TOP 10 POOL MAINTENANCE TIPS Maintaining a sparkling, clean, ready-to-swim pool doesn t have to take a lot of time or effort. The secret is to establish a regular routine including these ten fast and easy pool care habits.
#10 Skim debris Skim your pool s surface at least once a week using a long-handled skim net. This preventative step is the fastest and easiest way to keep your pool clean. After all, surface debris will eventually sink to the bottom of your pool, where it s much harder to remove. #9 Empty strainer baskets Be sure to clean out your pool s strainer baskets at least once a week. This one step will greatly benefit your pool s circulation, reducing chemical demands. #8 Brush pool walls Brushing the walls of your pool once a week will reduce algae buildup so it doesn t collect and become a larger problem. Be sure to choose a pool brush that is safe for your pool s construction. If you do see noticeable algae on the pool walls, always brush prior to superchlorinating. As a preventative measure, we also recommend adding some liquid algaecide to your water every two weeks. #7 Suck it up Vacuum your pool at least once a week. If you have a manual vacuum, slowly work it back and forth. This type of vacuuming is great for removing a lot of debris or larger debris. Automatic vacuums are great for more regular cleaning involving smaller debris. If you have an automatic vacuum that is attached to your pool skimmer, remember to periodically remove it, to give your pool the chance to properly circulate. When you re done vacuuming, be sure to check your filter and clean if necessary.
#6 Clean your pool filter Whether your pool filter type is cartridge, sand or diatomaceous earth, they all require periodic cleaning. You ll know it s time to clean your filter when you notice an increase in flow on the filter pressure gauge of 8-10 PSI. It s a good idea to check it once a week. Once your filter is clean, take a reading of your starting pressure so you have a reference point for next time. If the pressure of the filter does not decrease after cleaning, this is an indication that the filter media or cartridge needs to be changed. If you are using a sand filter, we also recommend adding a pool clarifier every two weeks. A clarifier will help the filter operate efficiently by coagulating the materials that cause cloudy and hazy water, creating larger particles that are easily removed by the filter.
#5 Maintain proper water level A surprising amount of water is lost throughout the swimming season, due to a combination of evaporation and normal removal (think splashing and dripping when exiting the pool). With a sand filter system a substantial amount of water is also lost through backwashing. Check your water level at least once per week, ensuring that the level is about 2/3 of the way up the skimmer faceplate. #4 Maintain proper ph levels ph is a measurement of acidity or alkalinity. To be safe for swimmers and to ensure your chemicals will work at peak efficiency, your pool should have a ph reading between 7.2 and 7.8. Monitor your pool s ph level using either a reagent kit or test strips at least once a week.
#3 Shock and awe Whatever type of pool sanitizer you use, make sure you maintain the level within the recommended range. If your sanitizer level reaches zero, your pool can become infested with organic contaminants within hours. These organic contaminants react and combine with the chlorine in your pool water to form combine chlorine. When this happens, your pool will most likely become cloudy and give off a potent chlorine smell. The combined chlorine in your pool becomes a bad disinfectant, and a regular shock treatment is necessary to restore the sanitizer to free chlorine efficiency, between 1-3 ppm. This can be done by superchlorination, which involves adding a large amount of chlorine to the pool. You should do this in the evening when the pool will not be in use for a minimum of eight hours. A non-chlorine shock can also be used, but will not raise your free chlorine level. Saltwater pools may be shocked using the super-chlorinate option on the salt generator. We recommend checking your chlorine levels weekly, and shocking your pool at least bi-weekly although the frequency will vary for every pool depending on temperature, usage, and rainfall amounts.
#2 Professional water analysis It is good practice to collect a water sample at the beginning, middle, and end of your swim season, and invest in a professional water analysis. Besides ph and chlorine/salt levels, your water professional will test for alkalinity, calcium hardness, stabilizer, and metal levels (if required). Additional water testing is probably a good idea in a season with frequent and/or heavy rain, or if you needed to add a significant amount of water to your pool during the season. #1 Find and repair leaks If you are suspicious that you have a leak, but aren t sure if it s not just evaporation, mark the water level on the skimmer faceplate at night when the sun goes down and then check the water level in the morning. If you have determined there is a leak in your pool, even if it is not visible, contact your pool professional. It is very important to address this issue prior to the onslaught of winter, to avoid damage to your pool structure.
QUESTIONS? Call Rosalie Rosalie is Grigg Pools Lab Technician and Office Manager. This is her second career her first was working in the lab at the Saint John Regional Hospital. With all that chemistry experience, it s not at all surprising that Rosalie is an expert at solving pool water problems. She s our resident water guru. www.griggpools.ca Grigg Pools & Outdoor Living Inc.