As the Florida spring arrives, it is time to start thinking about getting your pool primed for the swimming season. When opening your pool, our favorite approach is to take stock of what chemicals you have on hand as well as checking other pool supplies like your net, brush, skimmer, lights, and other accessories to make your pool maintenance routine the easiest to execute during the busy season. Once doing this, it’s time to head outdoors and open your pool! Advanced Pool & Spa, Inc. explains what you need to do to get your pool ready for spring:
Inspect Your Surface
Inspect the interior surface of your pool for any wear and tear, such as pitting, etching, delamination, etc. to determine if your pool needs to be re-plastered. A new surface is much easier to maintain.
Chemical Testing
Once your pool is running and the water has had a few hours to circulate, you will want to test the chemical levels including pH, alkalinity, hardness, and chlorine. Since your pool has not been in use much, the chlorine level will most likely be low to nonexistent.
Chemical Adjustment
Depending upon the size of your pool, you will need to adjust your chemical levels bit by bit with the filter running to distribute and dilute chemicals to bring your pool water up to proper levels. You are shooting for a chlorine reading of 1.0-3.0ppm, a pH between 7.2 and 7.6, alkalinity between 80-120ppm, and calcium hardness between 200-350 ppm.
Re-Testing
After adjusting chemicals, you should test your water again to ensure proper chemical balance. As you move through the spring season, it is important to test your water and adjust on a weekly basis to keep your pool in the best shape and avoid costly equipment repairs.
Cleaning and Circulation
One your water is balanced, you should adjust your pool’s timer to run during the day when the sun’s UV rays are strongest. This is key in helping decrease how fast your pool uses chlorine while keeping your pool sanitized!
Now head outside and make the most of our beautiful Florida weather and your sparkling blue water!
The Importance of Clean Pool Water
A sparkling blue and crystal clear pool is refreshing and inviting but that’s not all it is. A properly sanitized pool is also safe and this is paramount to an enjoyable experience as a swimming pool owner and for all swimming guests. To ensure water clarity and to prevent the transmission of waterborne disease, sanitization is a key component for any swimming pool or hot tub environment.
To maintain a clean pool, a powerful combination of items such as equipment systems like a filter, skimmer, and pump along with water testing and regular chemical adjustments can upkeep the ideal swimming conditions!
Types of Contaminants
There are a wide variety of sources that can introduce contaminants into your pool water but the three main categories are environmental contaminants, pathogenic contaminants, and those introduced by swimmer’s bodies.
• Environmental Contaminants
This category includes environmental sources such as dirt and debris that blows into your water from the surrounding outdoor space. Leaves, branches, flowers, pollen, sap, and other items can make their way into your pool and cause issues. Additionally insects and birds can also bring in a variety of potential spores and contaminants.
• Pathogenic Contaminants
This category sparks the greatest concern for pools although primarily public pools. Pathogens like viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa can cause illnesses like cryptosporidiosis or giardiasis as well as other common issues like swimmer’s ear, rashes, or respiratory infections.
• Contaminants from Swimmers
This category contains matter that gets into the pool by the bodies of bathers. Microorganisms and body oils like sweat, make-up, sunscreen, urine, saliva, and fecal matter also need to be combated with regular cleanings and disinfection products.
