There are a few things you need to do on a regular basis to keep your pool clean and clear. If you follow these tips, you should be able to have an amazing pool that you and your family can enjoy for years.
The first thing you need to do is maintain the chlorine levels in your pool. This is important to prevent algae growth.
1. Maintain the Chlorine Levels
Keeping the chlorine levels in your swimming pool at the right level is key to keeping your pool water healthy and clean. If you aren’t using the proper amount of chlorine, you may experience problems with algae and other contaminates.
Maintaining a balance between free available chlorine and combined chlorine is essential. Ideally, your free chlorine should be between 1.0 and 3 ppm.
When your free chlorine falls below 1.0 ppm, you will need to shock the pool to kill any contaminants and raise your free chlorine back up to a safe level of 1.0 to 3.0 ppm.
You can also reduce the amount of chlorine you need to add to your pool by adjusting the levels of cyanuric acid (or CYA) stabilizer in the water. This will help protect your chlorine from the sun’s UV rays that degrade it quickly.
2. Remove Debris
There are many different types of debris that can find their way into a swimming pool, such as leaves, twigs, insects, and more. Luckily, there are ways to remove them so your pool remains clear and safe for swimmers.
Step 1 – Vacuum the Bottom
The first step is to vacuum out as much dirt from the bottom of your pool as you can using a pool vac. Depending on how much dirt you have at the bottom you can choose whether to vacuum on filter or waste.
The key to removing debris from the bottom of your pool is not to disturb it so try and vacuum it as gently as possible. This will avoid it from getting into suspension in the water, which can make it settle again.
3. Clean the Cartridge Filter
Pool filters are designed to trap debris and help keep the water safe. However, without proper care, a cartridge filter can clog and become damaged over time.
Cleansing a cartridge filter is not an easy task, but it can be done with ease if you follow a few simple steps. First, you must bleed the air from the filter to remove any excess pressure.
Once the air is removed, open the filter tank lid. The lid is usually held down by an O-ring or by metal clamps that attach with screws.
Next, gently remove the cartridge filter from the housing. Different brands of filter have a different way to do this.
To deep clean the filter, you must use a special acid wash to get rid of any buildup that might be causing problems. You can also use a chemical degreaser to enhance the effectiveness of your pool filter.
4. Clean the Pool Equipment
Keeping your pool clean and clear all summer long is essential to enjoying it. It’s also essential to avoiding any potential health risks from bacteria that might be in your swimming pool.
There are several pieces of pool equipment that you should keep clean on a regular basis, from the pump to the cartridge filter. It’s important to regularly vacuum the pool and skim the surface with a net to prevent leaves, insects or other debris from settling to the bottom of your pool.
You’ll also need to regularly backwash the pool filter. This is a simple process that involves draining the water in the filter and letting it flow through the pump in the opposite direction to clean out any contaminants.
In addition to these essential steps, it’s also important to test the water chemistry at least 1-2 times a week. This will help ensure that the water is properly balanced and that any chemicals needed to maintain the water’s chemical balance are added as necessary.
