Nothing beats having a sparkling pool to dive into on a balmy summer’s day, there are no crowds to contend with, seagulls stealing your hot chips or the risk of burning your feet on the scorching sand. The only thing that can dampen your summer fun is having a pool that isn’t clean enough to swim in, here are some essentials to help keep your pool in tip-top shape all year round.
It’s not just about being clean
Maintaining your pool isn’t just necessary for the fact that you want to enjoy swimming in it, it’s also necessary for hygiene. The environment of your pool should be operating at a pH level that ensures the right balance of chemicals are being used to keep it clean and also swimmer friendly. Our tip is to take a water sample up to your local pool shop on a regular basis to help you keep everything in check. Pools are also a significant financial investment so keeping them well-maintained can save you from forking out unnecessary cash on things that could have been prevented. This takes onto our next tip…
Cleaning your pool (the right way!)
You’re either the type that finds cleaning your pool relaxing or the type that dreads it like no tomorrow. However, no matter how you feel about it, cleaning your pool the correct way will help you to enjoy your pool throughout summer. Something you should do daily is check that your filter is running 6-8 hours a day to ensure that the water is getting cleaned/sanitised, and you also need to keep your eye on the water levels. During the warmer months water evaporates at a quicker rate so you’ll need to be mindful of this too. The high UV levels in summer also act to kill chlorine so it is beneficial to be topping up the levels more regularly than you would during winter.
If you’re using your pool a lot during the summer you will need to be checking the pH levels regularly, as we mentioned above. Aim to clean the skimmer basket weekly to get rid of the smaller debris, trust us, you don’t want to be swimming in a pool that has hair floating in it! The same goes for vacuuming, make this a weekly task to help stop the build-up of any algae or black spot. Finally, on a monthly basis backwash and pop in some algaecide to help keep your pool at optimal health.
Pool chemical necessities
Now, you don’t need to be a chemist to keep the pH levels of your pool in the right balance. Regular testing of the water will help you keep on top of this, here is a quick breakdown of the basics:
- The ideal pH level for your pool is 7.4 – 7.6 which will help to ensure you avoid the dreaded red eyes and over-drying of your skin.
- Alkalinity is dependent on a few factors but typically sits between 60 and 200 parts per million. Consulting your pool professional will give you a better understanding of what is right for your pool.
- Whether you use chlorine, salt or bromine, always follow the instructions to ensure you safely and properly use the correct amount of sanitiser.
Donna Etchells - McGrath Estate Agents 