10 Important Tips to Keep your Pool Well Maintained all Year Round
There’s nothing better than jumping in the pool on a hot day to cool off. To ensure it is clean and ready to use whenever you like, it’s important to maintain it often. If you’ve never cleaned a pool before, you’ve come to the right place because we have put together 10 important tips to help you keep your pool looking fantastic year-round.
Tip 1. Clean your filter
Your pools pump is the pool house behind keeping your water safe and hygienic to swim in. Without it, it would be very difficult to prevent your water from going green. It works by circulating the water and chemicals throughout your pool. It draws water through the filter where it collects dirt and debris. The clean water then returns to the pool. To ensure your filter is working at its best it’s important to clean them out. To do this simply backwash the filter to flush out any debris that may be lodged in it. Turn it off and open the relief valve slowly. Lift the filter cartridges out and wash them off with a hose, once clean replace them and close the clamps on top. Switch it back on and make sure the air valve is open to relieve excess air.
Tip 2. Remove debris from your pool water
Pools are notorious for collecting dirt, leaves and insects regardless of whether there is trees or plants around it. Not removing them regularly can throw your pools chemical levels off and it can result in a green pool. It not only looks unpleasant but isn’t sanitary to swim in. It’s important to put aside time each week to clear your pool of leaf litter and other unwanted debris. If you have trees or plants near your pool you will likely need to do this more often. A pool scoop is an essential pool cleaning item. They are inexpensive and easy to use. You will be able to get most of the contaminants out with this, any remaining will get collected by your pool vacuum.
Tip 3. Only use products that are specifically made for your pool
Using the wrong products can disrupt your pool chemical levels and make it unsafe to swim in. Strong chemicals have corrosive ingredients and can cause damage to your equipment and the interior surface. For safety and optimal water clarity, you should use products specifically designed for fibreglass pool use.
Tip 4. Look out for stains
Stains can be unsightly and frustrating to get rid of. They are usually a sign that your pool water is unbalanced. In most instances, they are a result of high concentrations of metals or organic matter. Before attempting to treat the stain, you should know what has caused it. For example, high concentrations of magnesium cause grey stains, copper leaves a blue-green stain and iron will leave maroon tinged stains. Organic stains are typically green or brown and are caused by leaves, algae, or dirt.
Tip 5. Clean out your skimmer and adjust return jets
The skimmer is generally located at one end of the pool and its job is to draw the surface water through the pools filtration system to remove dirt and contaminants before they sink to the bottom of the pool. The skimmer basket will get full of leaves and other debris quite quickly so you must empty this regularly. The return jets send the clean water back into the pool and play a key role in your filtration system by circulating the water. The jets should be positioned in a downward direction. This encourages better circulation of your pool water and reduces evaporation.
Tip 6. Pool cover
An effective way to keep your pool clean with minimal effort is by purchasing a pool cover. Pool covers can drastically reduce the amount of dirt and debris that falls into your pool and can decrease heat, chemical and water loss by 70%.
Tip 7. Monitor water chemistry levels
Maintaining the correct chemical levels is an important part of keeping your pool clean. You can do this by taking a sample of your pool water a pool shop to get it tested or you do it yourself by purchasing a water testing kit. They are user friendly and inexpensive. They come with testing strips that you dip into a sample of pool water and compare to the colour chart on the bottle. This will provide you with an instant and accurate reading of your chemicals levels. You can then balance them if any of them are off.
Tip 8. Shock the pool
If your pool is turning green or cloudy and you have tried adjusting your chemical levels to no avail, then you may need to shock the pool. Shocking the pool is the process of adding a high dose of chlorine to the water to break apart chloramines and to kill harmful bacteria and algae. It is best to do this in the evening and keep your pump running overnight as the ultraviolet light from the sun degrades chlorine and it won’t be as effective.
Tip 9. Automatic pool cleaner
An automatic pool cleaner is a convenient alternative to manually brushing the walls of your pool. They suck up dirt and debris and are a good option if you want to save time on pool maintenance. They can help to prevent your pool from going green by regularly removing contaminants.
Tip 10. Smart cleaning system
If pool cleaning isn’t for you, you should consider a smart pool cleaning system. They allow you to automate your pool maintenance with one touch of a button on your smartphone or device. This can not only save a lot of time but can reduce chemical usage too. Additionally, they make an attractive selling feature if you ever choose to sell you home in the future as they can reduce the homeowner’s pool maintenance to practically nothing.
We hope this article has provided you with the information needed to keep your pool clean throughout the year. If you are still not confident looking after your pool care, you can hire a professional pool cleaner to take it for you or feel free to get in touch with our friendly team at Barrier Reef Pools QLD they will happily answer any questions you have.
