Your backyard swimming pool can provide hours of fun in the sun, but it’s important to properly maintain and monitor your pool to avoid costly damage. Proper swimming pool maintenance in Cumming, GA, can keep your pool clear and clean and avoiding certain mistakes can also help the pool last longer as well. Here are some common mistakes you should be sure to avoid.
Ignoring pH and Alkaline Levels
A common pool maintenance mistake is ignoring the pH and alkalinity levels in the water. Water with too low of a pH level will be too acidic, and while this will make it difficult for algae to grow, it will be hard on your pool equipment. The vinyl liner, pump and filter, heater, and other equipment can be damaged when the levels are incorrect. The pool water needs to be tested weekly simply because testing it this often will alert you to any imbalances that could become worse rather quickly. This weekly test will check the levels of pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, salt and total dissolved solids, copper, iron, and cyanuric acid.
Improper Shock Addition
Pool shock is another name for concentrated chlorine. Because of its high strength, it’s important to not add it directly to the pool. This can not only bleach clothes if the concentration is too high, but if the granules are added directly to the pool, they’ll often sink to the bottom of the pool and bleach the liner, causing it to become brittle and leaky. The best way to add shock is to dissolve it in a bucket of water so that the shock disperses more evenly in the water. Be sure to wear protective gear when working with these chemicals. It’s best to avoid adding pool shock to an automatic chlorinator through the skimmer because this can cause chemicals to combine in a small space and cause an explosion. Additionally, be sure to add shock at night because adding it during the day will reduce its effectiveness. The sun will burn it off more quickly.
Overlooking Sensor Care
Sensors are a great tool for monitoring your pool’s level, but you also need to monitor the care of sensors to make sure they do their job correctly. The probes need to be cleaned regularly or even replaced. They also need to be calibrated to ensure accurate measurements. Cleaning and calibration should be done once a month. In addition to this, make sure the sensors are taken out of the pool during the winter. Sensors left out will freeze and then be useless and require replacing.
Forgetting Cyanuric Acid
Cyanuric acid is a chlorine stabilizer that’s used to help prevent chlorine from dissolving because of UV rays. Adding cyanuric acid reduces how much pool maintenance you have to do because it will reduce the number of times you have to add chlorine. Forgetting to add this will upset the chlorine balance and result in the need for more chlorine additions later on.
Ignoring Calcium Hardness
The calcium hardness level in your pool is important as well because too much will make the water cloudy. However, having some in the water is good because it helps protect your pool. Maintaining the proper level of calcium hardness will extend the concrete, plaster, fiberglass, filter, and vinyl liner lifespan.
Contact Sunrise Pool Services, Inc., today at 678-804-0050 to learn more about the exact levels of calcium, cyanuric acid, chlorine, and other swimming pool maintenance chemicals.