Swimming pool maintenance can seem a tad overwhelming, especially if you’re a new pool owner. In addition to the first few pool maintenance hacks we’ve shared already, we have several more ways to help you keep up with these important tasks while making them a little simpler to complete. If that sounds like a win-win scenario to you, keep reading for the deets!
Create a Schedule
Most of us are procrastinators by nature, aren’t we? And if we don’t even have a plan to start with, we’re bound to let that tendency toward procrastination take hold. A great way to head off such tendencies when it comes to swimming pool maintenance is to create your own pool maintenance schedule to help you keep on track with the various tasks your particular pool requires.
Your schedule might include routine water testing, skimming, brushing, emptying baskets, checking the filtration system and other tasks recommended for your pool and equipment. Once you have a schedule in place, it becomes much easier to form habits around regularly performing those tasks. And once habits are formed, even responsibilities that once seemed daunting can begin to feel pretty routine.
Putting off pool maintenance, on the other hand, can allow small problems to become larger ones. A little consistency can save you from pouring considerably more time, effort and money into correcting preventable problems later.
Identify Pool Stains Before Treating Them
Have you noticed a brown, orange or rust-colored stain on your pool wall or floor? Before grabbing a household cleaner and starting to scrub, try to determine what caused the stain. Rust-colored marks can come from metal objects left in the pool, iron or other metals in the water, corroding pool components and other sources. What looks like a metal stain can sometimes have an entirely different cause.
The appropriate treatment can also depend on the type of stain and the surface of your pool. A treatment that is appropriate for one pool finish may not be right for another. If you’re unsure what caused a stain, check the recommendations for your particular pool surface or consult a pool professional before treating it. Identifying the problem first can help you avoid making the stain — or your pool surface — worse.
Help Your Filter Do Its Job
Your pool’s filtration system does a lot of the behind-the-scenes work involved in keeping the water clean, so don’t overlook the filter when establishing your maintenance routine. Check the pressure gauge, baskets and filter according to the recommendations for your particular equipment, and clean or backwash the filter when needed.
Swimming pools can use sand, cartridge or diatomaceous earth (DE) filtration systems, and each type has its own maintenance requirements. Rather than adding products or filter media intended for a different type of system, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your particular filter. Keeping the equipment properly maintained can help it capture debris effectively and keep water circulating as intended.
Absorb Oils
Stray oils can easily find their way onto your swimming pool’s surface. Body oils, sunscreen, lotions and other personal-care products can all contribute to the oily residue that sometimes collects in pool water. Encouraging swimmers to shower before entering the pool can help reduce the amount that gets into the water in the first place.
Here’s one of those wonderfully simple pool hacks: try placing a clean tennis ball in the skimmer basket or allowing one to float on the water for a while. The fuzzy material can pick up some of the oily residue on the water’s surface. It certainly isn’t a substitute for proper filtration, circulation and water care, but it can be a handy little addition to your regular maintenance routine.
Continue reading with Part 3.
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