A Beginners Guide To Pool Maintenance
Your swimming pool needs regular upkeep. Thats why it pays to develop a strong basic understanding of pool maintenance essentials.
When you know how your pool works, the best ways to care for it, and how to plan for it, youll be ready to solve just about any potential pool problem that floats your way.
Keep Your Pool Surfaces Clean
This is often overlooked by pool owners. Yeah, you need to keep the water clean and skim the surface of the water to remove debris. Even throw a tennis ball in there to suck up oils on the surface. But what about cleaning the tiles and pool surfaces with pool cleaners?
Thats when you get help from a piece of automatic cleaning equipment, like a Kreepy Krauly pool cleaner. A Kreepy Krauly pool cleaner will need an initial investment but compared to the hard work it will save you from doing over the years it will be worth the investment. Kreepy Krauly pool cleaners are multi-use. They can help you skim the water for debris, and with several settings most models can handle large and small leaf litterall automatically!
On top of that, the Kreepy Krauly has several modes that can help you effortlessly scrub the walls of your pool with several kinds of bristles and scrubbers. This makes for a randomized pattern that will also keep your pool clean without you having to lift a finger.
Leave The Filter Running
Allow the pool filter to run overnight for a few days. This should help clear out unwanted bacteria and dirt that are present in the pool. Also backwash your filter at least 3-4 times a day, since green water can clog your filter and cause damage. If the pool doesnt clear up in 4-5 days, have your filtration system checked. It could mean that there is something wrong with your filtration system or that it needs replacing.
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Ready to learn the basics of pool chemistry? POOLCORP Chemical Specialist Melissa Bushy explains it all in this 15 video showcase. Browse through the different topics to find lessons on each chemical as well as common problems and their solutions. Continue reading our guide below for the three main parts of pool care.
If you want to make sure that your swimming pool is clean and healthy, proper maintenance is a must. Inthis guide, we outline a few simple steps that should be part of your routine. This way, you canmaintain a crystal-clear pool with ease and get back to relaxing! When it comes to pool care, keep inmind the three Cs of pool care: Circulation, Cleaning, and Chemistry.
Circulation:
- Run pool pump 8-12 hours per day
- Backwash or clean filter if pressure is above 10-15 psi
- Clean the skimmer & pump basket
- Keep jets facing circular and downward
Cleaning:
- Brush walls, steps, ladders, low circulation spots daily
- Skim the surface daily
- Vacuum once a week or use automatic cleaner
Chemistry:
- Test water 1-2 times per week
- Balance pH and alkalinity
- Maintain sanitizer levels
- Shock bi-weekly
To keep your pool looking great, youll need to keep your water moving and properly filtered, keep debrisand dead spots cleaned up, and balance your water chemistry.
The first step to keeping your pool clean and clear is to make sure your water is circulating properly.
Don’t Let Storms Dampen Your Summer Spirit
Don’t let storms and flooding bring you down this summer season! Even if it’s chilly, you can still enjoy your pool with the right know-how and equipment to deal with the flooding. If the muggy temperature has put a damper on your swimming season, you can consider getting a Water TechniX Paradise Heat Pumpfor your pool to keep it warm even though rains and flooding. For just a couple of bucks a day, you can keep your pool water warm and refreshing even through the worst storms or floods so that after a quick cleanup, you’ll be back in your warm and refreshing pool in no time at all!
Do you have any questions about this topic or the featured products? No worries, we’re here to help! Drop us a question down below and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
Happy swimming 🙂
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How Often Should A Pool Be Cleaned
You need to maintain your pool weekly and monthly. Heres how:
Weekly Maintenance: You need to do it every week. For weekly maintenance, the pool owner must spend some time skimming the pool surface using a skimmer. With regular skimming, you can keep dirt from getting to the bottom of the pool.
You also need to clean the pools strainer basket once a week. Also, run a pool vacuum for keeping the pool floor clean. Finally, you need to keep a tab on the pH levels of the pool weekly. The pH level of a pool should be between 7.2 and 7.8.
Monthly Maintenance: While regular cleaning is important, over-cleaning can also damage your pool. So, it is best to consult professionals about specific maintenance outlines. Some pool filters may need monthly cleaning, whereas others may require cleaning every two, three, or four months. You also need to check the water level of the pool once a month.
