ground pools have skimmers that are completely visible and hang off of the side of the pool with a flexible hose coming out of the bottom.
• In-ground pools are completely different. Since they are "in the ground", the skimmers are buried under the earth or your decking and all that is usually visable is the cover.

Although they look different, they both perform the same function. The skimmers sit about a couple inches from the top of the pool and are used to gauge the water level in the pool (your water line should be in the middle of the skimmer.) When the pump is turned on, it pulls the water from the pool, into the skimmer (trapping debris in the basket), down through the piping and plumbing and through the rest of the filter system.

To keep your skimmer from getting clogged, make sure you clean the filter basket out regularly - about 1-2 times per week depending on use and how many trees are around the pool. If any part of the skimmer has become cracked, replace the broken pieces immediately to avoid any more serious problems.