When summer hits, your pool must be ready for the season. Filling it and jumping in is not enough. The process of preparing your pool for summer is not only crucial for your swimmers but also for the pool itself. Here are a few things you can do to get ready.
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Don’t Empty Your Pool
As the new season draws in, emptying and replacing the pool water sounds like a reasonable idea but it’s not. Emptying the pool causes a sudden decrease in weight owing to the water drained and this can cause some problems. Firstly, draining the pool can cause the pool’s shell to crack. If your pool is installed in a high water table, it can lift out of the ground when the weight of the drained water is released. Moreover, draining the water can damage the interior lining surface and any in-floor cleaning systems installed in the pool. Complete pool drainage should only be done when structural repairs are due.
Clean Up
You don’t want to welcome the summer with a dirty pool. Chemically treat the water in your pool to ensure it’s fit for swimming. Use the right chemicals for the job and ensure you consult where you are uncertain. Moreover, scoop out any debris that made it past the pool cover into the water. It’s important to also assess your filtration system and ensure it’s fit for the season. Clean out the baskets and remove all plugs. However, you should leave the cover on the pool as you work on cleaning it.
Test the Water
Before diving into the pool, you must ensure it satisfies all the chemical requirements fit for swimming. DIY pool chemistry testing strips are commercially available and give reliable results. You only need to dip the strip in the water and hold it against a colour chart for analysis. The strip will give you information on the chemical composition of the pool water. With the results you can make the necessary adjustments. On the other hand you can take a sample of the pool water to a swimming pool store for testing. Most stores do it for free and give detailed information on the mineral content of the water, total alkalinity, pH and chlorine level. Moreover, they offer advice on the alterations to make based on the results.
Balance Your Chemicals
There are several chemicals you should adjust for your pool water to meet the necessary standards for swimming.
pH:The pH level is a measure of how much chlorine turns into hypochlorous acid in water. Soda ash increases the pH while muriatic acid and sodium bisulfate decrease it
Total Alkalinity: This should be maintained between 80 and 120 to stabilize the pH. Sodium bicarbonate alkalinity as muriatic acid decreases it
Calcium Hardness: It should be maintained between 150ppm-250ppm to ensure the pool water does not ruin the grout in the tiles or the vinyl lining. Calcium chloride is used to adjust the hardness of calcium.
Wait for the Water to Clear
The cleaning process does not yield instant results. The process takes around a week as filtration occurs progressively. Remember to clean the swimming pool filter every day until the water is clear.
Once the pool water is clear enough to see the swimming pool floor can you remove the cover and take a dive. If you remove the cover sooner you might be left with leaves, pollen and other debris to clean out.
Once the pool is ready, maintain it for the rest of the season. Vacuum each week, test the water monthly and keep the filter clean. If you stick to these tips, you pool will be ready for use every day in the summer.
