A robot pool cleaner is one of the best investments a pool owner can make—but just like anything else, getting the most out of it year-round means taking some care into the seasons. Whether you’re bracing for the dog days of summer or bundling up for winter, maintaining a seasonal pool cleaner schedule can help ensure your device runs smoothly, and your water stays clean as can be, any time of year.
Between summer and winter, your robotic pool cleaner requires some extra care in order to perform at its best, and maintain your pool under changing scenarios. Rather than manual devices like a skimmer and the old-school pool vacuum, robotic designs like the swimming pool robot cleaner are designed for maintaining cleanliness with the minimal effort. But without the right preseason preparation, you’re opening yourself up to less performance, or, worst case scenario, mechanical failure. In this guide, we’ll demonstrate how to get your pool robotic pool cleaner ready and operate it year-round (so it stays clean, efficient, and ready to go).
Contents
Spring Startup: Get Your Robot Ready for Intense Work
When the mercury rises and the pool gets plenty of use, it’s time to check over your pool cleaning robot:
Examine and Clean the Filters: Clean winter debris and rinse the filters with regular (not salt) water.
Inspect Brushes and Tracks: Look for wear and damage that could affect movement.
Upgrade Smart Features: If your robot has firmware updates available (many Beatbot and Maytronics pool cleaners do), make sure to install them early in the season.
Now is also the perfect time to practice when to acid wash pool surfaces if you have stubborn stains or discoloration around the waterline.
SUMMER MAINTENANCE: Get More Life Out Of Your Air Conditioner This Peak Season
Your robot pool cleaner is going to be putting in some serious overtime over the summer. Here’s how to take care of it:
- Change Filters Often: When you receive filters, they are white and they end up brown. Wash filters after each cleaning cycle.
- Observe Cleaning Pattern: Change running time if your pool suction cleaner seems to miss spots.
- Utilize Washer Pool Cleaner Modes: These work particularly well when you’re using your pool most.
And don’t neglect to empty the skimmer basket frequently, so an excess of surface debris doesn’t overwork the robot’s filter system.
Fall Clean-Up: Conquer Leaves and Algae
The season brings leaves, cooler temperatures, and often the start of algae growth. Get your pool vacuum robot scrubbed up:
- Use a Pool Vacuum for Algae: High-end models are able to capture fine algae particles and scrub slippery walls.
- Clear the Skimmer Daily: Leaves can clog baskets in no time.
- Perform a Deep Clean of the unit weekly: Remove and wash the intake, brushes and tracks.
Here at the halfway point would also be a good time to think about high-Efficiency robots such as Beatbot AquaSense 2, Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro, and the Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra. These models are good for larger debris and algae versus the old model.
Winterization – Store or operate in the coldest months
If your pool is in a warmer climate and open all year, you’ll need to have your pool robotic pool cleaner run less frequently, perhaps once a week. For cold climates, storage is key:
- Drain All Water: Take off the unit and let it dry out completely, in order not to have an internal freeze.
- Indoor Storage: Store the robot indoors in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
- Unwind and Coil Cables: Keep the cable from being crimped and tangled.
This is also the perfect time to learn how to drain an inground pool without a pump, if you are winterizing your entire pool.
Do You Need a Booster Pump?
You may be wondering, what the heck is a pool booster pump, and do I need one for my robot cleaner? Pressure-side cleaners usually need a booster pump; Not robotic ones. Beatbot and other contemporary brands systems are portable, energy-efficient and booster-free.
Conclusion
Maintaining your robot pool cleaner in season-long shape is simple with a little seasonal TLC and they all require very little effort. With the correct precautions in spring, summer, autumn and winter, you’ll maximize the life of your pool vacuum, keep your water crystal clear, and prevent more serious problems. The Beatbot AquaSense 2, Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro and Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra are designed to be durable, flexible and responsive — but like anything else with a circuit board, they need proper maintenance to run at their prime.