Jan 3, 2015

Having Troubles Maintaining Your Pool? Well, Not Anymore!



Unfortunately, having a pool in your yard isn’t all about fun and games. Sure, it’s all amazing in the summer when you and your family can kick back and relax by the pool, swim and play fun games in the water but we all know that in order for the pool to stay clean, someone needs to take proper care of it. If money isn’t an issue and you just don’t want to be bothered with this kind of house chore, you’ll probably pay someone to do all the “dirty work”. But, if you are trying to save up and want to be the one who is in charge of this commitment, then – here are some pool maintenance tips to get you started.
First of all, before even thinking of cleaning a pool, you need to be familiar with the pool terms. It’s inevitable to start with pH factor. Ph determines the water’s acidy and it is important to keep pH at a proper level, never less than 7.2. In case the pH is higher, use granular acid to lower it and if it’s less than this number, use sodium hypochlorite to raise it.

To kill bacteria, algae and various viruses, you’ll use free available chlorine. It also eliminates grease and oil. Add a shock treatment (a high concentration of chlorine) if the free available chlorine is too low. Shocking adds 5.0 to 10.0 parts per million (PPM) of free available chlorine to pool water. Before doing a shock treatment, test and balance the pH. This treatment should be done with the pump and filter turned on and after sundown. Test the free available chlorine after a shock treatment is done. Allow the chlorine to evaporate naturally if it’s too high. It is also advised not to enter the pool until the reading is 1.0 to 3.0 PPM.

The measurement of the water’s ability to maintain the proper pH level is called total alkalinity. Use an alkalinity adjuster if total alkalinity is too high or too low.

A measurement of calcium in the pool is called calcium hardness. In cases when the water is too hard, pH levels raise and cause scale to form. Add sodium hexametaphosphate to solve this problem. Tile grout dissolves or the vinyl liner cracks when the water is too soft, so to prevent this from happening add calcium chloride dihydrate.

When applying products always follow manufacturer's instructions. Also, when it comes to chemical safety of the water, if you are not sure what to do, it’s best to consult an expert than do something wrong as misuse of pool chemicals may trigger some health problems.

General Pool Maintenance
The keys to pool maintenance are clean water and balanced water chemistry. To keep your pool in order, it’s best to establish a weekly routine of cleaning the pool. Maintaining the chemical balance is one of the most important aspects of “pool health”, so make sure you are on top of it. Usually, the above-mentioned shock treatment prevents the majority of pool problems and solves the existing ones. On a weekly basis, test the pH and free available chlorine in the pool water and shock-treat if necessary. 

If any of the following occurs, do an additional shock treatment:
·         More swimmers than usual
·         Very heavy rains and windstorms
·         Swimmers with burning, red eyes
·         Extreme temperatures
·         Foul odor from the pool water
·         Murky, slimy water
·         Algae growth

Keeping the Pool Clean
Don’t kid yourself if you think you’ll be spending just couple of hours a week on pool upkeep. Plan to spend at least six to eight hours weekly for your pool to be the safe environment for swimming.

Daily:

1. Skim remains out of the pool to keep it clean
2. During swimming season, clean all skimmer baskets

Weekly:

1. Test the water
2. Clean the walls and floor by using brushes, cleaners and vacuums recommended by the pool manufacturer
3. After cleaning and before using, hose down the pool area. To prevent dirt from washing into the water, direct the spray away from the pool

When first having your swimming pool installed, it’s important you talk to the swimming pool builders about proper maintenance of the pool. If you’ve had yours for a while now, give them a call to clear up anything you may be wondering about regarding pool maintenance.

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