Did you just get a new swimming pool for your backyard? Not sure how you should handle swimming pool maintenance?
While having a swimming pool can be a lot of fun, you’ll want to make sure that you maintain it properly. A swimming pool will need to have plenty of care and maintenance for it to remain comfortable to swim in and to look its best.
In this complete guide, we’ll tell you how to handle swimming pool maintenance.
Check the Chemical Levels
One of the key steps to maintaining your swimming pool is to put chemicals in it regularly. You need to use a pool test kit to be sure that your swimming pool has the right pH and alkalinity levels at all times.
The pH level of your swimming pool should always be between 7.2 and 7.8 while the alkalinity should stay between 80 and 120 parts per million.
If you have a swimming pool, you’ll need to test both of these 2-3 times per week at least. Without properly maintaining the chemistry of the water, the water could corrode the metal parts, scale deposits may form, and pool water may get cloudy.
Be sure that you’re checking the water regularly and adding chemicals as needed. To do this, you’ll need to check the alkalinity first. You can raise alkalinity by adding sodium bicarbonate or baking soda.
Improve Pump Performance
Another thing that you should do to maintain your swimming pool is to make sure that your pump is working properly. The swimming pool pump will filter water, help disperse chemicals, and make your pool cleaner.
It’s important that you clean out the pump’s strainer basket at least once per week. You should also regularly check the O-ring for cracks and signs of damage. The O-ring is a gasket that keeps the housing lid sealed and prevents pump water leakage. You may also want to lubricate the O-ring from time to time using an approved lubricant as well.
Additionally, remember that your pump should be running often enough to get its job done. You should aim to run it at least 10 hours per day, but running it for 24 hours a day is ideal.
Take Care of Pool Filters
In addition to making sure the swimming pool’s pump is working as it should, you should also take care of the filters as well.
The pool’s filter works to filter out debris and other items in the water that can affect the pool’s wellbeing. There are 3 kinds of filters that your pool may have. Your pool may have cartridges, sand, or diatomaceous earth (DE) filters.
DE filters are the most effective kind of filters and use microscopic organisms called diatoms. With this type of filter, you’ll need to refill it from time to time with DE powder. When filtering your pool, be sure to follow the instructions for backwashing your filter. When you do this, you’ll reverse the flow of water through the pool’s filter and will dispose of dirty water and build-up, sending it away from your pool.
Remove Debris from Skimmers Regularly
To care for your pool properly, you should also make sure that you’re cleaning debris out of skimmers regularly as well.
Skimmers are the rectangular boxes on the sides of your pool that are level with the water. When the pump is on, debris will be pulled into the skimmers and will be trapped there. These skimmers will fill up with debris with time, so you’ll need to pay attention to them. Be sure to clean them out at least once per week to ensure that they will keep working as they should.
To clean out the skimmers, you’ll need to disable the pump, remove the lid, and empty the basket that’s inside. This will help the skimmers to keep working as they should and to continue pulling in debris from your pool.
Clean it Up
In addition to maintaining pool equipment and keeping the chemicals in check, you’ll also need to perform cleaning tasks regularly as well. As a smart homeowner, you need to set a pool cleaning schedule that you’ll follow and put effort into each week.
Some of the main tools you’ll need for cleaning a swimming pool will include a net skimmer, a pool brush, and a pool vacuum. You’ll want to be sure that you use all of these tools regularly when maintaining your pool. You may also want to consider using heavy calcium releaser to remove calcium and mineral deposits.
Be sure that you brush all pool walls, steps, and ladders daily. You should also skim the surface of the swimming pool with a net each day as well. Take care to remove any and all debris that has fallen into the pool such as fallen leaves and twigs. You’ll also want to make sure that you vacuum the pool once per week.
Additionally, you may want to invest in an automatic pool cleaner. This can help lighten your load and make the other cleaning tasks that you have easier to handle each day and each week.
Handling Swimming Pool Maintenance with These Helpful Tips
If you want to keep your swimming pool in great shape, you need to make sure that you’re staying proactive with swimming pool care and maintenance. You should make sure to use the swimming pool maintenance tips listed above if you want to take great care of your pool.