A Beginners Guide To Taking Care Of Your Swimming Pool
The secret to maintaining a crystal-clear pool year-round is getting the basics down pat and putting in a little effort every week to ensure it doesn't become dirty. The slightest imbalance can result in an unsanitary pool fast, especially in the warmer months. In this post, we'll share our beginners guide to help you take care of your swimming pool.
Three Main Aspects To Maintaining A Swimming Pool
There are three key elements involved with keeping your swimming pool clean, this is often referred to as the three C’s in the pool world, they include:
1. Your pool’s chemistry levels
2. Your pool’s circulation system
3. Your cleaning schedule
Below, we’ll elaborate on these a little more to give you a better understanding of what they are and what they do.
Your Pools Chemistry Levels
All pools need adequate doses of chemicals to keep the water sanitary. It would be extremely challenging to keep the water clean otherwise. Chemicals essentially sanitise the water by killing harmful bacteria and pathogens that may be lingering in the pool. The easiest way to maintain your pools chemical levels is by purchasing a water testing kit, without one it can be difficult to determine what is at the right level and what’s not. Not to mention not knowing what to rectify if there is an issue with your water quality.
Essentially, 6 chemistry components need to be monitored and adjusted if needed, to maintain a clean swimming pool. They include:
1. Total Alkalinity (TA)
If your total alkalinity is unbalanced, there’s a high possibility that your pH levels will be too. The TA levels in your pool refer to how much alkaline is in your water. If it is too low, this will normally trigger high pH levels. A total alkalinity level of approximately 100 ppm is desirable.
2. pH Levels
The pH levels of your pool determine the degree of acid or base in the water. A neutral level is a pH of 7, anything above this is considered alkaline, and below 7 is a sign that the pool is too acidic. A healthy pool will have a pH of between 7.2 and 7.8. Your pH levels must be correct not only to keep the water clear but to keep swimmers safe. A pool with imbalanced pH levels can result in skin and eye irritation. Many things can throw out your pools pH levels, some common ones include heavy use and rain.
3. Calcium Hardness (CA)
Another important element to get right is the calcium hardness levels. The calcium hardness in your pool means the amount of mineral calcium that is dissolved in the water. If the CA levels are too high for an extended period, it can leave scale on the surface of your pool and its equipment. If it is too low, chalking can occur. Ideal levels of calcium hardness are between 200 ppm to 400ppm.
4. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
All forms of water, apart from distilled, have dissolved minerals in them. Total dissolved minerals refer to the level of concentrated minerals that in the water, this is a naturally occurring process that happens as the water evaporates. When the TDS levels get too high, the water can go cloudy as a result, and you may need to empty some of the water and refill it with fresh water to rebalance. Optimal TDS levels should be less than 2000ppm.
5. Stabiliser
Stabiliser is an essential chemical used to protect the chlorine in your pool. The suns UV rays break down the chlorine in your pool at a rapid rate without it. The stabiliser level in your pool should ideally be between 40 and 100 ppm.
6. Chlorine
Chlorine is the active ingredient that kills bacteria and pathogens in your pool to keep it safe to swim in. Your chlorine levels should be between 1 ppm and 3ppm.
Your Pool's Circulation System
Your pools circulation system plays an integral role in keeping your pool clean. It keeps the water in your pool moving and prevents it from becoming stagnant. Your pools circulation system is made up of your pool pump, the skimmer, filter and returns, they all work collaboratively together to keep your pool clear. Your pool pump must be running for a minimum of 8 to 12 hours per day. Smaller pools usually require less running time than larger pools, as the main objective is to circulate the entire contents of the pool in that period. You must clean out your pool filters regularly to prevent them from clogging up and causing damage. Make sure you follow the instructions in your user manual when doing this as the cleaning method can vary depending on the type of filters you have. You should empty your skimmer basket every week or more often if there has been significant wind or leaf fall. Doing this is simple, remove the basket from the skimmer box, tap the contents out. To remove any small fragments, wash out with a hose and replace when done.
Your Cleaning Schedule
It goes without saying, all pools need regular pool cleaning. Leaving visible contaminants in the water can cause a plethora of issues. To make cleaning that much easier, it pays to get yourself these essential pool cleaning items:
Pool Scoop And Telescopic Pole
A pool scoop is a must-have. It enables you to collect debris from every crevice of the pool without having to go in the water.
Pool Vacuum
You can either have a manual vacuum that you physically manoeuvre over the pool or invest in an automatic pool cleaner that does it autonomously.
Pool Brush
This can be attached to your telescopic pole and is used to shift any algae or grime that may be sitting on the surface of the pool. This is then easier to collect when the vacuum runs over it.
Conclusion
We hope this post has given you an idea of how to look after your pool. A little effort goes a long way. While it may seem overwhelming to start with, once you get the hang of it, it’ll become second nature. If you have any questions on this topic or you’d like to discuss the idea of a new pool for your home, contact the fibreglass pool experts here at Factory Pools Perth!
