If you’re already brushing your pool’s walls and floor weekly and requiring your guests to shower before entering the pool, you’re taking some of the most important pool care steps (see Parts 1 & 2). Another vital component is skimming and vacuuming. Whenever a big gust of wind throws dust, leaves, and debris into the pool, you should snap into action to remove them as quickly as possible. That’s because if you leave them, they’ll start depleting the free chlorine in your pool. Not to mention the fact that swimming with a bunch of leaves, bugs and other nasty debris in your pool water is extremely unpleasant for both you and your guests!
Skim and Vacuum Now to Save Yourself a Hassle Later
Every time you fail to clean up the debris in your pool by putting off the chore of skimming and vacuuming, you’re adding more work to your future to-do list. If the free chlorine is used up, you’ll just have to go out and buy more and keep putting it into the pool. Once you add it, you’ll start a chain reaction of the pool becoming chemically imbalanced, then having to take the necessary steps to correct the imbalance. It’s a real headache if you don’t stay on top of your vacuuming and skimming responsibilities.
Some pool owners skim and vacuum their pools very rarely, such as just once per month. Waiting that long will not only cause chemical problems for your pool but can also be taxing on your pool equipment as well. Your pump strainer basket will get clogged with leaves and dirt. If you notice that they’re always in such a condition when you clean them, that’s a clear sign that you aren’t skimming and vacuuming the pool enough. Failing to take care of the problem in advance can lead to an inefficient pump or even complete pump failure. When your skimmer is jammed with leaves, it won’t run properly and you’ll end up with more junk floating around in your pool.
So even though vacuuming and skimming your pool can seem time-consuming and annoying, you’ll be saving yourself time and expense if you stay on top of these mundane pool maintenance chores. If you hate vacuuming your pool, consider investing in a robotic pool vacuum. These ingenious devices will take care of the work for you. Some are designed to clean just the floor of your pool while others can tackle the floor, walls, steps, and crevices. Even if you do rely on a robotic pool vacuum, be sure to inspect the condition of your pool every so often to make sure the vacuum is functioning the way it should.
So now that you’ve got pool brushing, requiring guests to shower, and pool skimming and vacuuming checked off your list, you’re well on your way to establishing a great pool care routine. There’s just one more key step that we’ll be discussing in the final article in our series: keeping your pool’s pH levels properly balanced.
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