Having your swimming pool in the backyard will always be glamorous. It is a perfect place to host parties, enjoy afternoons cultivating a perfect tan, employ your everyday workout routine, and relax after a long working day. However, it needs proper maintenance to enjoy it to the fullest. Here are some ways to prevent and protect your swimming pool to avoid green water, broken filters, and algae build-up.
Here are six great tips to help you maintain the sparkling and clear water from your cherished swimming pool.
1. Skimming and Scrubbing
Cleaning the water surface is a dark place to be. It is a no-brainer and demands constant repetition. But, it is a mandatory action you need to perform every day. Debris needs to be cleaned constantly because it is built easily. If you have some money to spend it is the best solution to have a robot vacuum that will be used for the pool bottom scrubbing. It is not just the bottom of the pool that needs to be scrubbed; poolsides can also be a perfect place for the algae built-up. Some of the robot vacuums have excellent performance and do their job professionally. However, to remove black spot algae that are particularly stubborn, you can reuse the old socks. The procedure is rather easy. Fill the sock with chlorine and let it sit in the infected spot for a couple of hours. Chlorine will destroy all the algae, and scrubbing it once more with the old socks will leave the shiny place without any traces of the earlier problem.
2. Filters
Filters are an essential part of the private swimming pool. They are particularly the kidneys of the swimming pools, processing all water and removing all impurities from the water. Most of the time, the pool can be cleaned by a simple filter turn-off. Filters must be maintained. The filter baskets must be cleaned once a week. Another part of the filter system that must be cleaned is the pipes. They are cleaned by turning on the “backwashing” mode on the system. Then, turn on the water pump until the waste pump ejects clean water.
3. Chemical Levels
Pools need to have consistent chemical levels. Water in the pools has no constant flow, and is a good place for growth of algae and bacteria. Here is the list of the chemicals that need to be used for the positive balance:
- Cyanuric Acid: this acid protects chlorine from the sunlight and regulates free chlorine levels.
- Free Chlorine: This ingredient keeps pool water safe and free of germs.
- Acidity/ Alkalinity: also known as the PH level. Acidity must be between 7.5 and 7.8 to prevent irritation and the equipment from eroding.
- Total Alkalinity: this range should be between 60 and 120.
- Calcium Hardness: appropriate levels help prevent plaster damage.
You can test the water quality easily. Just buy the kits in the stores for pool maintenance and fill the sample bottle with the pool water. The kit will show you the quality of the water by colouring the paper with different colours. If the water is in perfect balance, it will be crystal clear, with no scent, leaving no marks on your skin.
4. Pool Liner Maintenance
While maintaining the chemical balance and cleanliness of your pool is essential, it’s equally important to ensure the physical aspects of your pool are in top condition. One key element often overlooked is the pool liner. Over time, in-ground pool liners can become worn, faded, or damaged, affecting both the appearance and the functionality of your pool. Inspecting your pool liner regularly for signs of wear and tear is advisable. If your pool liner needs replacement, consider expert services like https://www.lazydaypools.com/services/in-ground_pool_liner_replacements/, which offer professional, high-quality liner replacement to ensure your pool’s longevity and safety.
5. Baking Soda
Chemicals for pool maintenance can cost way too much. This is why you should give baking soda a try. Most pool stores suggest using raw sodium bicarbonate to control the alkalinity of the pool without reducing the PH levels. But did you know that regular baking soda in a convenience store will do the same job without overspending? Sodium bicarbonate can be overpriced in pool stores, and some of the pool stores will insist on their use just to have it sold. A package of regular baking soda will do the same job and save you a considerable amount of money.
6. Oils
Use tennis balls to catch the oils. You must have noticed the tennis balls floating on the pool surface. These are not meant for your pets to play around with. These are meant to catch the oils your skin releases in the water. Every skin type possesses some amount of oil on its surface, and these are noticeable in the water and are perfect spots for germ growth. If you use a few tennis balls to float and pick up these spots, you will have the job efficiently done.
7. Yearly Appointment
Professionals are dealing with the swimming pool cleaning and water check. Having them check your swimming pools annually is mandatory if you want to enjoy your time by the pool in the safest way.
You can maintain your swimming pool’s safety by following these simple rules. It would be best if you kept in mind that debris that collects for a longer period is impossible to eliminate later. The best prevention for this is constant swimming pool and water quality maintenance.