Some of us are lucky enough to have a pool. If you are even luckier, you get to enjoy that pool year round. But then, pool maintenance never takes a break.
"Maintaining pool chemistry and cleanliness are the most important aspects of pool maintenance," says John Puder of WaterWarehouse.com, an online source for pool supplies. "Taking routine steps is the best way to preserve your pool and ensure your enjoyment."
Follow these pool maintenance tips to ensure that your pool is pristine:
Daily Care
* Test Pool Water for Sanitizer Level
Make certain alkalinity and pH are in balance. Unbalanced pools can affect water clarity, damage pool equipment, cause erosion and even alter water chemistry.
* Test Pool Water for Sanitizer Level
Make certain alkalinity and pH are in balance. Unbalanced pools can affect water clarity, damage pool equipment, cause erosion and even alter water chemistry.
* Add Chlorine or Bromine
Sanitizing your pool is like sterilizing your pool. This kills bacteria, algae and any other living forms in the water. Almost all swimming pools in the United States are disinfected by chlorine or bromine in one form or another.
Sanitizing your pool is like sterilizing your pool. This kills bacteria, algae and any other living forms in the water. Almost all swimming pools in the United States are disinfected by chlorine or bromine in one form or another.
* Adjust pH and Alkalinity levels
Balancers can help maintain the proper pH and alkalinity levels necessary in a pool. This will get rid of cloudy or irritating water and save expensive equipment.
Balancers can help maintain the proper pH and alkalinity levels necessary in a pool. This will get rid of cloudy or irritating water and save expensive equipment.
* Check Skimmer Basket
Clear debris from skimmer basket to help keep pool water circulating and fresh.
Clear debris from skimmer basket to help keep pool water circulating and fresh.
Weekly Care
* Shock Pool Water
Weekly shock treatments are necessary to destroy combined chlorine compounds. Shocks sanitize pool water and quickly raise the chlorine level.
* Shock Pool Water
Weekly shock treatments are necessary to destroy combined chlorine compounds. Shocks sanitize pool water and quickly raise the chlorine level.
* Add Algaecide
Add a weekly dosage of algaecide to prevent and control algae. Good algaecide should kill algae without damaging or staining your pool.
Add a weekly dosage of algaecide to prevent and control algae. Good algaecide should kill algae without damaging or staining your pool.
* Add Metal Out
Even the best maintained pools have tiny suspended particles that can escape the filtration system. Add a weekly dosage of Metal Out to eliminate metal particles.
Even the best maintained pools have tiny suspended particles that can escape the filtration system. Add a weekly dosage of Metal Out to eliminate metal particles.
* Add Clarifier
Add a weekly dosage of clarifier to prevent cloudy water. Clarifiers are used to remove particles from the pool that are too small to be caught in the filter system. Clarifying agents will cause these particles to cling to each other making them larger, so they can be removed from your water through vacuuming or filtration.
Add a weekly dosage of clarifier to prevent cloudy water. Clarifiers are used to remove particles from the pool that are too small to be caught in the filter system. Clarifying agents will cause these particles to cling to each other making them larger, so they can be removed from your water through vacuuming or filtration.
As Needed
* Vacuum pool
* Leaf skim
* Brush walls
* Check filter/backwash
* Vacuum pool
* Leaf skim
* Brush walls
* Check filter/backwash
Maintaining your pool can be a breeze by following these simple steps. Quality pool supplies are available online so you don't have to run to the store, making pool maintenance easy and convenient.
Following is an owners pool maintenance system for you review:
POOL MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
1) Add 2.5 gallons liquid chlorine each week, (amount may fluctuate in cooler weather), from a pool supply company (chlorine strengths vary) – approximately $3.75 per container (2.5 gal.). It may splash as you dump it in, so be careful. Add it the same day each week by walking around the pool pouring as you go.
2) Use solid chlorine tablets sparingly - maybe 2 to 4 a month in the float bottle. Add once a week and don't refill until it's gone.
3) Once a month take a sample of water by inserting the test bottle open side down to elbow depth in the deep end, then inverting it so the water rushes in. Take the sample to Pools Supply Company for testing and instructions on what, if anything, the water needs.
4) Once a week, or as needed, empty or back wash, as the case may be, the filter systems for the pool. For auto-cleaners, turn off pool pump at side of house; unhook basket attachment and empty debris. Submerge the basket to refill with water, then reconnect to pool and turn pump switch back on.
5) Skim pool as needed.
6) If the palm trees have berries, they will fall into the pool and clog up creepy crawler/auto-cleaner as well as pump impeller parts. Check creepy for debris as needed, things get stuck in the wheels.
7) For large cartridge filters, clean once a month. Unscrew big filter top and remove, be careful when removing that the gauge doesn't tip over and break – they can be a little top heavy. (If the long post comes out with the top, it's easier to put back together if you unscrew the top from the post, reconnect it to the filter base and then put filter and lid back on.) Remove inside filter and clean by spraying with hose. Put filter back in and replace top. Take lid off basket (two plastic screws on top) and clean debris. Fill reservoir with water, (so pump doesn't burn up). Replace lid. Turn power back on to make sure water is circulating in pool.
8) The main circulation pump should run 8-9 hrs in summer, a bit less in winter. It's an hour of pump a day for every 10 degrees of water temperature.
9) Water level must be to the middle of the top tile so filter can work.
Always use the city water to refill the pool, not well water.
10) If pool water turns green or cloudy, take sample immediately to pool Supply Company for testing.
11) If you are leaving for vacation or plan to be away, it may be a good idea to have on hand a supply of "shock treatment" to use upon return. It takes about a week or less of no power or chlorine for the algae to
kick in gear.
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