How To Use Shop Vac To Clean Pool

How To Use A Shop Vac To Vacuum Water

"How To Use A Shop Vac To Vacuum Water"
Updated on: Jul 28, 2021 @ 6:23 pm

1. What Does A Shop Vac Do?

A shop vac is a vacuum that is primarily used in woodworking and construction. It comes with a high-powered suction unit and a motor that sucks up debris, dirt, and a variety of materials from woodworking shops and construction sites. A shop vac also has a tough, large-sized hose and a big container that holds the debris and helps in cleaning extremely dirty spaces. It is used to suck in screws, sawdust, nails, small pieces of metal, wood chunks and smaller objects found at construction sites and woodworking shops. Now, if you are looking for a different functionality from the shop vac and wondering how to use a shop vac to vacuum water, you first need to understand the way it works.

2. Is It Safe To Vacuum Water?

If you wish to vacuum water filled in your basement or other areas, you need to get a wet-dry vac. This piece of equipment is quite handy, and it can pick up anything from spilled water or milk to any other less viscous liquid. You might have come across issues like broken pipes, clogged toilets or flooding in rooms due to heavy rains. It is nothing less than a mini-catastrophe. The great news is that you can get rid of accumulated water by simply plugging in your shop vac, and the area will be clean and dry in no time. This way, not only can you clear the mess with minimum effort but also be saved from heavy damage repair expenses. Some shop vacs may come with a separate dry dust bag and a water tank while some models may have just one container for both. Therefore, choose the model carefully as per your requirements.

Before beginning the work, listen carefully to the sound of the motor. The motor emits a high pitch sound indicating that the vacuum is cutting off the flow of air automatically. In some shop vac models, a suction ball mechanism is used wherein suction is automatically stopped as soon as the tank becomes full. It will emit a high pitch sound to indicate the same. It is important to know and understand that if you run your shop vac when the tank is full, it can result in a lot of damage to the motor. So, you should empty the container which is filled with water by unplugging the equipment. Water can be emptied by removing the drain plug from the tank bottom or pouring out water from the tank. As water continues to fill up in the tank, it will get heavier and slightly cumbersome to manage. After vacuuming water, clean the tank using mild dish soap and warm water. Use a soft cloth to wipe the tank's inner surface clean and dry, ready for the next use. Replace the filter once you are done with your work.

4. Can A Shop Vac Be Used As A Water Pump To Move Water?

You might have come across situations where there is a lot of standing water accumulated in confined places. This is when you really want to know how to use a shop vac to vacuum water. Worry not as the problem of standing water can be solved using a pump vac! The models available in these series help in pumping water to another location, and it doesn't require moving of the vac. As soon as water is cleared from the area, the floor will start drying up. This machine has the capacity to move large quantities of water with amazing ease. It just picks up water from one area and moves it to another area. You need to attach your pump vacuum to one end of the garden hose while the other one should be left in the area where you want water to be moved. As water is vacuumed, it is pumped through the garden hose and the vacuum tank out from the basement. Once water has been completely pumped out, you have to use another feature of the equipment to ensure quick drying of the floor. The Air Mover feature will keep air moving in the area drying up the floor in no time.

5. Can You Use a Wet Vac to Clean Your Pond?

Once you know how to use a shop vac to vacuum water, this is the next question that naturally springs to mind. After all, if you have a garden pond in the backyard of your home, you need to ensure annual spring cleaning for removing stubborn algae and debris. Algae may be floating on the water surface, deteriorating the look of your pond while debris may get settled at the bottom. In summer months when you are using your backyard area the maximum, you need to ensure that it looks beautiful and appealing. If cleaning the pond has always been a very cumbersome task for you, invest in a good-quality pond or a wet-dry vacuum which effectively clears away debris and algae. For the best results, it is recommended to remove covers or nets from the pond from the last frost. Drain some water and attach a hose to the vacuum pump and start pumping outwards from the pond. It is essential to ensure the level of water is above the level of the pump when in use; else it can cause damage to the motor. You will have to remove fish and pond plants using a net and then start draining the remaining water from the pond. You can also use the pond net to scoop out debris and plants. Once empty, scrub the pond clean and remove built-in algae using a brush. You can fill in fresh water and transfer your plants and fish into the pond and start enjoying the spring look.

6. Can you Use a Shop-Vac in the Rain?

Using your Shop-Vac in the rain may lead to some issues. Water may get inside the motor causing damage. In some cases, using a hair dryer to wet different parts of the equipment can help it to become functional again. In other cases though, the damage may be permanent with no option but to replace the damaged parts. If the equipment was plugged in while being used in the rain, there could be issues like sparking. After all, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Wait for the rain to stop and then take out your equipment to remove water accumulated in the area. As important as it is to know how to use a shop vac to vacuum water, it is equally critical to be aware of the ways in which you can damage this extremely utilitarian device, so do exercise some caution even though a shop vac is a very hardy equipment.

