A Complete Guide To Swimming Pool Maintenance

Did you click on this article because you have a pool, or you recently bought a house with a pool, and now you are in a ‘pool’ of worry about how to maintain it? If you have a pool, chances are you will not be able to leave its side during summer. Pools are a great place to unwind and relax after a hard week. Pools are a fun zone for spending time with your family or hosting a party for friends.

However, a pool also comes with some responsibilities. You must not treat this as a beach and leave it alone without taking up work to maintain it. It is essential if you have a family and children, as this might turn fatal for their health.

You must be effective and consistent from the beginning to maintain a healthy pool that you can enjoy all year long. It is better to take good care of your pool from the start than pay for swimming pool repair later on. However, you must know where to start if you are a new pool owner. So, here is a comprehensive guide to keep in mind if you want to figure out the art of efficient swimming pool maintenance 

The three Cs of pool maintenance

The foundation of good pool maintenance rests on 3 simple but essential pillars- circulation, cleaning, and chemistry. Let’s look at them in detail to understand better-

Circulation

You must be wondering how to keep your pool water clean. Well, the key to maintaining healthy water is to have proper circulation. Without movement, your water will become a stagnant mess that harbors dirt. Ensure your pump and filter system is up and running daily to keep a clean, clear, and safe water body.

However, it is not enough. If you do not clean your filter, all these will go to waste. How to avoid that, you ask? Backwash your filter. It is essentially a way to reverse the water flow and run it through your filter to throw out all the built-up grime and sludge.

Cleaning

If you circulate your pool well, this step will be much easier. However, it would be best if you still did some dirty work to ensure your pool stays spotless. Some beginner-friendly basic things you must have are a net skimmer, a pool brush, and a pool vacuum.

It would help if you used them to skim, brush, and vacuum your pool a minimum of once a week to have the freshest and clean water in your pool.

Chemistry

You do not need to wear a lab coat for this. Maintaining your pool’s chemistry is just about balancing the pH level, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels. Measuring the pH level ensures your pool has turned moderately acidic and basic. A pH level of 7.4 to 7.6 is ideal. The alkalinity is a pH buffer that will keep your pool from turning too acidic or too basic. So, it is necessary to check the alkaline level to avoid any significant trouble. You also need to check the sanitizer level, like chlorine, bromine, etc., to prevent any possible bodily harm and ensure your pool always stays clean and safe.

Weekly pool care tasks that should be on your list

You should take care of your pool at least once a week and finish a set of work to ensure your pool stays healthy and enjoyable. Some of the things that you should have on this weekly checklist include the following-

1. Make sure to check the water level and replenish it.
2. Brush the walls and the tiles to keep them from getting slimy.
3. Clean the filters as frequently as possible.
4. Checking the pH level and making adjustments accordingly.
5. Remember to use an algae preventer along the tiles and walls to prevent algae growth.
6. Check all the pool chemical levels and make adjustments accordingly.

Monthly pool maintenance checklist

These tasks only require to be looked at once a month, but they are equally necessary to avoid losing your pool to muck and decay. So, here is a comprehensive list of things to keep in mind while doing monthly pool maintenance-

1. Take a water sample and get it evaluated by professionals to know your pool chemistry better and care for it accordingly.
2. Cleaning it once a week is okay, but you need to clean your filters deep at least once a month to keep it up and running with no issues for a long time.
3. Check all the installed hardware to make sure nothing is out of order.

Maintenance checklist when your pool is out of use

Whether it is due to the wintry season or some other issues, your pool is out of use; your work does not stop. You need to care for the pool even when you are not using it to ensure you do not end up with any irreversible damage. Here is a checklist that should be in your front pocket when you are not using the pool for an extended period-

1. Perform deep cleaning, including procedures like backwashing and shocking the pool water.
2. Remember to install a good pool cover.
3. Depending on the pool cover you are using, reduce the water level to bare essentials for less of a mess.

Maintaining your pool while you are on a vacation

Just because you have a pool does not mean you cannot take a vacation anymore. However, to avoid tons of work and damage when you come back, keep these things in your mind that you must attend to before leaving-

1. Close the pool to make sure that there is minimal damage to it while you are away.
2. Get a timer to make sure your pool runs automatically and stays fresh.
3. Lastly, ask your friends and family to do a few checks while you are away to ensure no unpleasant surprises when you return.

Few materials to keep handy while caring for the pool

If you are wondering how to maintain an above ground pool and want to know what materials you should have handy, you have come to the right place. There needs to be more than just nets and brushes to keep your pool well and good. You need to have a few essential items to manage the maintenance yourself without trouble. Here is a list of things to keep handy to maintain your pool-

1. Shock- A powerful element that removes algae and bacteria from your pool by oxidizing them. However, ensure not to let anybody into the pool for at least 12 to 24 hours to keep everyone from harm’s way.
2. Sanitizers- Chemicals like chlorine, bromine, etc., are known as pool sanitizers as it reduces algae to kill bacterias.
3. Balancing stabilizers and chemicals- Small things like rain, sunshine, or weather can alter your pool’s chemical balance. Monitor in what shape your water is to replenish with needed items as necessary.
4. Algaecides are a great way to ensure algae build-up stays as far away from your pool as possible. It prevents algae growth and keeps your water clear and sparkling.

Conclusion

Powered with all of these, you can now proudly flaunt your pool. Be it a barbeque party or a summer swim, you do not have to think twice before jumping in. Leave a comment and let us know if you found this helpful.