From cleaning filters to adding chemicals, pool maintenance can seem pretty daunting to a new pool owner. With a few basic pool care hacks, however, you can reduce the amount of time spent on maintaining your pool, thereby increasing the amount of time you can spend doing what you really want to do — enjoying it! Perhaps you already know about some of these pool maintenance hacks, but we’re guessing you’ll pick up at least one or two new ones from reading this little post.
Test Your Pool Water Regularly
First, get into the habit of testing your pool water regularly rather than waiting until the water looks or feels like something is wrong. Keeping an eye on chlorine and pH levels makes it easier to identify changes before they turn into bigger water-quality problems, particularly during periods of frequent swimming, hot weather or heavy rain.
How often should you test? The CDC recommends checking a home pool’s chlorine and pH at least twice per day and more often when the pool is being used heavily. Follow the recommendations for your particular pool and sanitizing system when making any chemical adjustments. Staying on top of your water chemistry may sound like extra work, but it can save you from dealing with much bigger pool problems later.
Consider Vinegar for Minor Calcium Deposits
Second, you may not always need a specialized pool product to tackle every little cleaning job. Ordinary white vinegar can sometimes be useful for removing minor calcium deposits from appropriate pool surfaces, particularly around tile and other areas where mineral buildup occurs.
Before reaching for the vinegar and a scrub brush, however, make sure an acidic cleaner is appropriate for the particular surface you’re cleaning. Pool finishes vary, and a cleaning method that works well on tile may not be suitable for another surface. For stubborn scaling or deposits on an unfamiliar pool finish, check the pool or surface manufacturer’s recommendations before trying a do-it-yourself cleaning solution.
Use a Solar Cover
Thirdly, we recommend considering a solar cover regardless of the primary method you use to heat your pool. Covering your pool when it is not in use can significantly reduce evaporation and heat loss, helping the water retain more of the heat it has already gained.
Temperature isn’t the only potential benefit, either. A cover can help keep leaves and other debris from finding their way into the water, which may mean less skimming and cleaning for you. Reducing evaporation can also reduce the amount of replacement water your pool requires. That makes a pool cover one relatively simple tool that can help with several different aspects of routine pool ownership.
Run Your Pool Filter Regularly
Fourth, don’t make the mistake of thinking your pool’s filtration system only needs to run while people are swimming. Regular circulation helps move water through the filtration system and distribute pool chemicals throughout the water.
There isn’t one ideal number of operating hours that applies to every swimming pool. The appropriate schedule depends on factors such as the size of the pool, pump and filter system, flow rate, weather, water conditions and how frequently the pool is used. Follow the recommendations for your particular equipment and adjust the schedule when conditions require it.
It may also be worth checking your electric utility’s rate structure. If you are on a time-of-use plan that charges less for electricity during off-peak hours, scheduling some filtration during those periods may help reduce operating costs. Just remember that off-peak pricing varies by utility and rate plan, so overnight operation isn’t automatically less expensive for every pool owner.
Continue reading with Part 2.
Considering a New Swimming Pool?
If you’re reading up on pool ownership before building a swimming pool of your own, maintenance is only one part of the planning process. The initial cost of construction is another important consideration, and some homeowners choose to explore financing rather than paying for the entire project upfront.
Viking Capital helps homeowners explore financing options for new swimming pool projects. Prospective pool owners can learn more about available financing options or use the online pool loan calculator to get a better idea of how financing could fit into their plans.
I didn’t realize that using a solar cover could make as much as a 70 percent difference in the water’s heat. I would imagine it’s probably more pleasant to enjoy the water after using something like that. My husband and I have trouble keeping our pool at the right temperature so we might look into a cover or a conventional heater that keeps it just right!