Swimming Pool Maintenance
Your pool may look inviting, but before you take a dip, remember keeping a pool clean and healthy requires regular swimming pool maintenance.
Prevent illness
Whether you have an in-ground pool or an above ground pool, you need to make sure the water is cleaned and properly treated on a regular basis. Swimming pool maintenance not only ensures that your pool looks good, it will also help prevent long term deterioration and most importantly, will help prevent the build up of bacteria that could cause serious illness.
Summer checklist
When your pool hasn't been used all winter, swimming pool maintenance is vitally important. Here are the three most important things to check before you make the first splash:
- Condition of the filter
- Water chemistry
- Pool heater
Condition of the filter
The first and most important thing to check on your swimming pool maintenance checklist is the condition of the pool filter. A complete filter tear-down is required at least once a year. Swimming pool filter backwashes are also required every two or three months depending on use. A pool professional can help you with the yearly swimming pool maintenance.
Water chemistry
The second most important consideration in swimming pool maintenance is water chemistry. The lack of use during those long winter months deteriorates the water quality. The water in your swimming pool needs to be treated to kill bacteria and to maintain the correct chemical balance. Routinely check:
- Chlorination. Chlorine is a sanitizer used to kill bacteria. It needs to be at the right level to be effective without itself becoming a problem for pool users.
- Acidity or pH. Swimming pools should be kept slightly alkaline. This provides the greatest comfort level and allows chlorine to work best. If your pH level is wrong, it may lead to long term damage to your swimming pool.
- Calcium. Low calcium levels can make the water corrosive too much calcium can lead to a build up of lime scale. You should have a sample of your swimming pool water checked for calcium levels at least once a year.
Pool heater
The health of your heater is the last item on your swimming pool maintenance checklist. Major things to check for include:
- Gas leaks
- Animal infestation
- Soot around the pilot assembly
- Pilot assembly is working efficiently
Professional service
Even if you look after the day to day swimming pool maintenance your self, you may still be well advised to have a thorough inspection and service conducted by a professional at least once a year.