You know the importance of keeping your swimming pool clean and with just the right balance of chemicals. After all, a pool is a significant upfront investment. While you may be doing all the items you think are necessary, it is in your best interest to review common maintenance mistakes.
Some of these mistakes are easy to make – and most pool owners are guilty of committing them from time to time. However, correcting these errors is critical if you want a pool that lasts for years and is easier to maintain each season.
Whether you are a new pool owner, or you have had your backyard pool for years, review these common errors. The sooner you correct what you may be doing wrong, the easier maintaining your pool might be.
Common mistakes our pool maintenance professionals tend to see include:
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- Ignoring pH Levels – Always check your pool’s pH for chlorine stability. An ideal pH is 7.2 to 7.4.
- Calcium Hardness – In addition to pH, you must frequently check your calcium levels. Twice a year, owners are supposed to check these levels, and your ideal level is 200 to 400.
- Brushing – The walls and floors of your pool need regular brushing. Most homeowners brush once a year, but you should ideally be doing this every three weeks to preserve the concrete’s lifespan.
- Skimming – Do not skim only when you see larger debris. Instead, remove it weekly. Otherwise, algae builds up and clogs your filter. Skim bugs, leaves, and other debris which harbor algae.
- Running the Pump – You might want to save on energy costs, but your pool pump is no place to do it. Your pump should be on and running 24 hours per day. If you want to save energy, upgrade to an eco-friendly pump.
- Chemical Adjustments – You might test calcium and pH levels, but did you adjust the chemical levels afterward? It is easy to procrastinate or forget, but failure to regulate chemicals creates a bigger headache later.
- Shocking – When was the last time you shocked your pool? Even if you test and adjust chemicals, shocking is necessary. Shocking is more than adding excess chlorine, so be sure to do it right for the desired effect.
- Filter – Pool filters are forgotten easily. However, if you want clean water, you need a clean filter. Check and change the filter every four to six months.
- Drains – How are your drains looking? When was the last time you upgraded them? Now is the time to add safety drains, which automatically turn off if blockages are detected.
- Vacuuming – Brushing and vacuuming are not the same. Brushing is good for here and there, but a vacuum gets anything settled at the bottom of the pool. If you do not have a pool vacuum, visit your local supplier for pool supplies in Langley and surrounding areas.
Solution to Maintenance Mistakes
Sometimes pool maintenance means hiring a professional. The team at Imperial Paddock Pools, Ltd. offers routine maintenance plans for swimming pool cleaning and chemical balancing.
When algae and grime have built up, we can also provide swimming pool cleaning services that restore your pool to like-new condition.
Contact us today for a quote or to schedule your pool maintenance in Vancouver, Langley, Surrey or the surrounding cities. Call us at 604-291-7771 or the Surrey branch at 604-599-8200. You can also ask us a question online.