It’s no secret that Aussies love the idea of having a pool in their backyard, looking after it, not so much. The good news is pool care is easier than it’s ever been and with our 5 pro pool cleaning tips, you’ll have your pool looking brand new year-round.
Tips to Keep Your Swimming Pool Clean
Tip 1 – Learn how to balance your pool’s chemical levels
Balancing your pool’s chemical levels is vital to keeping the water clean, so it’s important you have an understanding of how to test the water and readjust it accordingly when need be.
If you don’t get this right, your water will turn green or cloudy relatively quickly and if you’re not sure how to fix the problem, it can be stressful.
Not only that, when your pool is in this state you cannot swim in it. You should aim to test your water weekly, this way you can keep on top of your chemistry levels before they’ve had a chance to affect the water quality.
Here are the main chemicals you need to monitor to keep your water sanitary and safe to swim in:
- Acidity or Alkalinity
- Calcium Hardness
- Cyanuric Acid
- Chlorine
- Total Alkalinity
The levels that these chemicals should be depends on your pool type as they can vary slightly. It’s best to follow the instructions in your user manual for best results. You can test the levels mentioned above with a water testing kit.
You can purchase them at a pool shop. Each kit contains testing strips that you use to dip into a sample of your pool water. The colour indicators on the strip will change in a matter of seconds.
This gives you an instant indication of any chemicals that need balancing. Alternatively, you can take a vial of pool water to your local pool shop and they can test the water for you.
Tip 2 – Keep an eye on the water level of your pool
The water in your pool will drop and this is caused by evaporation. Evaporation can be caused by many things but the main culprits are wind and heat.
On the other hand, if there has been heavy rain in your area, your pool may overflow. The pool water must be maintained at the correct level to ensure the chemicals aren’t too concentrated or diluted and to prevent damage to your pump.
Ideally, your water should come up to halfway on your skimmer opening. If it’s too low, you can top it up with a hose, if it’s too full, you can empty some of the water. You can do this by;
- Turn your pump off.
- Turn the lever on the pump to waste.
- Switch the pump back on to let the water drain. Keep it on this setting until the water has receded to its normal level. Make sure you don’t leave it in the waste setting and go away because if you forget about it, it’s likely your pool will be empty.
- Turn the lever back to normal pump setting.
- Switch the pump back on.
- Make sure you test your water after topping it up or emptying it and rebalance the chemicals.
Tip 3 – Invest in an automatic pool cleaner
We all want to simplify pool care, right? The quickest way to this is by purchasing an automatic pool cleaner. They can drastically cut down on the amount of time you need to spend manually vacuuming the pool which can be a laborious task at the best of times.
They travel around the bottom of your pool and pick debris and contaminants.
Running them every day can significantly reduce the likelihood of your water’s chemicals getting thrown out of balance as the leaf litter and other unwanted organic matter are picked up before they have a chance to start decomposing.
While they are an initial outlay, the time-saving benefits they offer make them a must-have pool accessory and the great thing about automatic cleaners is, there is an option to suit every budget.
Side suction cleaners start at around $200 and for more advanced cleaners, there are pressure side cleaners and robotic cleaners.
Tip 4 – Get your pool serviced annually
Your pool is an investment and one you want to make sure is well-looked after.
Even if you are doing a good job of maintaining your pool, it’s worth getting a professional pool technician to come give it a once over each year to ensure all of your mechanical equipment is in optimal working condition.
If there is anything that is causing concern or if you have any questions, be sure to run them past the pool professional when they come to do the service.
Tip 5 – Clean out your filter
The filter plays a key role in your pool’s circulation system. They work by picking up fine particles of dirt and debris that are missed by the skimmer.
To keep them working as they should, it pays to clean them out. The cleaning method varies depending on which type of filter you have. Here is a basic rundown of the three main types:
Sand filter
To clean your sand filter, you will need to switch your pump off, then you turn the lever on the pump to the backwash setting and let it run for two minutes.
Then turn the lever to rinse and let it run for 2 minutes also. Return the lever to its original setting and turn the pump back on.
Cartridge filter
You can clean your cartridge filter by opening the unit that stores your cartridges, carefully remove them, hose them down and return into position. This is a good time to inspect them for any damage and replace them if necessary.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Filter
DE filters are cleaned the same as sand filters, however, in the backwashing process, they spit out a substantial amount of DE media, so you will need to top this up.
Pool care is vital to keeping your pool healthy and the more you do it, the better you will get at it.
If all else fails, you can hire a professional pool cleaner to come out monthly to take care of it for you. If you have any questions, contact our friendly team here at Newcastle Swimming Pools.
