Pools are a great way to gather friends and family and stay cool in the summer heat. If you have a pool at your home, you know how easily it can become murky or cluttered with debris from the yard. Regular pool maintenance can make your pool more inviting for guests and prevent major issues down the road. Follow these simple and cost-effective tricks to help maintain your pool this summer.
Clean the Filter Often
Your pool’s filter system has the important job of catching unwanted dirt and debris to keep your water safe for use. Over time, the debris caught by the filter can build up and make the filter less effective. Because of this, it’s important to keep the filter clean. Here’s how: For most pools, turn off the filter and remove the cap to access the filter basket. Clear everything out of the basket before replacement. It is a good rule of thumb to clean the filter at least once a week.
Collect Debris Using Pantyhose
A few minutes of skimming each day can prevent buildup on the filter and keep your water looking fresh. Traditional skimmers can become ineffective over time and usually have large holes that don’t collect smaller particles. Pantyhose can be the perfect solution to your skimming problems. Simply replace your old skimming net with a used pair of pantyhose to filter out fine debris. Toss the pantyhose net when finished.
Balance the pH Levels Using Baking Soda
Maintaining the appropriate chemical levels of your pool keeps the water clean and safe. A chemical imbalance can create ideal conditions for the spread of bacteria. This can make the water look murky and feel irritating to swimmers. The Center for Disease Control advises measuring calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, chlorine, and the pH balance at least once per week to keep chemicals at the appropriate levels.
Water testing kits are not hard to come by, but pool chemicals can be costly. If you find yourself needing to adjust the pH levels of your pool, you can skip the expensive sodium bicarbonate pool solution and use baking soda instead. Use the same conversions you would with sodium bicarbonate.
Absorb Surface Oils Using a Tennis Ball
Keeping a tennis ball in your pool can be more than an invitation to play. Swimmers leave an array of oils behind when they leave a pool, such as sunblock, hair products, and natural body oils. Even if you advise every guest to shower before entering the pool, the oil remnants are unavoidable. Tennis balls float along the surface of the pool and absorb oils to keep the water clean.
Watch the Water Level
The water level of your pool can fluctuate from events like rain or excessive splashing. Frequently check the water level and make sure it goes halfway up the skimmer opening.
If the water level gets too high, it can overflow. Use a pool pump or consult a professional to remove excess water. If it is too low, it may not filter properly. Refill the water using your garden hose. After returning the water back to its correct level, test the chemical balance and adjust accordingly.
With just a few simple tasks, you can keep your pool clean, balanced and ready for action. Work these jobs into your everyday schedule, and soon they will become an enjoyable habit.