How Do You Clean An Inflatable Pool Without Draining It
Cleaning an inflatable pool can be a daunting task, but it is not impossible. In order to clean your inflatable pool without draining it, you will need to skim the surface of the water to remove any debris and use a small portable vacuum cleaner. If you have a pool filter, this is the time to use it. Finally, add chlorine sanitizer to kill any bacteria or algae in the water.
When not in use, it is important to keep your inflatable pool clean by covering it. This will prevent leaves and other debris from getting into the water and causing bacteria to grow.
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What Can I Put In My Kiddie Pool To Keep The Water Clean
In order to keep your inflatable pool water clean, you should take a few easy steps. First, make sure that the feet and body of your child are clean before they enter the pool.
This will help reduce the amount of dirt and debris in the water. Second, even if you try to keep kids from using soap and shampoo in the pool, its inevitable that some will get in. In this case, use a sponge to dip into the lather and then continue scrubbing until all of the bubbles are gone. Finally, make sure to empty and clean your pool regularly so that no build-up occurs.
You can keep your kiddie pools water clean by following these easy methods:
Dipping a sponge near the lather and keeping doing it until the bubbles stop will clean your pool of soap and shampoo.
To keep the water clean, you should empty and clean your pool regularly. This means taking out all the water and scrubbing down the entire interior surface with a cleaning agent. Be sure to also rinse off the area well.
To increase or decrease the pools pH, you should raise or lower the water level. If the pH is too high, add vinegar to the water until it reaches the desired level. If it is too low, add baking soda to the water until it reaches the desired level.
Regularly remove debris, sand, and leaves from your pool by using a net or scoop. This will keep your swimming area looking nicer and also prevent any health hazards.
Make A Green Pool Clear In 24 Hours
After running the filter system for 24 hours, the pool will be totally clear of any living algae, and you will just need to hoover up any dead material found at the bottom.
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Keep Your Pools Filter Clean
Keeping your filter clean is extremely important for two reasons: it ensures the efficiency of the filter itself, and it also keeps your pools water sparkling. All you will need to do is open up the lid of the filter and remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated over time. This can be done with a simple garden hose that is set to high pressure. You can then replace all parts in their original position before turning on the pump again. Just be careful with this step as it is very easy to damage your pools filter if you inadvertently apply too much water pressure.
Monitor Your Waters Ph Levels
This is by far the most important thing to keep in mind if you want to maintain a clean pool. Maintaining proper pH levels can be done easily, all it requires is some simple math. The ideal pH level that indicates the high-quality water for swimming pools is 7.5-8.0, but more often than not, due to the water source and its mineral composition, it will differ from that number. If youre unsure about what your numbers are supposed to be, consult the information sheets provided by your pool supply store or simply use one of the various free online calculators. It can be difficult sometimes with all these numbers flying around but all you need to do is keep them in the recommended range and you will be fine.
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Well What Happens If You Dont Use A Sanitizer
Chlorine might be considered synonymous with sanitizer, but its not the only one you can use. If you dont use chlorine but use another sanitizer, your pool is in the clear. If you dont use chlorine and dont use any other substitute sanitizer, get ready for disaster.
No chlorine, and no sanitizer? You can expect after just a few weeks that your pool has become green, cloudy, and toxic. That means a fair amount of algae, a build-up of organic material such as sunscreen and oils from swimmers, and debris running amok. But even worse is the possibility that pathogenic bacteriathe means the kind that makes you sickis also able to thrive in your gooey waters.
Not using a sanitizer can be permanently damaging to your equipment and your swimmers. If the inevitable algae of a non-chlorinated, unsanitized pool travels through its circulation system, it will clog your plumbing and equipment. Plus, its too large to sit green safelythere are a myriad of critters that can fall in and contribute to the general nastiness of that, ahem, pool.
The hassle of adding sanitizer to your pool every week or so will never outweigh the disgusting, expensive, time-intensive, and corrosive nature of an untreated pool. So if youre not a fan of chlorine, its time to talk options.
When You Should Drain Your Pool
Although you can clean a pool without draining it, there are specific instances where draining your pool IS necessary.
If your pool needs a repair that cant be done with water still in the pool, then you need to drain it only with the approval or supervision of a pool professional.
Otherwise, even if the pool water seems like it is beyond the point of being fixed, draining usually isnt the answer.
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What Does Pool Cleaning Mean Exactly
As you probably already know, an open swimming pool is basically a blank slate for falling debris like leaves, twigs, and even an unlucky critter. But that doesnt mean that we should focus on accepting all that gunk and resign ourselves to swimming in a murky swamp. Our approach here is on a few different levelsliterallyof your pool, and focuses on your pool surfaces. When any pool expert is talking about cleaning pool surfaces, theyre usually referring to two areas: the surface of your pools water, and the surfaces of the pool itself, including your pool walls and floors.
