Summer is here, but is your pool ready for summer fun? Get ahead of the game with these quick and easy summer maintenance tips from the pool cleaning service experts at Sunrise Pool Services.
Spring Cleaning
A total pool cleaning should be a part of your weekly maintenance routine, especially during the rainy season in Cumming. Pressure, suction, and robotic cleaners make it so easy to keep your pool squeaky clean; just push a button and away it goes. Break out the pressure washer and give the deck a good hose down. Get into all the cracks and crevices and get out all the leaves and dirt that have accumulated over the winter season. Scrub down pool structures like diving boards, handrails, slides, and ladders with a chlorine cleaner. Empty the skimmer basket of debris on a regular basis to keep the basket from blocking the flow of water. Scrub the area inside and around the skimmer to stop the buildup of algae. Cut down on the amount of debris in your yard and over your pool by cutting back tree branches and shrubs.
Chemical Balance
Test your pool’s chemistry on a weekly basis, twice a week if there are heavy rains in your area. The pH balance should be between 7.4 and 7.6. Add soda acid if it is below 7.4 and muriatic acid if it is above 7.6. Shocking your pool will adjust the chlorine and alkaline levels of your pool’s water. Chlorine should be between 1-2 ppm and alkalinity should be between 80-120 ppm. A weekly additive of algaecide will help to keep algae from building up on the edges of your pool.
Saltwater pools are just as easy as chlorine pools to maintain. Use a saltwater testing kit when testing your water weekly. For saltwater pools, 7.5 is the ideal level for pH. Saltwater chlorine generators run best when the water salinity is between 2500-4500 ppm. Add the necessary treatments according to your pool’s need. Use the drain/refill method to dilute higher concentrations.
Filter Maintenance
Most newer pools use one of two types of water filters. A diatomaceous earth, or DE filter, is comprised of a powdery clay. It is cleaned by performing a backwash which forces dirt and grime into a filter bag. The bag should be emptied every other week and replaced yearly. Replenish the powder by sprinkling more into the skimmer well according to your filtration manual.
The second most common type of filter is a cartridge filter. At least once a month, you should remove and rinse the cartridge filter. Once a year it needs to be soaked in a chemical bath formulated to remove accumulated grime. If you have an older pool with a sand filter, consider replacing it this summer with a DE or cartridge filter that are better for your pool and the environment.
Pool cleaning is a year-round commitment. Take a load off and consider your local pool cleaning services in Cumming for your monthly and yearly maintenance.