A Beginners Guide To Taking Care Of Your Swimming Pool
The secret to maintaining a crystal-clear pool year-round is getting the basics down pat and putting in a little effort every week to ensure it doesn't become dirty. The slightest imbalance can result in an unsanitary pool fast, especially in the warmer months. In this post, we'll share our beginners guide to help you take care of your swimming pool.
Three Main Aspects To Maintaining A Swimming Pool
There are three key elements involved with keeping your swimming pool clean, this is often referred to as the three C’s in the pool world, they include:
1. Your pool’s chemistry levels
2. Your pool’s circulation system
3. Your cleaning schedule
Below, we’ll elaborate on these a little more to give you a better understanding of what they are and what they do.
Your Pools Chemistry Levels
All pools need adequate doses of chemicals to keep the water sanitary. It would be extremely challenging to keep the water clean otherwise. Chemicals essentially sanitise the water by killing harmful bacteria and pathogens that may be lingering in the pool. The easiest way to maintain your pools chemical levels is by purchasing a water testing kit, without one it can be difficult to determine what is at the right level and what’s not. Not to mention not knowing what to rectify if there is an issue with your water quality.
Essentially, 6 chemistry components need to be monitored and adjusted if needed, to maintain a clean swimming pool. They include:
1. Total Alkalinity (TA)
If your total alkalinity is unbalanced, there’s a high possibility that your pH levels will be too. The TA levels in your pool refer to how much alkaline is in your water. If it is too low, this will normally trigger high pH levels. A total alkalinity level of approximately 100 ppm is desirable.
2. pH Levels
The pH levels of your pool determine the degree of acid or base in the water. A neutral level is a pH of 7, anything above this is considered alkaline, and below 7 is a sign that the pool is too acidic. A healthy pool will have a pH of between 7.2 and 7.8. Your pH levels must be correct not only to keep the water clear but to keep swimmers safe. A pool with imbalanced pH levels can result in skin and eye irritation. Many things can throw out your pools pH levels, some common ones include heavy use and rain.
3. Calcium Hardness (CA)
Another important element to get right is the calcium hardness levels. The calcium hardness in your pool means the amount of mineral calcium that is dissolved in the water. If the CA levels are too high for an extended period, it can leave scale on the surface of your pool and its equipment. If it is too low, chalking can occur. Ideal levels of calcium hardness are between 200 ppm to 400ppm.
4. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
All forms of water, apart from distilled, have dissolved minerals in them. Total dissolved minerals refer to the level of concentrated minerals that in the water, this is a naturally occurring process that happens as the water evaporates. When the TDS levels get too high, the water can go cloudy as a result, and you may need to empty some of the water and refill it with fresh water to rebalance. Optimal TDS levels should be less than 2000ppm.
5. Stabiliser
Stabiliser is an essential chemical used to protect the chlorine in your pool. The suns UV rays break down the chlorine in your pool at a rapid rate without it. The stabiliser level in your pool should ideally be between 40 and 100 ppm.
6. Chlorine
Chlorine is the active ingredient that kills bacteria and pathogens in your pool to keep it safe to swim in. Your chlorine levels should be between 1 ppm and 3ppm.
Your Pool's Circulation System
Your pools circulation system plays an integral role in keeping your pool clean. It keeps the water in your pool moving and prevents it from becoming stagnant. Your pools circulation system is made up of your pool pump, the skimmer, filter and returns, they all work collaboratively together to keep your pool clear. Your pool pump must be running for a minimum of 8 to 12 hours per day. Smaller pools usually require less running time than larger pools, as the main objective is to circulate the entire contents of the pool in that period. You must clean out your pool filters regularly to prevent them from clogging up and causing damage. Make sure you follow the instructions in your user manual when doing this as the cleaning method can vary depending on the type of filters you have. You should empty your skimmer basket every week or more often if there has been significant wind or leaf fall. Doing this is simple, remove the basket from the skimmer box, tap the contents out. To remove any small fragments, wash out with a hose and replace when done.
Your Cleaning Schedule
It goes without saying, all pools need regular pool cleaning. Leaving visible contaminants in the water can cause a plethora of issues. To make cleaning that much easier, it pays to get yourself these essential pool cleaning items:
Pool Scoop And Telescopic Pole
A pool scoop is a must-have. It enables you to collect debris from every crevice of the pool without having to go in the water.
Pool Vacuum
You can either have a manual vacuum that you physically manoeuvre over the pool or invest in an automatic pool cleaner that does it autonomously.
Pool Brush
This can be attached to your telescopic pole and is used to shift any algae or grime that may be sitting on the surface of the pool. This is then easier to collect when the vacuum runs over it.
Conclusion
We hope this post has given you an idea of how to look after your pool. A little effort goes a long way. While it may seem overwhelming to start with, once you get the hang of it, it’ll become second nature. If you have any questions on this topic or you’d like to discuss the idea of a new pool for your home, contact the fibreglass pool experts here at Factory Pools Perth!
