How to get your swimming pool ready for the hot season
If you're one of the people blessed with a swimming pool in their yard, with the hot season right around the corner, you slowly start thinking about getting your swimming pool ready. It's crucial to do it correctly because of both swimmers' and pool's health. The first thing you’d better do is to clean it up. Then top it off if necessary and check if all the equipment is working properly. Also, test the water and balance the chemicals and let the water clear. It's important to note that the whole process lasts about a week, so start preparing it on time. You would better learn how to maintain your pool for safety and longevity.
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Start with cleaning the pool
The best way to start the process of getting your pool ready for swimming is by cleaning it up. What does this mean? It means that we should give it the so-called chemical open. You should put the filtration system together, empty all the baskets and remove any of last year's plugs. You don’t have to take the cover off yet. During the winter season, things such as leaves, debris, dirt and twigs might have ended up in your pool or on the surface if you used a cover. Use a broom, a brush and a mesh to take it all out.
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Top it off if necessary
The water level may have fallen off during the closed season. If that is the case, top it off with water. Before you do that, remember to clean the filter. You can cleanse it by removing the cartridge and cleaning it with a hose. Depending on the type of filter you have, you need to approach it in the right way. For example, if you have a sand filter, set it to backwash, which will clean the sand. However, if you have a D.E. filter, there’s a chance that you might need to take it apart, clean it and then reassemble it again. After doing this, you should turn it to the usual setting. It’s important to mention that you shouldn’t empty your pool during the winter season, as you can experience some problems which might imply the need for a pool renovation. Namely, an empty pool can lift out of the ground in cases of the high water table.
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Check if pool equipment is working
The next crucial thing is to check whether all the equipment is working properly. You have to begin with the pump. You can do this even before the hot season to ensure it's in working condition. Sometimes the filter may be clogged, or the motor has burnt out. Checking it on time can give you the advantage of extra time to deal with it in case of malfunctioning. Next, you should inspect and clean the filter. Even if the pump is working well, the filter may be still dirty. It may be useful to clean it up. Finally, you should inspect and service the water heater. It helps you keep your water warm even during chilly days. Not to mention that it also helps prevent water freezing during winter.
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Test the water and balance the chemicals
Before using the pool, you should test the water for chemicals levels. You can take a water sample to the local pool store, and they can check it for you as well as advise you on what to use and how to fix it. You can also buy a home water testing kit, which you can use daily to check the level of chemicals. There are some rules that you should hold to. For example, PH levels are optimally between 7.2 to 7.4. If you need to increase PH levels you should use soda ash, and if you need to decrease it, you should use chemicals such as sodium bisulphate or muriatic acid. Furthermore, total alkalinity should be from 80 to 120 – these two are mutually connected as PH levels will be in order if the alkalinity level is appropriate. Next, you should also be mindful that calcium hardness should be from 150 ppm to 250 ppm as well as chlorine from 1 ppm to 3 ppm.
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Let the water clear
When you do all these essential steps, you need to give it some time to clear the water. It usually takes about a week. You should clean the filter every day during this week and check the chemical levels, adjusting them on the way. Only when the water is clear and you can see the bottom you can remove the cover and dive in.
Having a pool in your yard requires regular and prompt maintenance during both season and off seasons for the best performance and longevity.
Author bio:
Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a content creator, but her ultimate passion is design and creation. She is also a bibliophile and her favourite book is "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.