7. Shop Vac for Water in Basement

Excessive rains may result in flooding, and if a lot of water gets accumulated in your basement, it is a serious concern and a cause for worry. You may have to call your insurance company, but while they come, you will have to look for ways to remove standing water out. It can be done using your Shop Vac. If you think using your buckets can help you with this task, you are mistaken. Standing water in the basement means a lot of work cut out for you and to help you out, you require the use of a heavy-duty equipment like a shop vac. Using this equipment, you can pump out water from the basement and move it to another location. You can use your garden hose for this purpose where one end of the hose is connected to the vacuum pump and the other one is in the garden. Gradually, you will notice the water level going down. You may have to stop in between to empty the tank filled with water. Some shop vac models also come with an Air Mover feature which helps to dry the area after water is removed from the space. So, knowing how to use a shop vac to vacuum water will help you avoid substantial damages to the foundation of your home as well as incurring huge damage repair expenses.

8. Does Leaving Water in a Shop-Vac Damage the Motor?

Having a wet-dry Shop Vac is extremely beneficial in households, particularly if you reside in areas that experience heavy rainfall and flooding. When water gets accumulated in confined spaces, you can use your trustworthy shop vac to remove it. While it is an effective way to get rid of water-logging, you need to keep certain things in mind. Knowing how to use a shop vac to vacuum water is the first step. Equally important is it to maintain your shop vac. This means that you should always remove water from the equipment once the job is done. If you do not do so, you will have a severe problem of mildew growing in the inner recess of your tank. It can also result in damage to the motor hence requiring a replacement. It is thus imperative to rinse the filter after use and allow it to dry after vacuuming. This will enhance the life of your shop vac.

9. Shop-Vac on Water- I Know I can Use Shop Vac to Clean up Water- but Can I Use It to Empty a Hot Tub or Pool?

While using a shop vac for emptying a pool or hot tub, you need to be very careful about checking the capacity of the tank as there is no significant change in the sound of the motor even after reaching its full capacity. The bottom of the motor unit has a tube with a float that goes inside the vacuum. When water is sucked up by the vacuum, the float rises and starts pushing against the suction point as it reaches its capacity. The tone of the motor changes slightly as a result and you must immediately switch off the equipment as soon as you hear it. Not doing so may result in damage to the motor. To use it again, empty the reservoir and start the machine once again. Thus, when cleaning your hot tub or pool, remember to keep a check on the change in the sound of the motor. Also, switch off your hot tub before starting to empty water. Once water has been removed, wipe the inner surface clean using a soft cloth. You can also use a mild soap solution to remove stains on its surface. It will start shining and will look as good as new in no time.

10. How Do You Siphon Water Through a Hose?

Even though many people know how to use a shop vac to vacuum water, they forget that when emptying large spaces filled with water using a shop Vac, you have to use a hose to move the water. Whether you are cleaning a fish tank, emptying a pool, or draining standing water from your basement, you will have to use siphoning which is the perfect way of making use of gravity to move large quantities of water from one place to another place. When siphoning off water using a shop vac, you need to ensure the level of water to be removed is at a higher level than its end destination. Therefore, the other end of your hose must be at a lower level than the end of the hose attached to the shop vac equipment. The difference in height will not allow water to come back. Ensure the hose being used is clean and clear and there is nothing that can hamper the flow of water. Gradually, the water will be siphoned off and removed from one area to another.

11. Do You Need To Use A Bag With a Shop Vac?

If you own a wet-dry model of Shop-Vac, you may need a bag. You are already aware of how to use a shop vac to vacuum water, but with a wet-dry model you can also dry suction pieces of materials like nails, sawdust, screws, and debris. If you are using this machine to pick up gravel, wood chips and large sized debris, you will need a large collection bag. Having a bag makes disposal of collected debris easier and convenient. Moreover, it also helps in keeping the filter on the lid cage so that it doesn't get clogged. This way, you will need to clean the filter fewer times. The good thing is that you can find reusable dry filters and cartridge filters for use. Choose a HEPA Collection bag if you are planning to pick up fine particles of dust, dirt, and debris. The efficiency of such a collection bag is high, and it ensures a thorough cleaning.

12. Does A Shop Vac Need a Filter?

Depending on the type of debris being picked up, a suitable filter needs to be used. If you need to pick up large pieces of debris and dirt like gravel, wood chips, etc., you will need a general household filtration level filter. To pick up medium-sized debris like sawdust, sand, etc., you will need a medium level filtration level filter. And for cold ashes and drywall duct, you will need a fine filtration level filter. It is very important to use a filter according to your pickup needs. This will enhance the efficiency of the machine. Moreover, using an incorrect filter will result in water or dust being blown back into space.

13. How to Use a Wet Vac to Clean Carpet?

If you have a wet-dry model shop-vac, you can use it to clean a variety of surfaces. It can also clean spills and dirt embedded in the fine threads of your carpets. Our carpets are the best places for stubborn dust particles, dirt, stains, debris, spills, etc. To find them and to remove them can prove to be a cumbersome task. Using a shop-vac, you can dry vacuum your carpet and follow it up with a wet cleaning session with the help of your carpet stain remover. All you need to do is to prepare a solution of cleaner and water and apply it on the stains. Leave it on for a while and then use your equipment to suck up the cleaning solution from the carpet, making it look clean and tidy once again. You can now keep your carpets squeaky clean using your shop-vac.

Check: how to use a shop vac to vacuum water
Updated on: Jul 28, 2021 @ 6:23 pm