Pool Maintenance Guide

Swimming pool, the place where we love to be when the heat gets to us. It is also a place to enjoy a nice swim and get some exercise. And lastly, it's the perfect place to sit beside in the evenings and just de-stress after that hard long day at work. Okay, so if it is a place that will help us enjoy life in so many ways, shouldn't it be maintained well? It most definitely should, right! Whether it is a small pool or a big one, the bottom line is that it needs to be looked after. And sadly this is something many people tend to ignore. It isn't a difficult task, and with some simple pool maintenance guidelines, you yourself can manage your swimming pool and keep it just the way you would love to.

Swimming Pool Maintenance Guidelines

Listed here are some basic things that are a must do to look after the swimming pool. This simple guide to pool maintenance will help you keep your swimming pool in top condition, and will not burden your pocket for repairs mainly caused due to poor maintenance.

• Do not make the mistake of adding chlorine to you pool during the daytime. Add it after sunset and it will work in the most effective manner in the swimming pool.
• Brush the tiles and walls of your pool on a regular basis. Doing this will keep away algae. If this is not done, it will become like plaque, and then you will need to hire a professional to undertake the cleaning, which will incur a high cost.
• Clean the salt water system regularly. Failing to do so will not allow it to produce the right amount of chlorine needed for the pool.
• Do not allow the pH level in the pool to get high. The ideal pH level should be around 7.2 - 7.4. When it gets to around 8 and above, the chlorine in the pool works only to 10% of its capacity. That is just a waste.
• Make sure you keep the alkalinity of you pool between 80 - 140 PPM. If it is either low or high, it will end up affecting the balance of the water, which will eventually not allow the sanitizer to perform its job as required.
• Do not forget to check the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) on a regular basis. This should be done once every 6 months without fail.
• Another thing that needs to be checked at least once a month is the calcium hardness. This will help keep the water balance as required.
• Make sure you clean the skimmer basket, and the hair and lint pot in the swimming pool pump. It will result in little flow which causes poor circulation, if this is filled with debris.
• There should be space between the top of the tile and the bottom of the cantilever on the deck. In case this cracks, put in some silicon. If water migrates from the inside of the pool out under the decking, it will create a lot of problems for you.
• Make sure you run the pump of your pool for the required time. If the temperature is 30 degrees, then it should be run for 3 hours a day. This will ensure good flow and circulation.
• Always be alert about broken drains, missing drains or suction sources. These need to be replaced or repaired immediately to avoid larger pool problems in the long run.
• Regularly skim the surface for dirt and debris. It is easier to do it when the dirt is floating, rather then let it settle at the bottom and then clean. Squirt some tile soap in the pool. This will push all the dirt to the edges, which will then make cleaning much easier and faster.
• Every time you clean the pool, add an inch or so of water to it. This will help maintain the required water level at all times. Do not leave this task to be done after weeks. If you do so, then the water level drops several inches and it will take hours to fill. And most probably you will leave the place for a while and forget to turn off the flow.
• Last but not the least, keep a check on all the equipment that you have related to your swimming pool. Be it the pump, filter, water hose or anything else. Make sure that all things are in proper working condition at all times. Even if one thing stops working, it will lead to the collapse of the chain, and you will have to incur heavy expenditure in the long run due to a poorly maintained swimming pool.

Read more on:

• Swimming Pool Maintenance Tips
• Swimming Pool Cleaning Tips
• Types of Swimming Pools

Hopefully this swimming pool maintenance guide will help you maintain your swimming pool in the best possible way. After all we need to spend most of our free time in the way we want, relaxing and enjoying, rather than spending it repairing the pool due to poor maintenance.