Most new pools come with a maintenance equipment package of some sort. Usually, this equipment is cheap entry level gear. Especially if you buy an above ground pool package. I am writing this review to help you buy a premium hose when it’s time to replace your old one.
We are only talking about an item that cost between $35.00 and $85.00. But, if you have to replace it every year, or even every couple years, it will start to add up. And with most hoses costing the same, why not get the best hose for your money?
With all vacuum hoses being relatively inexpensive, why would you even buy a cheap or mid-level vacuum hose? When for a few dollars more you can buy a premium professional grade pool hose that will provide you trouble-free use, and last you 20 years.
Quick Reference
If you do not want to read this entire article and learn more about pool hoses, and just want to know the best brand, or where to buy the best for less, here you go: I-Helix, Haviland Pool Hose, and buy it from our store, or Amazon
Trouble Vacuuming The Pool
I get calls all the time from people who are having difficulty vacuuming their pool. Every time they try to get the vacuum going in their pool, they lose the prime in the pump. So they think the pump has stopped working or there is a crack in their underground plumbing (inground pools). When in fact the problem is their pool vacuum hose.
Cheap and entry-level pool hoses are super thin cheap plastic. Drag them across a cement deck even once, and you have created your first pinhole. A few pinholes and your vacuum hose start to suck more air than water, and that’s when the problem begins. Ever try to drink something with a broken straw?
Kinks and Bent Hoses
One end of your hose should have a swivel on it, so your pool hose does not get twisted and kinked when you’re using it. The swivel side goes on the vacuum head or automatic vacuum, and the other end of the hose connects to your skimmer to supply suction from the pump.
NOTE: If you have two skimmers, close one or plug it (with proper plug), to get maximum suction from the other skimmer. Some people use a tennis ball, so it releases when the pump is off, just in case they forget.
Without a swivel on the cuff (end of the hose), your pool hose will twist and kink. Let it kink even once, and the vacuum hose will remember, forming a weakness in that area.
Pool Hose Ends
The end of the pool hose is another potential problem with pool vacuum hoses. The cuff on the end of the vacuum hose gets attached and detached from a vacuum head a lot and cause wear. With repeated use, the hose end will crack. Cheap pool hoses are so stiff they don’t seal well on the vacuum head, or they tangle easily. A loose cuff causes the hose end to slip off the vacuum head causing more aggravation.
Pool Vacuum Hose Storage
Another problem with vacuum hoses is the way most people store them. Sometimes they just leave them in the pool when not being used. Keep in mind that even premium hoses like the I-Helix should not be left in the sun, or in the pool when not in use.
The suns damaging UV rays, and your pool chemicals will cause a hose to wear out early. The I-Helix hose is treated with inhibitors to protect it, but should always get stored in a pool shed or similar area.
Pool Vacuuming Tips and Tricks
If you hear a sipping sound while vacuuming your pool, your hose probably leaks. Leaks mean you’re not getting all the suction you want. So instead of vacuuming, you are just moving dirt around on the bottom of the pool. As the hose breaks through the pool surface, the cracked or pitted pool hose sucks in some air making a sipping sound. Like the sound, you make sipping a hot cup of coffee.
If you hear that sound, move the hose above the water line and figure out where the leak is, dry the area thoroughly and ducktape the shit out of it (use a lot of duct tape). This repair might get you another year out of a hose with holes.
Find a way to store the hose, so it is off the ground. This will keep people (kids) from walking on your vacuum hose and damaging the ends.
Best Pool Vacuum Hose
As already mentioned, the best of the best is the I-Helix, made by Haviland out of Michigan in America. You have probably used one of their hoses if you have ever vacuumed your car at a pay machine.
Haviland makes less expensive hoses with a 3-year warranty, but pool stores charge just as much for those, as MGK Pools or Amazon charges for the good ones.
The I-helix has a five-year warranty but is probably five times more durable. The cuffs on the end of the Haviland I-Helix pool hose are more pliable than shitty bargain hose, making them easier to put on the vacuum head.
Also, the loops on the hose are tighter and closer together preventing pinholes when dragged across rough surfaces.
Conclusion of My Pool Vacuum Hose Review
It should be clear to you now that your pool vacuum hose is an essential part of your pool maintenance equipment. If you treat it well and buy a good one, it will last a long time and make cleaning your pool less of a chore.
I have surfed the web and looked at Amazon.com, Pool Center, Leslie’s Pools, Etc. At the time of this writing, it cost less on our site: MGK Pools. Do yourself a favor and buy an I-Helix, then go for a swim. You deserve it!
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