Five tips to keep your pool in tip-top shape
If you have a pool or you’ve been considering installing one, it may not be as high maintenance as you think. While all pools are different as is their maintenance needs, keeping your pool service and in healthy condition just takes a few simple tips.
1. Just keeping up with consistent skimming of the top and pulling out the filter can work wonders in keeping your cool healthy and clean. If you drain your pool make sure that you do this at the end of the season and not to let the pool sent empty too long. It’s even considered okay to leave the pool filled with water throughout the wintertime to help with the pressure from the ground.
2. Check the water level to make sure it doesn’t drop too far. Insufficient water levels can be damaging to the filter so make sure you keep it up to a specific level and simply fill it up when it drops below that.
3. Keep the pool chemistry and pH level balanced by checking in about 2 to 3 times per week when used actively. It only needs to be checked about once a week during the winter or low use times. But make sure the pH balance is adequate for your area.
4. Be sure to wipe down the tile line weekly to reduce any buildup that may occur. Mold, mildew, and residue from the bottoms of people’s feet and general weather wear and tear can leave grime and mildew all along the tile line. Make sure this is cleaned off adequately with a quick wipe down each week.
5. Keep your chemicals and pool equipment out of direct sunlight. Have a specific cabinet or pool room designated for these materials that should be in a cool and dry place. Make sure you do not store acid and chloride next to each other.
While this is just five steps to keeping your pool clean you’ll also want to make sure to monitor any cracks or damage to your pool and keep those in tiptop shape. Keep plants and animals and certain chemicals away so they don’t drop into the water and keep your chemical balance exactly where it should be so that you don’t feed the algae.
Keep your pool’s chemical readings in these ranges:
· PH: 7.2 to 7.8
· Alkalinity: 80 to 120 ppm
· Calcium Hardness: 250-450 ppm
· Cyanuric Acid or Conditioner: 30-50 ppm
· Chorine residual: 1.0 to 1.5 ppm; upt to 2.0 in the summer with ozone, 3.0 without
· Combined chlorine: 0 ppm