Maintaining your swimming pool takes work. Just like any other finely tuned machine, you have to take care of it on a regular basis. The following weekly maintenance checklist will help keep your swimming pool sparkling clean and your filtration system working at peak efficiency. Some of the tasks should be performed two or three times a week, while others can be performed once a week.
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Check the Skimmer Basket
Check the skimmer basket at least once a week. Remove any debris that may have been collected in it and replace it back into the skimmer housing. Each time you remove the skimmer basket, take a close look at it to see if there are any cracks or breaks in the basket itself. As soon as you notice any damage, you need to replace the skimmer basket with a new one.
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Get Rid of Any Leaves or Other Types of Debris
It’s a good idea to check your pool for leaves, twigs, and other types of floating debris on a daily basis. Using your pool net is the easiest way to scoop out the waste that accumulates in your pool. Leaves and grass will inevitably make their way into your pool, either by the wind and other elements or by being brought in stuck to your feet. The best way to keep your pool looking nice is to skim out the debris daily.
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Use Your Pool Vacuum
The best way to keep your pool from collecting debris and becoming dingy is to vacuum the bottom and sides at least once a week. Using the skimmer hose and vacuum attachment, you can suck up any sand or other tiny bits of debris that have made their way to the bottom of your pool and started to gather. This is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your pool stays sparkling clean at all times.
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Test the Water’s pH Level
Using a chlorine test kit, check the alkaline levels in your water. The color of the test strip will determine whether or not you need to add more chemicals to your pool water. Chemicals are used to reduce bacteria and algae growth that can cause your water to become cloudy or green. Checking your pH levels a couple of times a week will ensure that your pool stays sparkling clean.
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Add Your Chemicals
Once you are aware of the pH of your pool water, you will know how much chlorine you will need to add to your water. You will also want to include an ounce of clarifier for every 5,000 gallons of water. The mixture of chlorine and clarifier will eliminate any cloudiness and make your pool water as clear as possible. Besides, clarifier helps collect oils and other particulates, so they are easier to filter out of the water. You will also want to add an ounce of algaecide for every 5,000 gallons of water.
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Clean Your Filter and Backwash Your System
Your pool’s filter can be clogged with small particles. Take your garden hose and gently spray the filter thoroughly to remove any debris that might be lodged in it. In some cases, you may just have to let the water flow over it. The next step is to backwash your system. This reverses the flow of water and will dislodge any small pieces of debris that may be stuck throughout the system. While it is only necessary to do this once every couple of weeks, you may want to do it sooner if you notice that your pool has had an excessive amount of debris in it or if your filter doesn’t seem to be working properly.
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Add More Water If Needed
The level of your water will change due to evaporation and also due to people splashing around in the water. The more you splash and continue to get in and out of the pool, the more water you will lose. While you are performing your weekly checklist, make it a point to check your water level. If it is low, you will need to add enough to bring it up to its necessary capacity. This will ensure the ratio of water to chemicals is correct at all times.
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Recheck Your Chemicals and Make Sure the Water Is Not Cloudy or Discolored in Any Way
Once you have completed all the tasks on your checklist, you may want to check the pH of the water one more time. If the water has a greenish tint or is cloudy, you must add one pound of shock for every 5,000 gallons of water. This will bring the water back into balance and ensure the pool is properly chlorinated.
Taking care of your pool will become easier once you complete all of the tasks on the maintenance checklist. Contact the staff of Sparkling Clear Pool Service if you have any questions about maintaining your pool. We can come out to your home and guide you through the process. Or, if you prefer, we can perform the list of tasks for you. We are here to make sure that your pool is always ready to use.
