“Life is like a swimming pool. You dive into the water, but you can’t see how deep (or dirty) it is.”
That was a bad life quote twisted by me to give a good opening to this piece. Isn’t it just annoying? Those household chores and expenses… each day we have at least one task hanging over our head. Why can’t we just sip a refreshing drink while sitting beside our swimming pool with the adorable fur ball, loving soul mate, and when we’re old enough, with the kids? Why does it have to be so difficult just to enjoy a lazy summer?
Let’s face the hard truth. You have to pay a price for anything good you want or need. For those happy moments besides the pool, you have to pay back with attention, hard work and money. You need to be attentive about the current condition of your pool; you have to work hard to make it last long, and you have to spend money to have a pool service give you a hand in cleaning the pool.
But we all have bad days. Sometimes, we just don’t feel like cleaning or attending any household chores. It happens to everyone. But there’s a way you can minimize this damage. That can happen if you develop healthy habits that’ll help you stay on track for a longer time. In this post, I am going to highlight six practices that can help you maintain a clean pool in summer. Once you master these, I’ll be back with more to help you attend other household tasks that give you fits.
1. Skimming the pool regularly
Do you want a pool that’s always ready to use? It all begins with skimming, my friend. All those dry leaves, insects and other kinds of debris need to go. Go to your nearest pool supply store and buy a good skimmer.
A skimmer is a sort of rake using which, you can just remove all the particles that float around the surface of the pool.
It’s just a two-minute task, and I just don’t understand why people can’t do it every day. If not every day, do it at least twice a week.
Another good thing you can do for yourself is to get all the trees trimmed that are eventually filling up your pool.
Don’t forget to remove all the trash you skim out, or it will notoriously make its way back to your pool.
Also Read: Why is it important to maintain a clean pool?
2. Running the pump for just enough time
Many people fail at this step. Let’s be clear here. Does it take a humongous physical effort to run the pump? Isn’t it a machine that will do a brilliant task for your pool? If yes, why do you get so lazy about it?
A pump allows the pool water to circulate properly. To do so, it needs to run for the adequate amount of time. As a general rule of thumb, your pump must run for an hour for every 10 degrees of temperature. But this isn’t all. The amount of time varies with individual factors like pool size, pump size, piping size, pool type and swimmer load.
What’s the best way to figure out for how much time you need to run the pump? Call a pool service professional. He will examine your pool and will provide you the correct figure on how long you need to run it.
3. Checking if filter is working to its full potential
First, you need to have a clear understanding of pool filter systems. A filter system is responsible for removing the dirt and debris from the pool. One mistake with the pool filter and it can cause wastage of water & energy and improper cleaning. It is crucial that you consult the filter’s user manual for proper information on how to use it effectively.
There are mainly three types of filters – sand, cartridge, and DE. Sand filters require backwashing cleaning technique. The filter is cleaned with the reverse flow of water. In the case of cartridge filters, you will have to remove the cartridge, remove the dirt & debris, soak it in a filter cleaner for a few hours, let it get dry and put it back. To avoid downtime, you can buy another set of cartridges and keep using them interchangeably. DE filters can also be cleaned using backwashing technique, but it’s a bit complicated to clean it properly. I would advise you to let a pool service pro work on this task.
So, what’s the habit here that’ll help you maintain a clean pool? It’s checking and cleaning the filter regularly. Clearly, the filter is an essential part of a pool and plays a distinct role in maintaining a clean pool. Stop procrastinating over cleaning it. Go and do it!
4. Testing the water regularly
Have you ever felt extremely uncomfortable in a swimming pool? Did you figure out why it was so? Pools that are not tested regularly or adequately can cause discomfort to the swimmer. Make it a habit of testing your pool at least twice a week for pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, free chlorine & bromine and metals like copper & iron.
It’s very easy to perform these tests. You can find test strips in your look pool supplies store, or you can even ask a pool professional to do this for you. I would advise you first to let a pool service pro teach you how to do it and then start doing it yourself.
5. Vacuuming the pool
Just like vacuuming is an important home cleaning and carpet cleaning task, it’s necessary for maintaining a clean pool as well. Develop a habit of vacuuming your pool at least once every week. I would also suggest brushing the tiles and walls to remove algae build-up if there’s any. But if you find it too much of a task, focus on proper vacuuming.
6. Always keep a check on the pool service
We often get careless about daily things. If you’ve hired a pool service, you have probably forgotten about the schedule the service follows for cleaning up your pool. The pool guy probably has the access to your backyard, comes in, cleans the pool and goes out without you even noticing. In such a situation, how would you know if your pool was clean? How can you maintain privacy and safety in your house?
That’s why I believe it’s an important habit to stay attentive about the services you hire. You must always know how many times the service will pay a visit, at what time it will happen and what tasks will be addressed. Due diligence is important indeed.
These are the six habits which are essential to maintaining a clean pool. Not all of them are related to getting your hands dirty (or wet) and cleaning the pool. It doesn’t have to be that way. You just need to be careful that everything is being maintained properly and let an excellent pool service do the task for you.
Finding a right service for the job isn’t tough. You can quickly browse through service providers available in your area using Same Day Pros and hire a good pool service.
Just remember that it is the habits that can make you feel good when you work on household chores. If you make them a habit, they won’t seem like chores at all. Try it!
