The Top 7 Tips For Maintaining Your Swimming Pool

Taking a dip in your backyard swimming pool is an ideal way to unwind after a hard day. There are a whole host of benefits to swimming as often as you can. A simple fibreglass swimming pool offers you one of nature's best ways for rest and relaxation.

But maintaining a pool can seem intimidating. There are testing kits and vials for diagnosing your pool water quality and might seem confusing. But in reality, they're all simple, user-friendly, and easy for most people to use.

There are plenty of quick, easy ways to maintain your pool that barely take any effort. Make sure you reap the full benefits of your swimming pool by taking regular care of it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure after all. Keep in mind the three Cs when maintaining your pool: Cleaning, circulation, and chemistry. The three Cs are essential knowledge for any pool owner. Fibreglass Swimming Pools are an awesome addition to the home.

Here are the top seven tips for maintaining your swimming pool to keep it sparkling clean and fresh.

1. Power up your leaf blower.

You have minutes until your guests arrive. Your swimming pool is jam-packed with twigs, leaves and other random debris that came from who-knows-where. What do you do? One of the quickest and simplest ways to freshen up your pool is to bust out your leaf blower. Debris is far from dangerous, but a buildup of junk can cause algae growth. This can go on to cause damage if neglected.

So turn on your leaf blower for a surprisingly quick and fun cleaning session that lasts only minutes. It's possible to do a lot of cleaning in very little time with a leaf blower.

2. Do a chemical check up.

Modern technology lets you know the state of your pool within minutes. Test strips and kits can be bought to create an in-depth analysis of how dirty your pool water is.

You should check your pool chemicals frequently. Unwanted chemicals can irritate the skin, cause infections, and become a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria.

Here are the main chemicals to keep in mind when diagnosing your pool:

• Cyanuric acid:

This determines the free chlorine levels and protects the pool chlorine from harmful rays of sunlight.

Ideals levels: 30-50

• Free chlorine:

This is the most well-known pool chemical that keeps the water pristine and free of all bacteria and germs.

• Acidity and alkalinity:

This is the pH level.

Ideal level: 7.4(A reasonable level is within 7.2 and 7.8)

• Total alkalinity:

This chemical ensures the pH levels of everything in your pool is in the correct ratio and balanced.

Ideal level: 60-120

• Calcium hardness:

This chemical is responsible for protecting the plaster from damaging the pool. Vinyl sided pools require a lesser level.

Ideal levels: 220-350.

Remember: The lower your pH, the less chlorine you need in the pool.

3. Skimming and scrubbing.

Cleaning built up debris is a huge task. Ensure that you take a few minutes every day to scrub and skim your pool instead. This prevents a festering build up that can do hidden long-term damage.

Be on the lookout for any kind of algae growths, and purchase a robot vacuum that can clean the bottom of your pool if needed.

A nifty trick is to fill an old mismatched sock with chlorine and toss it in the pool for a few hours. Use as many socks as you want. This lets the chlorine seep out slowly into the pool and eat away at any algae. Then scrub away for an easy clean.

Remember: The chlorine in the water only keeps the water clean. You still need to scrub away at the walls and floor of the pool. Otherwise, you get that sticky soap scum that lingers around surfaces that is a sure-fire sign of a neglected pool.

4. Shock attack.

Shocking your pool means adding a significant amount of chlorine in one go to combat any gross contaminants that were behind and festered as a result.

Ammonia and nitrogen can accumulate in the pool and emanate a terrible smell while making the water cloudy at the same time. Shock your pool weekly, at night, and let the filters run overnight before you jump in the pool. This ensures that the chlorine takes its time to work its magic and is safe for anyone to jump into.

5. Filter reset.

Your pool filters need only be cleaned a few times a year.

The more you use the pool, the more frequently you need to scrub out your filters. Look for three tell-tale signs that signal your filter is in need of cleaning:

• The drain at the bottom of the pool is clogged.

• The hose cleaner is sluggish.

• The pool smells terrible.

6. Visually scan your pool for damage.

There might be rusting or corrosion in the sidewalls. There might be cracks on the perimeter between the deck and the tile. Never allow the migration of water from inside the pool to under the deck through the cracks. The tiniest leak in the pool can cause problems.

The pipes are never as water-proof as you think and require constant monitoring. Ignore it, and you'll likely face a huge bill to clear up the damage.

Check the ground around the pool to inspect the soil health. A leak can damage your grass and shift your landscape, not just harm your pool.

7. Schedule a routine check-up with experts.

A pool can be an expensive undertaking. So make sure you hire experts to check up your pool at least once a year. They can use equipment to check for additional signs of damage and root out problems before they occur. The heating systems, mechanical equipment, pumps, and filters all need an experienced eye to understand what's wrong with them.

Make a note of any sounds, smells, and abnormalities you detect in your pool and pass it on to the experts. They will spot a problem before it balloons up and saves you a significant amount of money. Good experts are worth their weight in gold.