Here, well examine how to keep the surface of your pools water and the surfaces of the pool itself clean of debris and grime. Of course, this isnt a lasting approach. That just doesnt exist. There will always be more debris falling into your pool, and always a need to eradicate itat least during the swim season. But if you nail the easiest way to rid your pool of that build up, youre going to save a lot of elbow grease every time.
Thorough circulation is key to maintaining a clean pooland thats all the easier with a powerful pump. If a larger horsepower will turn over your water volume at a sufficient rateand wont overwhelm your filtration systemthen a unit like this Blue Torrent 2 HP Variable-Speed Pump is the one to try. As customer Dave Schmidt says, My pool has never looked cleaner. I am pleased with my new pump!
Skim The Pool Surface
The first step that youll have to get used to when cleaning a slightly dirty pool is to skim its surface with a flat skimmer net. Remove any foreign solids, leaves, and other foliage that may have fallen into your pool. You should make time to do this every day as part of your pool maintenance to ensure that it is free of contamination.
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Difference Between Cleaning An Inflatable Pool From Other Pool Types
Cleaning an inflatable pool is much easier than cleaning other types of pools. Inflatable pools are made from materials that can be easily cleaned and do not require the use of harsh chemicals. Additionally, there are a number of tips and tricks you can use to make the cleaning process even easier.
To clean your inflatable pool, you will need an appropriate-sized pump and filter system. This will help circulate the water and keep it clean. Additionally, make sure to check the filters and pumps on a regular basis and replace them when needed.
Cleaning an inflatable pool is not as difficult as one may think. In fact, pool chemicals are not necessary when cleaning the inflatable pool. All that is needed is some hot water, dish soap, and a brush. The following are some easy methods, tips, and tricks on how to keep your inflatable pool water clean.
A Pool Cleaning Schedule
If it has proper circulation, youve already made cleaning your pool much easier. But youll still need to apply some good old-fashioned elbow grease. The basic tools youll need are:
Both Mother Nature and the folks using your pool bring all sorts of wild and wacky things into your pool, from leaves, mold, and the odd duck or frog to residues from shampoos, perfumes, and hair products. Add in the risks of bacterial contamination, and cleaning your pool becomes an absolutely essential part of safe swimming.
Skim, brush, and vacuum your pool weekly, at a minimum. This will keep debris out of your water, and your walls sparkling clean. Baking soda paste works particularly well as a basic scouring cleaner that wont damage delicate tile or a vinyl liner when you brush.
An automatic pool cleaner can significantly cut your pool cleaning time. It wont eliminate the need for regular skimming and brushing, but itll make both tasks easier, freeing you up to spend time enjoying your pool instead of cleaning it.
You can also make your cleaning life easier with a few unorthodox additions to your pool. Toss a few tennis balls into your skimmer basket, or even right into the pool, and theyll absorb surface oils left behind by suntan lotion, cosmetics, etc. You can also wrap your skimmer baskets with pantyhose to create an extra-fine filter thatll catch more contaminants than a skimmer alone.
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How Often Must Your Pool Be Cleaned And Maintained
In short, the answer is Everyday!. There is always something you can watch for and clean up and maintain, its best to clean things and resolve issues as soon as possible, dont wait until the weekend, if you want to maintain your pool at the highest level. Doing smaller tasks throughout the month help so you dont have to do a ton of tasks and maintenance in a weekend. Its best to spread them out and do a little bit regularly throughout the month, so al the things on your to do list dont add up. Keeping your pool clean and maintained, you prevent problems from occurring and thus you are increasing the life and usability of your pool.
The most important thing you can do on a regular basis is to vacuum your pool. This should be done at least once a week, ideally twice. However, if you dont have a lot of debris, such as leaves, bugs, etc. or if you have a screened in pool, once a week should be sufficient. Vacuuming helps control the pH level in your pool much easier, so its a great regular maintenance and cleaning task you can do to keep your pool clean and safe.
Another weekly task to keep your pool in tip-top shape is to test your pH levels. Generally, the pH level of your water should be between 7.4 and 7.6. Be sure to adjust your chemicals as needed to maintain the correct numbers. Remember: vacuuming your pool regularly will help keep your pH balanced easier and more controlled.
