Pool Maintenance 101
Thorough pool care will ensure clean and safe water throughout the swimming season. Your swimming pool needs regular maintenance. That’s why it pays to develop a strong basic understanding of pool maintenance essentials, no matter if you have an inground, above ground, or saltwater pool. Below are some important steps that encompass swimming pool and spa maintenance.
Skim Off Leaves and Debris
A task that should be done daily, skimming is the first step of your maintenance routine. Use a long-handled leaf skimmer to gather up leaves, insects and any other debris floating on the surface of the pool. Try to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom of your pool where it becomes difficult to remove and may create stains. Skimming the surface of your pool takes just a few minutes and keeps water looking crystal clear. More importantly, the debris you skim off the top of the water never has a chance to dirty the bottom of your pool or clog up your filtration system. Have trees surrounding your pool? Consider trimming them back to reduce the amount of debris that lands on the water.
Brush Sediment from Pool Walls
Algae and small bits of debris can gather on the walls of your pool, as well as pool fixture like ladders and slides.Brush the pool walls and fixtures each week to remove dirt and prevent the spread of algae.
Use a brush to remove dirt that has collected on the sides and bottom of your pool, as well as on ladders, slides and other accessories. Brush sediment toward the main drain so it can be vacuumed up easily.
Vacuum the Pool
Once the algae and sediment have been brushed from the walls, they can be vacuumed up, along with any other debris that has floated to the bottom of the pool.
⦁ Submerge your vacuum head and hose before hooking up the vacuum to the filter. Hook the vacuum to the filter and check to make sure your hose does not float.
⦁ Vacuum the bottom of your pool, moving across it in a way similar to mowing the lawn.
Clean Skimmer
You should also clean out your skimmer(s) weekly, or more often as if necessary. Removing debris allows the skimmer to operate at maximum efficiency, catching the majority of debris that ends up in your pool.
Keep an eye on your pool’s water level. If the water level is more than halfway up the skimmer, debris will not be collected effectively. Check the skimmer every time you skim the top of the pool, ensuring it is clean.
Run the Pump Daily
Your pool's circulation system includes the skimmer, pump, pump strainer, drains and filter. The system helps chemicals work effectively and ensures that water is properly filtered. Run your pump long enough each day to make sure the water is properly filtered and each item in the circulation system is clean and in good condition.
Check Filter and Backwash As Needed
The three most popular types of filters - sand, cartridge and vertical grid DE - screen out debris and particles from your pool water. You should clean and maintain your filter according to the manufacturer's directions.
Check your pool filter weekly, removing any debris that has gathered within.
Backwash the pool filter as needed (weekly for pools that see a lot of use; or when the filter gauge reads 8-10 psi higher than normal).
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Located in Cape Coral, Florida serving the greater Lee County areas.
