10 Essential Pool Maintenance Tips

Posted on: May 20th, 2015 by

At Allen Pool Service in Atlanta, we want your pool to a source of great enjoyment for your family and friends all season long. The key to carefree pool ownership, however, is proper maintenance. Because pool maintenance can be time-consuming, you may want to let Atlanta’s most dependable pool service team help. To ensure a healthy pool and happy swimmers, check out our 10 essential pool maintenance tips!

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  1. Skim, scrub, repeat. Skimming does not take long but it will keep debris from piling up on your pool’s surface. We recommend a daily ten-minute skim. We also suggest a pool vacuum to scrub the bottom of your pool to eradicate dirt and debris that have found their way to the bottom. Scrubbing is also essential to prevent algae from building up. You can do this around once every other week. Just look for spots and scrub away!
  2. Clean the baskets and the filter. You can clean the baskets simply by turning off the filter, removing the basket, and cleaning out the dirt and debris inside. You will also want to clean your full filter system about once a month. To clean the filter, set it to “backwash,” clean out the basket, and turn on the pump and let it run until clear water comes out. Be aware that cleaning your filter too often or not enough can damage it, and once a month is generally a good rule of thumb.
  3. Check your chemical levels frequently. You must test your water at least once a week, but since it does not take long and chemical problems should be addressed quickly, we recommend several times a week. The chemical levels that should be tested include cyanuric acid, free chlorine acidity, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness. Your pool testing kit will have helpful, easy-to-follow instructions to simplify this process! In our opinion, frequent chemical checks are the most important pool maintenance task. Your pool’s chemical balance is hugely important!
  4. Maintain your pool’s water level. You will lose some water due to evaporation and enthusiastic splashing, while storms may add to the pool’s water level. The pump can be damaged if the water level falls below the skimmer. Luckily, fixing this problem is easy. Just grab a hose and fill up the pool until the water level is back where it should be! You can rent a submergible pump to drain excess water from a hardware store if the water is too high.
  5. Keep your chemicals in a cool, dry place out of the direct sunlight. This will help them last longer. Also keep chlorine and acid separate from each other—they can be in the same storage area but should not be right next to each other.
  6. Check for leaks. If your water level is frequently low, you may have a leak or a crack. It is important to repair leaks early before they cause expensive damage. So if you suspect you have a leak, call us!
  7. Inspect your pool’s interior. Visually inspect the pool’s interior.  Look at the tile and grout to check for missing, cracked or broken tiles, as well as missing grout.  Check the pool’s interior finish for any cracks, scaling or discoloration.  For liner pools, check for fading or small holes; check to make sure the liner is securely attached to the track.  Not taking care of minor problems with your pool’s interior can lead to more costly repairs down the road.
  8. Maintain your pool deck. It is important to keep your pool deck area clean, both for aesthetic and safety reasons. Cracks and pebbles can lead to cuts and stubbed toes especially when kids are running around your deck.  A simple way to keep your deck clean is to power wash it (you can rent a power washer from any hardware store). First, thoroughly sweep the deck. Then power wash it using a low to medium pressure setting, going over areas repeatedly until there are no streaks left.
  9. Schedule a pool inspection at least once a year. Even if nothing is wrong with your pool, it is a great idea to get it thoroughly evaluated at least once a year. Think of this as a check-up for your pool. There are sometimes internal issues that pool owners would not discover until they’ve caused greater damage than needed.  An annual checkup is a good way to make sure you don’t get blindsided by costly repairs.
  10. Properly winterize your pool. Obviously keeping your pool in working order is important in the summer, but it is equally important during the off-season. When it is time to close up shop for the winter, check your pool’s chemical levels. Then blow any excess water from the plumbing using an air compressor, and drain water from the filter and heater. Disconnect the heater, pump, and chemical feeders. Give your pool a thorough cleaning. Make sure the water is about 18 inches below the coping, and cover it up. Your work is done until next summer!

How to Use This Information

Here at Allen Pool Service, the health of your pool is our number one priority, and we want to give you the best information and support for maintaining your pool. Issues will arise, however, and we are here for you! From weekly pool maintenance to repairs to renovations, we do it all. Call Allen Pool Service at (770) 451-1621 or contact us online today!

 

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