8 Swimming Pool Maintenance Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: Protect Your Pool from Damage
Owning a swimming pool is a great way to beat the heat during the summer months, but it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance in order to protect your investment and ensure that your pool is safe for swimming. In this blog post, we will discuss 8 common swimming pool maintenance mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Ignoring Your Alkalinity and pH Levels
One of the most important aspects of pool maintenance is keeping an eye on your pH and alkalinity levels. These two factors play a crucial role in keeping your water balanced, and if they are out of whack, it can lead to a number of problems. For example, if your pH levels are too low, it can cause your chlorine to be less effective, which can lead to algae growth. On the other hand, if your alkalinity is too high, it can make your water cloudy.
2. Adding Pool Shock Through Your Skimmer
One common mistake that people make when adding pool shock is to pour it directly into their skimmer. While this might seem like the easiest way to do it, it can actually be quite dangerous. The reason is because combining pool shock and chlorine creates a deadly gas. In case your filter system has an automatic chlorinator attached and you add shock to the skimmer this would mean that the chemicals are confined together in a small space. As a result, you might accidentally create an explosion in your pool filter system. To prevent this from happening, make sure you follow the instructions of the manufacturer when you are adding shock and wear proper safety equipment.
3. Shocking Your Swimming Pool During the Daytime
Shocking the pool during daytime is a popular pool maintenance pitfall. While it might seem like a good idea to get the process over with as quickly as possible, shocking your pool during the daytime is less effective because the sun burns off the unstabilized chlorine. For this reason, it’s best to wait until nighttime to complete this task.
4. Running the Pool Filter System For Less Than Eight Hours Each Day
Your pool’s filter system is one of the most important components when it comes to keeping your water clean and clear. The filter system works by trapping dirt, debris, and other contaminants in the water, so that they can be removed when the system is turned on. However, if you only run your pool filter for a few hours each day, it won’t be able to do its job properly. In order to keep your water clean and clear, you should run your pool filter for at least eight hours each day.
5. Adding Shock Directly Into the Pool Water
Another mistake that people often make is adding shock directly into the pool water. At first glance, it might look like the proper way to do it, but it can actually be quite dangerous. The chemicals present in the pool shock are very powerful and can cause serious harm if they come into contact with your skin or eyes. Instead of adding pool shock directly into the pool, you should mix it with a bucket of water first and then slowly pour it around the perimeter of your pool.
6. Not Brushing Your Pool
In order to keep your pool clean and free of dirt, debris, and other contaminants, you should make a habit of brushing it on a regular basis. You should brush the walls and floor of your pool at least once a week to remove any buildup that might have occurred.
7. Trying to Fix an Algae Problem with an Automatic Pool Cleaner
If you notice that there is an algae problem in your pool, it’s important to take care of it as soon as possible. One mistake that people often make is trying to fix this issue with an automatic pool cleaner. While these cleaners can be effective at removing dirt and debris from your pool, they are not designed to remove algae. In order to get rid of algae, you should shock your pool and then brush the affected areas with a stiff bristled brush.
8. Backwashing Your Pool Filter Too Often
Your pool filter is designed to trap dirt, debris, and other contaminants, so that they can be removed from the water. However, if you backwash your pool filter too often, it can become clogged and less effective. You should only backwash your pool filter when the pressure gauge indicates that it’s necessary.
There you have it – 8 common mistakes to avoid when it comes to pool maintenance! Stay tuned for more tips on pool cleaning, repair and maintenance!
