We all love the idea of having swimming pools in our houses. This is awesome but beyond all the luxuries and benefits, there is a very important and vital part of owning a pool. That is the maintenance of the pool. The effects of poor maintenance of a pool range from infected water and algae build up to broke filters and green water. So, while you are planning to get a swimming pool for your friends and family, or perhaps you already do, here are some smart and simple tips that will help you clean and manage your pool:
Pull of the pool cover carefully
In an attempt to clean your pool and make it the best above ground family swimming pool, the very first step is to remove the cover of the pool (if it has a cover). Most times, especially if it has been a while that you cleaned the pool, a lot of dirty water gathers on the cover of the pool. It is important that you first extract or siphon as much water as possible from the pool cover, before attempting to remove it.
Ensure that you skim.
The surface of the water sometimes can be filled with sediments, leaves, bugs and other large materials. A pool skimmer should be used to skim the surface of the water in order to prevent these large sediments from clogging the water filter. It can also be used, although less regularly, for the bottom of the pool. For a truly marvelous and clean pool, you should not only skim but ensure that you skim regularly. Skimming the pool is so important that a pool skimmer is referred to as the best friend for an above the ground family pool.
Take care of the filter
Human beings have kidneys, pools have filters, and they must be well taken care of. To take care of the filter, you will have to turn it off and extract it from its canister. When this has been done, you then clean off whatever impurities are within and outside the filter, this can be done with a pool spray nozzle and a hose. This process should be done very often, at least once a week. It is also important that you clean the pipes that the filter use, by saturating the filter with water and setting the filter to backwash. It is important to note that the turning off and on, of the filter could result in the cracking of the mechanics of the filter, hence the filter should be allowed to run for about six hours every day.
Scrub and vacuum the pool
Apart from the surface of the water, the ground of the pool and the side of the pool should be cleaned. For the sides, a brush should be used to scrub the sides of the pool in order prevent the growth of any algae and any other kind of growth. For the bottom of the pool, the pool vacuum is the best thing to use to remove debris.
How to use the vacuum
After submerging the vacuum in water, it is important that you use it carefully so that you do not disrupt the liner. Furthermore, if the pool hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, then it will be necessary to clean out the filters of the pool vacuum as you use the vacuum. Some vacuum use the simple basket filter, while some use the more complicated cartridge filter, whichever way, you should empty the filter when it gets full and use water to thoroughly rinse it before returning the pool vacuum to the bottom of the pool to continue work. A pool vacuum will change even the most neglected pool into a shining one. There’s a good list above ground pool vacuums here.
Make use of all the pool protection materials
Pool Shock
One way to clean and protect your pool from infections and algae is to apply a pool shock, it is important that in applying a shock you sprinkle the shock around the edges of the pool, doing it in a rush will result in the accumulation of the shock at the bottom of the pool which could lead to the bleaching of the bottom of the pool liner.
Water Clarifier and Algae Guard
Another very important pool protection material is the water clarifier which could be stirred with a brush to mix the pool water with the clarifier. Furthermore, another rather important material is the algae guard. The algae guard is applied the same way as the clarifier and any accumulation of the chemical at the bottom of the pool should the stirred.
Check out the chemical levels- They must be balanced!
This is a very vital part of cleaning and maintaining your pool. A pool with imbalanced chemicals could be irritating to the skin and eyes as well as murky looking. To check the out the chemical balance of your pool is quite easy, all you need to do is get a testing kit. Fill up the testing kit with water from your pool and leave it for a while. The kit then shows and indicates the different chemical levels contained in the water through different coolers.
Some of the chemicals that you should check out for include Cyanuric Acid (A perfect reading for outdoor pools is 30- 50). Free chlorine (this helps to keep the pool water safe and free germs), Calcium hardness (Aim for 220-350), Total alkalinity and acidity and finally, Alkalinity (acidity should be kept between 7.5 and 7.8). Once all the chemicals are balanced, the water becomes crystal clear (i.e. no colors)
Disinfect the swimming pool
This is a basic and fundamental step to take to maintain and clean your pool water. The water in pools usually stay there for a long time and it is very possible that they get infected with microorganisms, amongst others. There are several agents and chemicals which can be used to disinfect a pool. The most common of these is chlorine, however apart from chlorine there include others like Ultraviolent light systems and Ozone light systems.
The Tennis Ball Miracle
Many times we see tennis balls inside pools, we do not realize that the smart pool owners are killing two birds with one stone. Apart from being used for recreation, tennis balls can also perform the function of absorbing certain oils that are inevitably deposited in the pool. When people get into the pool, they deposit several forms of oil in pool, from suntan oil to natural oil, and this can leave a slick sheen on the water. However, thankfully, the fiber that is used in making tennis balls are very potent in the absorbing of oil.
The Power Washer
The most appealing pools are not known simply for the pristine nature of the water itself but also for the clean and neat surroundings of the pool. For example, the pool deck. In taking care of this very important of your pool, a power washer is very essential. It helps to clean the pool deck from all stains including rust and weather stains. The process of use is very simple, after sweeping the deck of materials such as leaves, the power washer is set to use according to instructions.
Conclusion
Taking care of a pool is one of the most important things about having a pool, the process does not need to be exceedingly stressful if it is done consistently. Utilizing the tips provided will leave you with a radiant and shining family swimming pool.
Share this article
