Essential Maintenance Guide And Tips To Keep Your Pool Clean
By Space Coast Daily // August 14, 2019
Pool Maintenance Tips And Tricks Every Pool Owner Should Know
Extend the life of your swimming pool and keep it sparklingly clean and safe for the entire family all the time with these pool maintenance cleaning tips and tricks.
Pool Maintenance Tips And Tricks Every Pool Owner Should Know
Having a swimming pool on your home not only adds to its value, but it’s a sweet deal during the hot summer months. It can transform your outdoor space into an amazing staycation destination for the entire family.
However, like anything good, your pool requires a little bit of care, maintenance, and attention. You need to know how to properly take care of it to keep it healthy, clean, and beautiful all the time.
Most homeowners hire professional pool cleaners to get things done. But you can perform routine pool maintenance yourself by following the maintenance tips we have here.
You will be able to get rid of pool algae and other contaminants and keep it always refreshing, inviting, safe for everyone, and sparkly clean all the time. It can also prevent you from making costly mistakes in the future.
Why Do I Need To Maintain My Pool Regularly?
You may be wondering why you need to go through the daunting the of cleaning and scrubbing your pool when you can simply add sanitizing chemicals like chlorine to its water.
Well, although these chemicals can help in keeping the water clean, as well as keep your pool’s floor and walls clean at a certain degree, they will not be able to keep bugs, leaves, and other dirt out. So, if you want your pool to be truly clean and healthy, it is necessary to perform a thorough cleaning often.
Get To Know Your Pool First
Your pool will run smoothly, and you can easily fix problems that may occur if you have an understanding of its fundamental parts and their functionalities.
Like with almost all major improvements on your property, your pool can be as lavish as you’d want it to be. You can spruce it up with high-tech pool covers, lighting and heating, pool covers, and even add underwater speakers for pools to enjoy some tunes while swimming.
But whether you have a simple backyard pool or an Olympic-sized one with all the bells and whistles, every swimming pool comes with the following four components:
- Pool Water. It should always be well-balanced, clean, and clear to protect you and your family from all sorts of pollutants and contaminants. Keeping it clean can also help extend the life of your pool and prevent expensive repairs on hardware because of mineral build-up or corrosion.
- Interior. Aside from water, pool liner’s walls are also always in contact with anything that penetrates it. You can keep your swimming pool safe and clean by ensuring these surfaces are clear from debris, mold, algae, and in good condition.
- Filtration System. The pool filter system clears the water of contaminants to protect it and yourself from harm. You’ll see your swimming pool not fit for swimming, polluted, and cloudy if its filtration system is not functioning properly.
- Pool Skimmers and Returns. Pool skimmers are different from net skimmers such as the Solar-Breeze NX2. These are what pull the water into the pool filter system for cleaning. On the other hand, returns push the water that has gone through cleaning back in your swimming pool. Keeping them clear of any obstructions will ensure the best performance.
Not all pools are the same, and as time goes by, you’ll encounter specific pool upkeeps unique to yours. However, having a firm understanding of the components of your pool will make you confident in facing the most challenging maintenance.
How To Maintain Your Swimming Pool Properly
Preventive maintenance is they to reduce the lifecycle expenses of your pool. Here are some simple pool maintenance tips that can save you valuable effort, time, and money:
1. Scrubbing and Skimming is Life!
Dirt, twigs, leaves, and other loose debris will always find a way to get into your pool even if you have a pool cover.
Although they will stay afloat for a while, they’ll ultimately break down and sink to the floor of your swimming pool, leading to algae build-up. For this reason, it’s a must to skim frequently during the hot months. It is recommended to skim the surface of your pool every 3 to 4 days.
Additionally, it is necessary to scrub your pool’s sides or walls, which can also help prevent algae from building up. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this as often. Twice a month is ideal, making sure to look out for any growth and scrubbing it with your handy scrub brush to keep your pool sidings clean and fresh.
2. Invest In An Automatic Pool Vacuum Cleaner
If you have no time to clean your pool manually or hate the idea of getting down and dirty, invest in one of the best robot pool cleaners on this list https://cleanup.expert/robotic-pool-cleaners/ which will practically do all the hard work for you.
Although you’ll still need to do some brushing on your pool walls from time to time to ensure there’s no algae build-up, getting an automatic pool cleaner is worth the investment.
Vacuuming your swimming pool once a week not only reduces cleaning time, but you’ll also save on your monthly maintenance costs.
3. Always Check Chemical Levels and Keep it Balanced
Balancing the chemical levels of your pool is a crucial part of its maintenance. Neglecting this can cause your pool to become the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, particularly during the summer months. Also, your pool water will irritate your eyes and skin and look murky.
The chemical levels you need to keep in check are the following:
- Alkalinity or Acidity. Commonly known as the pH level of your pool, which you need to keep at around 7.2 to 7.8 to protect the equipment of your pool from corrosion and prevent irritation.
- Total Alkalinity. It can help balance the pH level of your swimming pool. Make sure you keep its level between 60 to 120.
- Free Chlorine. This sanitizer ensures your water is free of bacteria and germs, as well as safe for swimming.
- Cyanuric Acid. The chemical that determines the level of free chlorine your pool needs and protects it from sunlight. The recommended level is between 30 to 50.
- Calcium Hardness. Keeping this at the right level of around 220 to 350 can help prevent any plaster damage. Aim for lower if your pool has vinyl sidings.
You can test your pool water with testing kits you can purchase at a local pool shop. Simply put a sample of your swimming pool’s water, add the solution provided in the kit, and then close the vials.
Wait as the sample water changes its color and then compare it to the colors shown on the kit to determine your pool’s current chemical level. Adjust its levels if necessary, to obtain the proper balance.
It is also vital to ask a pool cleaner or your builders about the best pH levels for your particular pool. Make sure to perform a chemical balance at least two times a week, especially during the hot summer season.
4. Do Not Forget to Check Your Water Level
The water level of your pool is just as important as its chemical composition. You need to ensure it’s within your pool tile or skimmer’s center level for the best performance and results.
Check if it’s too low or high. Too high and the door of the skimmer, which keeps dirt and debris away from it, will not function properly, too low and your pump may run dry and even burn up.
You can add the needed amount of water with your garden hose if you have a low water level. On the other hand, consider renting a submersible pump to drain any excess if the level is a bit high. But if your pool liner is fiberglass or vinyl, you may want to consult a professional since the pump’s weight can damage it easily.
5. Shock your Pool
Your pool sanitizer will require a bit of help from time to time, especially if many people have been swimming in it for a while or after a heavy downpour. You can keep it clean even when you’ve used up all your sanitizer by regularly adding a pool shock.
6. Keep your Entire Pool Area Clean
Most pool owners tend to overlook the surrounding area of their swimming pool in terms of maintenance. Avoid making the same mistake and make sure to clean, scrub, and disinfect the decking or tiles around your pool regularly.
The surrounding area can easily become a breeding ground of germs and bacteria, which can transfer into your swimming pool. So make it a part of your pool maintenance schedule.
When To Ask For Professional Help
It’s time to contact the service of a pool professional when your swimming pool has any cracks, leaks, or issues that you can’t fix. Wait longer, and you’ll see yourself facing a major repair that can cost you a lot of money.
Even if you don’t see any issues, consider having a professional check your pool once a year to ensure everything is working properly.
They will be able to see the problems that you’ve overlooked during your routine maintenance. They can also offer you with essential maintenance tips or the best products to use for your specific pool.
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