One of the less glamorous aspects of owning a pool is cleaning and maintaining it. A pool must be kept clean so that it looks nice and it is healthy for the swimmers! No one wants to swim in a pool that has spots of algae and murky water. Part of keeping a pool clean is making sure that necessary components are in good working order. If these break down due to neglect, the pool will become insalubrious very quickly. But how often should a pool be maintained?
Clean Out the Skimmers Often
A pool skimmer is kind of like a gutter that helps clean the pool by capturing the debris, like leaves, flower petals, or insects from the surface. Experts recommend that the skimmers be cleaned out regularly when the pool is being used and bit less frequently in the off-season. You definitely want to prevent a clog in your skimmer because it can cause a lack of suction and inefficient filtration.
Vacuum
The pool should be vacuumed at least once a week during the pool season and more often if around a lot of foliage. Most pools should have a dedicated vacuum line and not counted through the skimmer as was done in pools pre-1975.
Brushing
The pool should be brushed once a week with attention to the steps and benches as well as the pool walls and tile. The vacuum should take care of the bottom of the pool most of the time, but under extreme weather conditions may need attention and brushing.
Cleaning the Pumps and Filters
The pumps have a catch basket just before the impeller and this basket should be cleaned once a week or less frequent if the pool is not near foliage.
The filter is recommended to be cleaned about once a quarter. This is done by disassembling the filter and physically washing each individual filter element with a high pressure hose. There are several types of filters, Cartridge, DE (diatomaceous Earth) and sand. They all have a slightly different cleaning procedure.
Cleaning the Tiles
The tiles should ideally be cleaned once a week. This is simply done with a medium brush and only takes a few minutes to remove any contaminates . If the limescale is mild, they should be rubbed down with pumice stone then brushed with a brush with nylon bristles. However, pumice stone should not be used on pools with fiberglass or vinyl shells. More severe limescale might need to be blasted away with a pressure washer set at between 2000 to 2600 psi, bead blasted by a professional or the tiles may need washing with muriatic acid.
Test the Water
There are several components in pool water that keep it sparkling clean and resistant to algae and pathogens. They are the pH, which measures how acidic or alkaline the water is. There’s the water’s total alkalinity, its chlorine and cyanuric acid levels, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids. These should be tested regularly, and the pool owner should re-balance them if they are not at the right levels.
Professional Company
Having a pool is wonderful, but for healthy enjoyment, the pool needs to be tended to regularly. If the pool owner sets up and follows a maintenance schedule, they and their family and friends can enjoy their pool without worry. To learn more, contact Infinite Pools online or call 951-354-9888. We have the experience and knowledge to help you create and build the pool and yard of your dreams. Infinite Pools practices a hands-on approach to every job and is fully involved at all stages of your project to ensure it is completed to our exceptionally high standards.
