Patent ID: 7455070

Claim:
A vacuum relief safety valve for a swimming pool or spa, comprising: a housing defining an inner chamber and attached to a pump or suction-side pump of the swimming pool or spa so as to be in fluid communication therewith; an air inlet aperture formed in the housing and open to ambient air; a sealing element disposed within the housing; a spring disposed within the inner chamber for biasing the sealing element against the air inlet aperture so as to effectively seal the inner chamber from ambient air, wherein the sealing element moves into the inner chamber and opens the air inlet aperture when a maximum allowed vacuum level within the pump is exceeded; at least one arm extending from the sealing element and biased against an inner wall of the housing; a spring disposed within the at least one leg of the sealing element to bias the at least one arm into engagement with the inner wall of the housing; and a ledge formed in a lower portion of the housing adapted to engage a protrusion of the at least one arm when the sealing element is moved into the inner chamber.