Having a pool where you can throw weekend parties, do a few laps, or sit by sounds glamorous. But the forgotten and far from glamorous part of having your own pool at the back of your house is the amount of maintenance they require.
Without it, your pool would turn into a green, muddy, and filled with dangerous bacteria water structure that can put guests off and decrease the value of your home. It can also be a safety hazard for people at home.
To ensure that you get the most out of the fun pool provide, make sure to follow these four maintenance tips:
1. Skin and Scrub
Debris such as dried leaves falling on the surface of the pool water is unavoidable, especially if you have trees providing the shade you need. A pristine pool will require you to regularly skim the surface for debris to keep it looking clean.
The pool is filled with water, and you don’t always use it, making it prone to algae buildup. It can grow on the pool’s sides and floor. It can be difficult to get rid of them if they get severe, so your best bet would be to scrub them off at their early stages to prevent them from spreading further and making your pool slimy and dirty looking.
If you’re having trouble removing them, use an old sock and fill it with chlorine. Let it sit on top of the stubborn grease for a few hours, then go back to scrubbing. Those socks without pairs restore their function once more, and you get a clean pool. A good win if you ask.
2. Take care of the filters
Your pool’s filters work like its own kidneys. They filter impurities such as dirt, leaves, and small toys that get left behind in the pool. A pool will be a muddy green mess without it working properly. To ensure that you get the filtering powers, set the filter to off, pop off the cap, skim out debris, and replace everything.
The best frequency would be to clean the filter basket at least once every week. You should also think of the pipes used by your pool’s filter system. Set the filter system to “backwash” the pipes, use your submersible borehole water pump to eject water until it puts out clean water, then turn the filter off. Be careful not to overdo this, for you won’t only lessen your filter system’s life and efficiency, but you’ll also waste water and chemicals.
3. Watch the chemical levels
The chemicals required by your pool is one of its most important maintenance parts. They prevent your pool’s water from looking murky, irritating, and full of bacteria. Water testing is done to ensure that the chemicals needed are put in ideal levels as required by the water level and build material.
Check out this guide by the Center for Disease Control to know the right chemicals to put in your pool and in what levels.
4. Manage water levels
Chemical composition is important, but what is a pool without water? The water level can be manageable if you keep an eye on it and know what your pool can handle. Water levels can vary because of rainstorms, after a pool party, etc.
The ideal water level should be halfway up the pool’s opening. If the water is on a level too low, use your garden hose to add water. You can use a pump if there’s excess. But some build materials can’t handle the weight of pumps, such as vinyl and fiberglass-made pools. If your pool is built with those, you’re better off consulting pool maintenance professionals.
These maintenance tips are just the tip of the iceberg. The conditions of your pool can vary from use, location, and seasons. Its size is also a big factor. To ensure that yours is well-maintained, do maintenance work consistently, even when you don’t use the pool much.
