moazahmedIt is the dream of most people to have a clean pool throughout the year but achieving that is not easy, That is why this article will attempt to give you a broad overview of the various ways in which you can maintain your pool in the best way possible.
A clean pool is an essential accent of any yard: it is a recreational, exercise and entertainment facility.
But the idea of ensuring that water is as clear as this all year round can sometimes feel like a mammoth task.
Surprisingly with the right approach and the right routine it is not as difficult as it may seem.
Below are important tips that you should consider if you want to maintain your swimming pool clean all year round.
1. Regular Skimming and Scrubbing
The first intervention that need to be taken towards the maintenance of pool is skimming and scrubbing. To ensure that the surface of the water in your pool doesn’t get tainted by leaves, insects and other debris it is advisable that the water is skimmed on a daily basis.
A clean-up brush or a pool skimmer or a leaf rake can be used for this purpose, this way debris does not settle at the bottom of the pool.
The sides of the pool also need to be scrubbed in a like manner. The walls and floor of the pool can be coated by algae as well as grime which creates some sorts of stains on the pool and also slippery surface making it dangerous for swimmers. For the lateral walls of your pool you should use a pool brush at least once a week for cleaning.
In some cases where stubborn algae growth is observed, use of a solution of water and bleach applied by a brush is normally effective. Cleaning the tiles will help to avoid formation of algae on the surface so that the pool will continually look neat.
2. Maintain Proper Water Circulation
And it is of great significance that pool water is well circulated so as to facilitate regular cleaning. Proper circulation also makes sure that the water stays spread throughout the water body hence curbing algae and bacterial formation.
Your pool’s pump and filter system should be turned on for not less than 8-12 hours daily depending on the size of the pool and the pump manufacturer’s specifications.
Make a point of checking the pump and the filter so that you can know if they are working as they should.
This is just the same as with other filters; You should clean the filter as often as needed whether it is a cartridge, sand or Diatomaceous earth (DE) filter. It should be remembered that a clean filter will help in pulling out the dirt, debris and other elements from the water.
Replace / backwash the filter as when needed in order to ensure that it is functioning as it should.
3. Chemical Balance is Key
The other step concerning the maintenance of the pool is balancing of the chemicals in the pool. Chemicals which are not well mixed and balanced are likely to bring about cloudy water and skin or eyes irritation as well as harm the equipments used in the pool.
This is important in making sure that water chemistry is right since testing of pool water should be done regularly.
The key chemicals to monitor are chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness:The key chemicals to monitor are chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness:
- Chlorine: Chlorine is used to disinfect your water and water is the main medium which prevents bacterial growth of algae in the pool. Hypochlorination should therefore fall somewhere in the middle or between 1 – 2 ppm. 0 to 3. This means that there can be no other material or product that can be mixed with the food in order to produce any level of mercury, lets say, up to 0.0055 ppm.
- pH Levels: Your pool pH should range between 7. 2 and 7. 6. High pH level results into water being cloudy and chlorine becoming less effective in water with high PH level. Salt levels that are low can result to corrosion of pools and other related equipment..
- Alkalinity: Total Alkalinity should within the range of 80ppm-120ppm. Alkalinity certifies as a stop gap for the pH since it does not experience drastic changes.
- Calcium Hardness: The permissible level of calcium hardness should lie between 200 and 400 ppm. But if the calcium expressed will be too low it will bring about the erosion of the plaster. If set too high, scale forms on the surfaces of the pool and its equipment, meaning that it has to be set at good levels.
It is recommended that pool water should be tested at least one time a week and if needed some chemicals should be added. When doing the test, you can easily use test strips or a digital testing kit to make the readings more accurate.
4. Shock Your Pool Regularly
But it must be understood that no matter how frequent the swimming pool is cleaned, the water invariably gets tainted with sweat, oils, sun block etc. Superchlorination—where one shocks the pool by introducing a higher amount of chlorine than is required, may also remove these contaminants preventing water fog or formation of algae.
One should make a habit of shocking the pool every 1-2 weeks, and especially following an intense swimming session or if a pool was carried by rain.
However to achieve effective shocking, you should read the instructions accompanying your pool shock product and ensure that you do it at night.
This is because when the sun is allowed to directly reach the water it quickly evaporates the chlorine which has been used to disinse the water.
5. Clean the Pool Deck and Surrounding Area
The place where pool is located should also be clean and well maintained as it is with the pool.
Due to the location of these basins, any dirt, leaves or debris from the surrounding environment can easily blow into the sea.
Clean the pool surround daily with a broom, a hose to clear dirt from the floor that may be dragged into the pool.
Cut down any vegetation which may be nearby to reduce the amount of foliage and other matters falling into water.
6. Invest in a Pool Cover
If you wish to keep your pool clean throughout the year then having a pool cover is something that you should consider.
It simply stops things from entering the pool while at the same time also helps in conserving water as well as chemicals.
This should be applied especially during the period that the pool is not in use or at one period of the day and the other depending on the climate.
Some of these covers can be solar covers, safety or security covers and automatic or retractable ones all with their specific uses.
7. Schedule Regular Professional Inspections
Most of the cleaning work can be done through regular maintenance and therefore it is advisable to set a professional inspection once each year.
A professional can find such problems as leakages, equipments or water problems that are hard to be noted by naked eyes.
It also comes in handy especially in checking other potential problems before they come to light thus saving time and money in the future.
Conclusion
It is pointed out that in order to keep the pool clean throughout the year, one has to practice lots of hard work and diligence.
Some of the ways in which one should ensure that the pool remains clean include: Skimming and scrubbing the water, Circulating the water, Balancing the chemicals, Shocking the pool, Cleaning the surrounding environment, Covering the pool and finally having the pool inspected by professionals.
Refresh everybody mind that it is not only aesthetically appealing to swim in clean pool, but also safe and a lot of fun.
