Common Pool Valve Types, Explained
Most homeowners never think about pool valves until one fails, which is usually the wrong time to learn what it was doing. This site is dedicated to a single build method: gunite (shotcrete) construction, rebar cage, sprayed and hand-finished concrete, engineered bond beams, and a design that can be shaped to anything the lot allows, from tanning ledges to negative edges to integrated spas.
Multiport and Push-Pull Valves
These sit on top of a sand or DE filter and direct water flow between filter, backwash, rinse, and waste positions; they're the valve most homeowners actually touch, usually only when backwashing.
Check Valves and Diverters
A check valve allows water to flow one direction only, preventing backflow that could drain equipment or siphon water incorrectly when the pump shuts off. Diverter (three-way) valves route water between two paths, commonly used to send flow to a water feature, spa, or heater only when wanted rather than all the time.
Where This Fits
See our Pool Repair service page, or Financing if cost is the next question.
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