Contrary to popular belief, pool maintenance is child’s play. Although it may take some discipline to perform daily tasks, you should get used to it if you want.
In order for you to keep up with your pools now, you need to keep their value in mind.
Privilege is more than having a swimming pool
A swimming pool is a great addition to your home. Not only will this give you pleasure, but it will also increase the value of your property in case you want to sell it.
Some say only the rich can afford one in their backyard. They’re right, but as swimming pools become more and more popular, maintaining them will help you keep them as an asset.
No one can say that any of them won’t help you and your family in many ways. But it can be a big investment, so you need to learn how to take care of your property. If you already have an existing pool, you can also remodel it with a more upscale pool with fiberglass pool resurfacing and many more.
Caring Is Purity: How To Properly Manage Your Pool
A sparkling clean swimming pool in your backyard is a must if you have recently installed a new one. The good news is it’s not tricky as some pool owners imagine.
Regular professional maintenance is essential to the health of the pool, but there are ways to keep it in top condition between visits.
Clean debris from pool and basket tool
Skimming your pool surface with a net is one of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your pool clean.
- Tip: To get rid of unwanted leaves, insects or other debris that has accumulated over time, you can use a long-handled net.
This method also improves the performance of the pool circulation system and reduces the amount of chlorine you will need to add to your pool.
It is essential to clean the strainer baskets at least once a week to improve circulation and reduce the amount of chlorine your pool needs.
- Tip: Shake the filter basket and spray it with a hose to remove unwanted elements.
Pool vacuum
Did you know that your swimming pool also needs to be vacuumed?
Vacuuming is not only for carpets but also under water! However, there are distinctions between land vacuums and underwater vacuums.
Pool vacuums clean the water and reduce the use of chemicals. It is designed for the deep ends of pools and can reach up to eight feet deep.
- Tip: For best results, brush tiles and walls to remove limescale and algae after vacuuming.
Filter maintenance according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Now, at this point, you don’t want to overdo it. Remember that you must be careful and carry out your maintenance in the manner recommended by the manufacturers of your swimming pool.
A little dirt in your filter is okay as it will help trap larger particles and clean the water. Washing the filter too often will prevent it from operating at its optimum level of cleanliness.
- Remember: clean the filter when the differential between the pressure gauge and the flow meter is 10 to 15 pounds per square inch.
Check your pool’s flow system
Your pool’s circulation system helps chemicals work well and ensures clean water.
- Remember: to filter the water and keep everything clean, run your pump for an hour. Every 10 degrees, the temperature changes daily.
Water level check and maintenance
Due to evaporation and activities like swimming, splashing and getting out of the pool, the water level in your pool will decrease.
Check the water level weekly when you clean your filter baskets and take out the trash. Professionals can help you determine the water level when you can’t do it yourself. But a bucket test can detect leaks in a swimming pool.
- Mark the line where the water stops in a plastic bucket 3/4 full of water.
- Put the bucket in the pool and mark it outside at the waterline. Remove all handles to make the boat more stable while floating.
Give it two or three days to float. If there is water loss from both sides of the bucket, it is due to evaporation. If your pool water level drops below the bucket, it will start to leak.
And keeping it at the right level does the following:
- Never lower the level below the skimmer or the pump will break.
- If your pool needs full drainage for maintenance, leave it empty for a short time or it could come out.
- Fill it to a safe level using a garden hose.
Maintaining the Right Levels of Pool Chemicals
You should test pool water regularly to ensure that it is clean and safe.
Alkaline level
First, determine the Total Alkalinity (TA) to balance pool chemicals. TA indicates the alkalinity of the water. The alkaline substances in the water affect the pH because they stabilize it.
- Total alkalinity of pool water should be 80-120 ppm.
pH level
The pH level measures how acidic or basic a substance is. The range of pH levels is 0 to 14, where 0 to 7 is acidic and 7 to 14 is basic.
It is essential to control the pH level to ensure the safety of the swimming pool.
- The pH level of the pool water should be between 7.4 and 7.6.
- To raise the pH, add a pH booster like sodium carbonate (soda ash) – 6 oz. of soda ash raises the pH of a 10,000 gallon pool by 0.2.
- If your pH goes up and down, your total alkalinity may be too low. In this case, add baking soda to make the water more alkaline and keep the pH stable.
calcium hardness
Calcium-rich pool water may form a white line (scale) near the water line. Scale buildup dirties your pool and damages its materials and equipment.
- The calcium hardness should be between 200 and 400 ppm.
- Calcium chloride increases the calcium hardness of the pool.
- To reduce calcium hardness, drain and refill your pool. Flocculants and pool vacuums remove excess calcium.
Chlorine
With the sanitizer, your pool will stay clean and bacteria-free. The most common disinfectant used in swimming pools is chlorine, which comes in:
- liquid chlorine
- Granular chlorine
- Chlorine tablets
- Salt chlorine generators
The fastest way to clean and refresh your pool water is to shock it.
When determining the amount of chlorine in your pool water, look at the following:
- Free chlorine: the amount of chlorine that is not used and is still in the water.
- Total Chlorine: The amount of chlorine in the water as a whole.
Take the difference between total chlorine and free chlorine to know the use of chlorine.
- Please note: the correct amount of chlorine for a swimming pool is 3 ppm.
Final sweep
The full details above should provide you with the basics. Online searches make it easy to find the reliable resources and people you need.
With the help of your reliable and professional pool maintenance company, many of these specialized issues will become clear. They will show you that it is not as difficult as it seems.
