Have you ever wondered what the pool guy actually does? Well here are a couple pool cleaning advice for Houston property owners:
Analyze your pools chemical levels2-3 times per week while in the summer and only once each week in the wintertime. The pool service technician will commonly check this once a week and make an effort to level the water with the upcoming 7 days under consideration.
Thoroughly clean you swimming pool area as often as possible. Auto Pool Cleaning Machines don't mean you don’t ever need to clean. At some point the auto cleaner will get jam packed with leaves and debris, and will have to be emptied. Moreover, scrubbing the swimming pool walls is an excellent approach to remove layers of dirt and grime that may be too small for your automatic pool cleaner. Manually vacuuming is also a good way to keep your pool looking brand new.
Clean out skimmer basket(s) each week. You might be amazed the things those little baskets catch. Everything from excess hair, food, toys, and debris find themselves in there.
Thoroughly clean hair and lint pot in the pump every few weeks or on a more frequent basis. Shut off the pump to execute this. This is actually the basket that is in the pump. It is your last line of protection and should be treated adequately.
Check and keep track of the pool water level at least once per month, modify as necessary. The swimming pool's water level ought to be at the center of the tile line or skimmer opening. In Houston, TX we often have temperature ranges over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. With that said, try to keep a watchful eye on your pool during the entire week. You'd be shocked just how much water can evaporate from the hot Texas sun.
Check Inline Chlorinator at least once every week for correct adjustment. Check flow as needed when you check chlorine measurements. Make sure that chlorine tablets are located in the system, change as necessary to maintain adequate chlorine levels. Inline chlorinators need a bit of experimentation before you will get it correct. If at all possible, look at the chlorine levels each day and alter your chlorinator as required before you figure out the correct combination.
Make certain that light is on in the ozone unit, for those who have one. Crack valve only slightly at the pump. Be careful not to break any of the connections -- they may be fragile. Check flow-meter often to ensure adjustment is in range. Lucky you if you have a residential ozone unit. Check to make certain everything is on and be careful not to ever break any of the connections.
Clean your filters as soon as you notice the pressure on the pressure gauge rising about 6psi over its standard level (also, be sure that your pressure gauge works - they tend to die out). This might be necessary right after a heavy storm or once every few months depending on conditions inside your pool. It might be best to clean them about each and every 4-6 months. Just remind yourself to clean them whenever you come home from your dentist, or any time you replace the air filters in your home, which needs to be about the same frequency. Should you have an extra set of elements this is a much easier and faster job. Soak dirty filters in a 10% solution of muriatic acid or a solution of trisodium phosphate. Use a rubber trash can. Wear gloves and eye protection. Be careful. Always add acid to water, NEVER ADD water to acid. Rinse until clean and allow them to dry. Store your supplies away until your next swap-out.
Since you are monitoring and taking pleasure in your pool, be aware:
Are your returns very weak?
Is the in-floor cleaning system not working very well, do you not have a lot of suction?
Is the water clarity beginning to look bad, is the water becoming cloudy?
If any of these conditions exist, it is likely time to clean the filters. Most pools should need this done a few times a year. However, pools that accumulate a great deal of debris or are heavily used, may need more regular cleanings.
Wipe and clean tile line every week. This will certainly decrease build-up. If you can do that regularly, at minimum twice a month (only takes 10 minutes each time) then you can prevent nasty tile build up. We recommend using a small wire hair algae brush to clear out any pollen or accumulated debris.
Should you have a salt water generator than you will need to check and clean the blades in the unit about every 30 days. If the red flow light or flow meter is on or reading less than normal, then the blades are generally calcified and producing little to zero chlorine. Turn the pump off, bleed off any pressure, undo the unions and clean the blades per the manufacturer's recommendations.
Continue to keep chemicals stored out of direct sunlight. Keep them in a cool dry place. Please do not store acid and chlorine right next to each other.
Your pool should not need to be shocked on any consistent basis if you have an ozone system. If you wish to do it, do it during the night. Use non-chorine based shock if you plan on swimming any time soon.
A brief note on “shocking” - shocking is an activity one does to your pool. When you shock the pool it implies that you're raising the sanitation level to a high point in order to eliminate organic compounds from the water. Your area pool store loves to sell you “shock”. You actually only have to shock your pool when indicated (when your combined chlorine levels are above 0.5 or else you have experienced a heavy rain storm/ debris build up). Don't forget: the pool store makes money when you buy chemicals, they will convince you to definitely buy and use more chemicals - it’s their occupation.
Should you start seeing any cracks around the perimeter of your pool between your deck and your tile, caulk it using a small bead of clear silicon. Do not allow the water to migrate from inside the pool in and under the deck through cracks at this joint.
Keep vegetation, other animals, and chemical products away from and out of the pool. Nitrates from bird droppings and waste from animals and people are food for algae. Don't give food to the algae. Remember, algae is a living organism and it needs certain criteria to develop. Don't create an environment for algae to grow. Proper circulation, proper sanitation levels, regularly cleaning your pool, and removing organic materials from the pool will create an inhospitable environment for algae.