Common Pool Maintenance Mistakes
It’s Maintenance Monday again here at ePoolSupply! Today we are going to discuss pool maintenance and the more common mistakes people make which could be detrimental. Owning a pool can be a wonderful experience, however, without constant maintenance, it can turn into quite a costly endeavor. Let's dive in!
1. Running the Pool Filter Less Than 8 Hours a Day
This is one of the most important factors of pool ownership. Running the pool for 8 or more hours guarantees that 100% of your pool water is being filtered which cuts down on algae and contaminants.
2. Skipping Weekly Water Chemistry Tests
Using either Test Strips or a Drop Test Kit, test your pool water at least once a week. Monthly, take a sample of your pool water to your local pool supply store to get a detailed analysis of your water chemistry and adjust accordingly. Pay close attention to Chlorine, pH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, Cyanuric Acid, and Total Dissolved Solids.
3. Ignoring pH & Alkalinity Levels
Neglecting your pH & Alkalinity Levels can cause irreversible damage to not only your pool equipment (Filter, Pump, Heater, Automatic Pool Vac, etc.) but also to the physical construction of the pool itself. High acidity and alkalinity can etch the pool surface and in some rare cases cause the surface to detach from the foundation.
4. Backwashing Too Often
Backwashing cleans the media inside your filter, whether you're using sand or diatomaceous earth (D.E.). As the filter catches debris, the pressure inside will start to increase. This trapped debris will actually help the filter catch more debris however, once the pressure gets too high you run the risk of blowing up the filter. A good practice to get in the habit of is to record the pressure on the filter after backwashing, and once the filter pressure has increased by 10 p.s.i. it's time to backwash again.
5. Adding Chlorine Shock Directly to the Skimmer Basket
This one is extremely important! Not only can granular chlorine shock ruin your pool equipment, but it also has the ability to literally make your system explode. When chlorine is mixed with Calcium Hypochlorite or Dichlor, it creates a deadly gas that could expand internally and cause major issues to your system. DO NOT ADD CHEMICALS DIRECTLY TO POOL SKIMMERS
6. Not Brushing the Pool Walls & Steps
We all know how important it is to vacuum the pool as needed, it is equally important to brush the pool walls and steps every week to ensure the debris is being pushed either to the pool drain or into the path of your pool vacuum to be trapped in the filter. Failure to sweep the pool regularly gives algae an uninterrupted place to grow and fester which can be harder to get rid of once it becomes established.
Weekly pool maintenance shouldn't feel like a chore. By using this guide you should have a general idea of the best practices to keep your pool looking pristine as well as cutting down the workload. Our recommendations are based on our experience in the field and should only be taken as such. If you have any questions regarding the practices found in this article, please feel free to contact us directly. Our team of Pool Professionals is happy to assist you via email or telephone. We look forward to hearing from you!