The summer months are finally here and it’s time to dust off your suit and dive in. But before you do, you need to make sure that your pool is clean and healthy. Your pool doesn’t have to be a chemical cocktail to be clean, just follow these simple steps for a cleaner, healthier pool.
What You Should Know Before You Start?
To make your pool water safe, know the type of water you have. If you have a well, you’ll need to check your local water authority to find out what type of water it has. If your city has chloramine in its tap water, you’ll need to take extra measures to keep the chlorine level low enough so that it doesn’t react with the other chemicals and create chloramines.
If your pool is chemically treated with chlorine, the pH should be around 7.4 for proper disinfection and chlorination levels. If you’re using bromine as a sanitizer, make sure it’s around 3-6 parts per million (PPM). With this information on hand before you start cleaning, you can easily clean without worrying about balancing chemicals or not having enough time to do it all before guests arrive.
Why Should We Care About Pool Water?
The water in your Pool is the single most important ingredient for a healthy pool. It needs to be clean and clear to keep out the sun’s damaging rays. The chlorine from the chemicals that you put in your pool will not kill bacteria-the most common cause of cloudy water, so it needs to be removed by adding algaecide. When sunlight penetrates the water, it can turn green and have an unpleasant smell.
The Importance OfChlorine
The most important factor in pool water sanitation is chlorine. Chlorine destroys bacteria that could cause a “stomach bug” in the form of diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and fever. These ailments are caused by microorganisms that feed on organic materials in the water such as sweat and urine.
Why Is pH Important?
One of the first things you need to check when cleaning your pool is the pH level. A high pH level means that the water is alkaline, while a low or acidic pH means the water is acidic. A high pH level can be caused by using too many chemicals in your pool. This happens if you don’t maintain your chlorine levels and add stabilizers to prevent algae growth.
How Often Should I Clean My Pool?
The frequency of your pool cleaning will depend on the amount of time you spend in the pool and what type of pool filter you have. If you have a sand filter, you need to clean it more often because it collects debris.
However, if you have a cartridge or DE filter, then it’s good as long as you’re keeping water levels up and topping off every so often. Otherwise, your cartridge or DE filter will become clogged with dirt and grime from the water.
To keep your pool clean, it is best to close your cover for periods when the pool isn’t in use. This helps cut down on debris that may collect over time and can be difficult to remove manually. It also helps prevent leaves and other materials from collecting in the water.