Swimming Pool Builders in Kitchener Waterloo & Cambridge, Ontario
Clean out basket and skim debris
By skimming the surface by hand every couple of days it will keep debris from sinking down to the bottom of the pool which will be harder to clean. To clean leaves and bugs and other debris must be done with a long pole with a net at the end called a skimmer. Cleaning it periodically will really help with the circulation in your pool which will lead to using less chlorine due to good circulation.
Cleaning your basket out every 3 days will also help the circulation of your pool. Basket is located on your pool deck close to the edge of the water. Take the cap off and the basket will need to be brushed, or you can just shake off the debris and put it back Into place.
Vacuum Pool, brush the sides
Brushing the side walls with a soft bristle broom reduces the amount of algae an build up of calcium, which can lead to a bigger problem.
Vacuuming can be automatic and is installed to the hose and the machine does the cleaning, see instructions on machine before using due to different types. It is basically like you are vacuuming a carpet, just going back and forth and over lapping the area. We recommend cleaning your pool once a week.
Cleaning your filter
There are 3 different kinds of pool filters, cartridge, sand and diatomaceous earth. All 3 also require different maintenance procedures, and cleaning as well.
Cleaning the filter to many times than recommended can also cause filter disruption and may not do its required job. Cleaning a filter will not help capture the smaller particles of dirt.
Professionally service your heater
With so many heaters we suggest consulting your manual and go by the instructions given by the manufacturer. Gas heaters usually are fine every 2-3 years for a maintenance check, where electric can last even longer.
Checking water levels
Always make sure water does not go below the skimmer otherwise the pump might pail or could cause damage. Water loss can be caused by evaporation or normal wear and tear such as splashing and activities in the pool.
Maintaining the PH level
Swimming pools can be tested regularly on its PH levels. The PH is a measurement of alkalinity and acid that can run from 0-14. A reading between 7.2-7.8 is a good reading, and should be kept as close to these numbers as possible. This is a safe PH range and helps the sanitize process to work at top efficiency.
Check local pools stores to find PH testing kit and refer to instructions on kit that are usually pretty straight forward.
Superchlorinate water
Organic materials like nitrogen or ammonia tends to build up in a pool over time. Mass amounts of these chemicals interact with the pool’s chlorine, or form chloramines, which will give off that strong chlorine smell that people always associate with pools.
To get rid of this smell you must super chlorinate, or shock your pool water back to its normal chlorine levels. Add the amount required for your pool by a professional. The chlorine will shock the pool back to its perfect chlorine levels and will be able to swim again. Always consult an expert or educate yourself with the equipment you have at your house.
Find leaks and repair them
Sometimes it is hard to find out if you have a leak. Fill up a plastic bucket ¾ full of water, mark the level at the side of the bucket, then put the bucket in the pool and mark the other side of the bucket with pool water level. Let it float for 2-3 days. If the water inside and water outside marks have gone down the same amount its evaporation of water not a leak. Measure off both lines to determine if there is a leak. Call a professional to fix the problem.
Winterize your pool
We recommend you get a professional for at least 1-3 years and watch them and really study how they close your pool. Closing a pool incorrectly an follow up with major disasters. Make sure you are 100% on how to close your pool. If you doubt yourself for a second, call a professional.
Opening your pool
We recommend calling a professional for the first couple of years as well, learn how they do it, and ask a lot of questions. For the cost of opening and closing, it is a good idea to watch a professional do it first, until you are completely confident you can do it yourself.
