When most people think of summer, they usually imagine lounging by the pool or taking a swim to cool off when the heat gets to be too much. Maybe they want their kids to get some exercise while having fun and staying cool. Whatever the case may be, most people enjoy the idea of owning a pool, but some can be intimidated by the amount of maintenance that a pool requires. While it may seem like a lot of steps, maintaining a pool really only takes a couple of hours a week to keep it clean and swimmable.
Pool Skimming
Skimming a pool is the least time-consuming way to help keep your pool clean. Once you get the hang of it, skimming only takes a couple of minutes every few days. If you have trees or bushes around or over your pool, consider having them trimmed back to reduce the debris that falls into your pool. Make sure to empty out the skimmer baskets every few days as well and dispose of the debris away from the pool so it has less of a chance of finding its way back in the water.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming takes about 30 minutes for an average-sized pool and should be done once a week. If it helps you, try vacuuming the pool on the same day you put the trash out. Since you have to get some cleaning done on trash day anyway, you might be more motivated to vacuum your pool and keep it clean. After vacuuming, taking a few minutes to scrub the sides of the pool with the brush on your vacuum pole to remove algae build-up.
Checking The pH
Checking your pH should also be done weekly. The two most common types of pH testing kits are reagent kits and test-strip kits. Both are easy to use and easy to read. Reagent kits have you take a sample of the water and add a liquid or tablet to the sample. The water then changes color, indicating the chemical balance. Test-strips work by submerging the strip in the water. The strip then changes color and you match the color of the strip to a color chart which allows you to determine the pH level.
According to the CDC, the pH of your pool is extremely important. Our eyes have a natural pH of 7.2-7.4, which is what the pH of your pool should be. If the pH of your pool is over 7.4-7.6, treat it with muriatic acid. If the pH is under 7.4-7.2, treat with soda ash.
Cleaning The Filter
There are three types of filters: cartridge, sand, and diatomaceous earth. While each filter has different steps to be taken to clean it, they all require periodic cleaning to ensure a clean pool. Generally, when the difference between the pressure gauge and flow meter reach 10-15 pounds per square inch, it’s time to clean the filter. However, don’t clean the filter too often as this can decrease the ability to keep the pool clean. A semi-dirty filter will work better than a spotless one because the filter needs some dirt particles in it to capture more particles.
