pool brush losing bristles again!!

[vivian]

I keep having to buy new pool brush attachments, because after 4 months the nylon bristles start falling off into the pool whenever I brush. Can anyone recommend the best type of pool brush to buy, that keeps its bristles?

[CrisL]

I had the same problem. A couple of years ago I purchased the "professional" grade brush that Leslies sells (it is stainless steel framed with black nylon bristles) and it is still in good shape. If you wait for a sale, Leslies discounts these at 40 or 50% occasinally. I have no relationship to the chain.

[waste]

Vivian, welcome to the forum !!

I took a quick look at your posts and found out that you have a concrete pool, that's why your brushes keep falling apart. Get yourself a wire brush and you'll get much better 'life' out of it. The plaster surface is too hard/ rough for the nylon bristles to handle, I find it hard to believe that the pool builder gave you a nylon brush for your pool

I wish you well with your pool, if you have any more questions - just ask - again, welcome to the forum - Waste

[fofa]

Interesting, I still am using the nylon brush the company that renovated our pool gave me 5 years ago. It hasn't lost any bristles to my knowledge (at least not noticeable). Would not a metal bristle brush rough up the plaster too much?

[jasontx]

When I left a little scrubber brush with similar bristles outside all the bristles became very brittle and broke off. I'd had the brush for years before that with no issues. Could it be related to sun exposure?

I know waste is an expert but I would be scared of the wire brush too.

[fofa]

Humm, maybe that is it. I keep mine in my shed and only bring it out when I need to use it.

[waste]

Hi guys! (jasontx glad to see you posting, thanks for the reminder on UV and plastic - welcome to the forum!! ) While I don't doubt that the wire brush is 'harsher' on the plaster (Pebbletech, whatever), it's not going to 'carve ruts' in the finish.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the amount of force being applied to the brush, using excessive force will wear down both the brush and the pool surface faster. Usually brushing the pool does not involve 'scrubbing', however if you have black algae scrubbing is needed to get the chlorine past the protective layer that it forms. Normal, weekly, brushing is just to expose any low 'water exchange' spots in the pool which might start to harbor algae or 'bio-nasties' to the fc in the water and dislodge anything which may have started to take hold- a quick 'kiss and promise' brushing will do this.

One of the reasons I said what I did in the earlier post is because I've seen dozens of 'crete pool owners who have used a liner vac (with the brushes on them) to vacuum their plaster pool and worn down the brushes within a month or so (then they ask me why this thing keeps needing new brushes and sometimes a new vac head because they 'ate up' the plastic where the brushes go). While I'm at it, use the vac with the wheels for a plaster pool - and if one of the wheels comes off, REPLACE IT IMMEDIATELY or you'll wreck the vac and not be able to vac as efficiently!

While it's possible that UV or other climatory degridation is going on with Vivian's brush (which jasontx pointed out), she says that she's replacing them every 4 mos. Except for under the 'HARSHEST' conditions, I can't see this as being the cause for the brush failure - I've used owners brushes that I know have sat outside for years that don't have this problem. Of course, a possible answer is that she's getting 'low quality' brushes - if that's the case, Vivian - you need to get a better quality brush, as per CrisL's suggestion.

Eh, I've babbled enough for now. In short:
Use whatever equipment and advice you feel comfortable with.

HAPPY 2007!! AND ENJOY YOUR POOLS!!