Life’s better when you’ve got a swimming pool in your back yard.
Just ask the 10.4 million American households who already have one! They spend the warm summer days frolicking around the pool, happily swimming, splashing, soaking, and/or partying away with family and friends.
Unfortunately, though, owning a pool isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Alas, it isn’t magic that makes the water so invitingly crystal clear. It’s the hard work that’s put into maintaining it!
Just had a pool installed but don’t know how to keep it in a swimmable condition? Want to learn more about pool maintenance for beginners? Let us help!
Read on for a selection of top tips for maintaining your pool.
Regularly Skim the Surface
It isn’t long for uncovered outdoor pools to accumulate dirt and debris from their surroundings.
It’s just the nature of the beast! You might have trees around that drop their leaves throughout the year. You may have dust and dirt in the yard that kicks up in a breeze. And you’re bound to have bugs that crawl and fly to a wet demise.
All told, there’s no shortage of things that can lead to dirty, cloudy pool water!
It collects on the surface and/or sinks to the bottom. Leave it all in place and it won’t be long before the water gets too dirty to swim in.
That’s why it’s so important to ‘skim’ the surface whenever you can — especially in the summertime when the pool’s being used a lot. Using a net, all you do is rid the pool of any debris that collects on the water. This simple step can make a mighty difference in terms of keeping everything clean and hygienic.
Clear Out the Strainer Baskets
Be sure to empty the strainer baskets while you’re at it!
Some of the debris that gathers in your pool between skims will drift down into them. Bugs, twigs, grass, and leaves can clog them up if you fail to empty them out.
You’ll be pleased to hear that it’s a quick and easy process.
Got an in-ground pool? Well, the basket(s) will be somewhere on the side of it or in the pool deck. To clean it, all you do is remove the basket and clear out whatever’s accumulated inside. Finish the job by putting the empty basket back where you found it!
Clean Your Swimming Pool’s Filters
Every swimming pool has filters that help keep the water clean.
Like any water filtration system, its job is to remove any unwanted contaminants from the pool. Dirty water moves through it, and the filter separates out any dirt and grime that’s accumulated.
But it can only function effectively for so long before it needs to be cleaned. As time goes by, the accumulation of detritus hinders its ability to function as intended. It’s your job to clean the filter and prevent that eventuality from occurring.
There’s no need to go overboard though. Unlike your car or house, you can actually do yourself a disservice by over-cleaning your pool filter. Just as clear arteries facilitate the flow of blood around your body, clear filters allow more dirt through them!
Help the filter perform at its best by allowing a slight build-up of dirt to develop.
Vacuum the Bottom
It’s normal for dirt, dust, and debris to sink to the bottom of your pool as well. Safe from any attempt at skimming, a pool vacuum becomes the most effective way to get rid of it.
In an ideal world, you’d have an automatic vacuum to do the job. You put these handy bits of kit in the pool, press a button, and let them do their thing! They’ll move themselves up and down the pool, sucking up any dirt at the same time.
Now, manual versions involve a similar process but require a bit more effort on your part. Using a special brush and a telescopic arm, you maneuver the vacuum along the bottom to clear it of any dirt.
Top off the Pool With More Water
The water levels in swimming pools (especially outdoor varieties) are never constant. They change all the time, going up and down in relation to a wide array of factors.
What’s the first thing that kids do when they get in? They jump and splash around, right? A huge amount of water gets dislodged in the process, causing the levels in the pool to drop accordingly.
The same happens when it’s sunny and hot outside. High temperatures cause the water to evaporate. It literally disappears into thin air! Then, of course, all it takes is some rainfall to lift the water level back up.
Monitor the water level every day to ensure it never drops too low. If the level has fallen below the midway line of the skimmer, then consider topping it up with water from the hose. Let it drop much lower and the pump will start sucking air, which can cause significant damage to it.
Keep the PH Levels Right
Another key task involves monitoring the pH level of the pool water.
Buy yourself a pH level testing kit to help you do it. From there, it’s a matter of checking the water every week to ensure it sits somewhere within the ideal range of 7.2 to 7.8.
If it falls too far on either side, then you’ll need to add certain chemicals to bring it back in line. Use the testing kit to get your reading. From there, it should provide guidance on which chemical (if any) you need to use.
Remember These Pool Maintenance for Beginners Tips
Having your own swimming pool is always a lot of fun. But it also involves a fair amount of hard work!
Unfortunately, knowing how to keep a pool clean, safe, and swimmable isn’t easy when you’ve never had to do it before. Have you been wanting to learn more about pool maintenance for beginners? Hopefully, the tips in this post have helped!
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