# I clogged up the pump/filter in my pool. Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755 "2001-10-21T22:57:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![galyean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@galyean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galyean)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/1 "2001-10-21T22:57:53Z")
I did something stupid again. To prepare my pool for winter I started to clean and vacuum. After about ten minutes I noticed the suction was minimal. Unfortunately I failed to put the basket back in the skimmer while I vacuumed. Now I have a clog between the pool and the filter. A plunger did not work. Will Draino make the pool explode? Should I rent a snake? What recourse, short of paying a skilled professional, do I have? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/2 "2001-10-21T23:17:00Z")
I not sure what your pump setup is but have you tried to reverse the water flow to see if it comes out? ---
**Author:** ![galyean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@galyean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galyean)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/3 "2001-10-22T02:21:02Z")
I’ve tried backwash, waste, recirculate, close and filter. I think I screwed myself. …waiting for someone to put this together with the pump. ---
**Author:** ![galyean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@galyean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galyean)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/4 "2001-10-22T11:41:18Z")
…bump ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/5 "2001-10-22T11:44:35Z")
Where’d you get the pool and pump from? Is it a large pump small one? Do you know what kind of model the pump is? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/6 "2001-10-22T11:54:01Z")
Did you try the leaf basket by the pump? Mine gets clogged every couple of days this time of year. Backwash – pumps water out of the pool, and cleans the DE out of the filter. Recirculate – bypasses the filter. A bit more pressure in the line, if you think the blockage is in there. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/7 "2001-10-22T14:05:01Z")
You seem convinced the clog lies in the pipes that take water from the pool to the filter. In that case, you are probably looking at using a snake to clear large matter from the pipes. Consider a professional, please. It’s not a big deal, but they can consider things like the types of plumbing you have and the kinds of turns it makes. Do not think about chemicals. Get it snaked. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-clogged-up-the-pump-filter-in-my-pool-help/88755/8 "2001-10-22T14:11:44Z")
I searched the net, for unclog pool drains, there are a few sites, here is one, [http://www.diveinpoolrepairs.com/](http://www.diveinpoolrepairs.com/) so you might call a local pool comp.