Understanding the basics of how to maintain your pool is key as a responsible pool owner/ operator. At a primary level, maintaining your pool will keep it looking clean and clear so you can happily invite guests/family to enjoy. On a more serious note, how you maintain your pool will determine if the water is safe, protecting your family and friends from more serious contaminants and pollutants that cause recreational water illnesses (RWIs). These illnesses include diarrhea, ear infections, respiratory infections, rashes, and/or inflamed eyes and lungs. That may sound alarming, but a well-maintained pool leaves nothing to fear.
From a financial standpoint, learning how to maintain your pool also helps you avoid costly hardware repairs due to corrosion or mineral build-up, meaning regular pool maintenance will help your pool last longer. While it’s always ideal to have a professional service team maintain your pool; it’s also important to educate yourself on basics of pool maintenance so you can ensure your own standards are being met. In this short article, our Pool Maintenance Technicians at Tortorella Group outline the three simple components of standard pool maintenance – also known as the “The 3 C’s”. We hope these quick and easy pointers will be helpful reminders putting your mind at ease as we approach primary pool season..
The three “C’s” of pool maintenance – Circulation, Cleaning and Chemicals:
1. Circulation – Understanding the role circulation plays in how to maintain your pool is an important one. It’s a fact that the water will stay cleaner if there is good circulation throughout the pool at all times. To ensure the water is flowing freely there are a few things that must be done regularly. The first is to empty the skimmer baskets and making sure to clear any/all debris around the pumps. Second, periodically move the jet heads (if applicable) which changes the flow of water around the pool. Angling them downard for a small period will help force debris from the bottom up to the top, allowing you to skim any low lying debris off the pool that you may have missed. Third, make sure your pool pump is working to its optimal capacity. Most pumps should be kept on for a minimum of 8 hours a day (often much longer) and most filter systems are designed to operate in the 15 psi or 10-20 psi range.
2. Cleaning your pool – this is probably the most obvious step in the weekly protocol. How to maintain your pool properly when it comes to cleanliness means giving your walls and pool tiles a good old fashioned scrub. It is important to regularly wash your pool or you will likely have a buildup of algae that will attract all sorts of bacteria. And bacteria as we know, can lead to illnesses. Investing in a really good pool brush, rubbing the floor, walls, and sides (all at least twice a week) will keep your pool clean and free from algae and other growths. We also recommend investing in an automatic pool vacuum. A vacuum will run automatically inside the pool with little/no effort and help clean the floors and walls of the pool in the process. There’s a wide range of vacuums currently available on the market – consider each option before settling on one. Best Reviews has an excellent pool vacuum comparison, giving detailed reviews of the best pool vacuums that specialize in algae removal on the market today.
3. Chemicals – This last checkpoint is a must for every pool owner/operator, however wrapping your head around pool chemicals can be tricky. The right mix of chemicals differs depending on the specifics of your pool, your climate, and other environmental factors. Generally speaking- the pH balance of the water must be in balance with acid and alkaline, as well as sufficient calcium to avoid erosion of the plumbing system. Once a week you’ll also want to ‘shock’ your pool with some variation of ‘shock treatment solution’. As a rule of thumb, you only need about one pound of shock treatment per 10,000 gallons of water. Most importantly, remember to wear gloves and protective eyewear when you use any chemicals!
We hope these tips on how to maintain your pool were helpful. Of course if you have any questions or concerns related to maintaining your pool, then one of our expert pool technicians at Tortorella Group will be happy to help. Please call us at 631-728-8000 to schedule your pool maintenance today.