If you are a swimming pool owner or you’re considering installing a pool in your home, then you probably understand that having a swimming pool comes with just as many responsibilities as the fun.
As a pool owner, it is exciting to have poolside parties with family and friends, swimming workouts and enjoy the liberty of swimming at will. However, if you want to enjoy a clean and sparkling swimming pool, you have to be regular with maintenance to avoid the walls turning green from algae, green water, and the filters getting clogged.
The components of a swimming pool
An ideal swimming pool should have the following;
The filter – The filter collects all the foreign objects in the water such as sand, hair, leaves, dirt, etc. When the water flows through the filter, it traps the debris and contains it.
Drains – This is an in-built filtration system that drains debris and dirty water and then returns clean water to the pool.
The pump – It circulates water in the pool which pushes the debris in the water to the filter drains on the side of the pool.
Having a proper maintenance routine for your swimming pool is undebatable. Here are some top tips to help you understand how to maintain a swimming pool.
How to maintain a swimming pool
Skimming
Skimming is removing the debris of the surface of the water and it should be done daily. Skimmers are very important features in the pool. They are designed to remove debris and contaminants from the pool before they sink to the bottom. A working skimmer draws water from the surface of the pool and sucks it through the filtration system.
While there are in-built skimmers that are located on the side of the in-ground pool, there are also automatic skimmers that are hung from the sides of an above ground pool. Without a working skimmer, a swimming pool will have a cloudy surface and algae build up. The sides of the pool should also be scrubbed constantly with a scrub brush to keep them clean.
The water level
Your swimming pool should have the adequate water level. The water needs to be at the center level of the pool skimmer to get the best results. If the water is too high, the skimmer door will not work well and this will leave debris inside the pool, if the water is too low, it can cause the pump to run dry and even burn it up.
Shocking the swimming pool
Shocking your pool is the process of adding chemicals to the pool to raise the chlorine level, kill algae or bacteria growth and break apart chloramines. How often you shock your pool is dependent on some factors such as heavy downpour of rain, dusty environment etc.
Understand Swimming pool chemistry
As a pool owner, you should be aware of the chemical level to have a balanced water. A pool that doesn’t have balanced water will irritate the eyes and skin, and cause bacteria growth in the pool. Ideally, the pool water should be tested once a week with a good testing kit to measure and adjust the chlorine level and pH alkalinity.
The three main things to test for are;
pH levels – Low pH means the water is acidic, while high pH means the water is basic. How acidic or basic your water is, is on a 0 – 14 pH scale. The water should be neutral between 7.4 to 7.6
Alkalinity – This is a pH buffer that helps to balance the water. It should be between the range of 100 – 150 ppm.
Sanitizer – This is to kill bacteria and other microorganisms. The levels depend on whatever you’re using, either chlorine, bromine or something else.
Get an expert to maintain your pool
You need the services of an expert to adequately maintain your swimming pool. At least once a year, an expert should come to check the drains, pumps, filters, heating systems etc. Before the appointment, you can check your pool thoroughly to see if there are any leakages or unusual sounds coming from the mechanisms. This will give the expert a head start on where to begin.
Side Notes
Tennis balls have proven to be great for absorbing oils in the pool because of the natural fibers, so you can toss one or two tennis balls into the swimming pool to absorb oils like sunscreen, conditioner and natural oils that come off the body. Only swimsuits should be worn in the pool because other clothes can carry contaminants into the water.
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