A Beginner s Guide to Pool Maintenance

Your swimming pool needs regular maintenance. That’s why it pays to develop a strong basic understanding of pool maintenance essentials, no matter if you have an inground, above ground, Intex®, or saltwater pool.

When you know how your pool works, the best ways to care for it, and how to plan for it, you’ll be ready to solve just about any potential pool problem that floats your way.

Good Pool Maintenance Begins with Knowing Your Pool

Before you can properly enjoy or care for your pool, you might need to brush up on all the parts of your pool. Knowing the basic parts of your pool, and their functions, helps you keep everything running smoothly—and makes it easier to resolve issues when they occur.

Looking for a full in-depth video course on swimming pool maintenance? Check out The Pool Maintenance Video Course and become a pool care master so you can effortlessly keep your water clean and clear all season.

Разочарованы добавлением химикатов и попытками постоянно поддерживать чистоту в бассейне?

Мы избавили вас от путаницы, связанной с обслуживанием бассейнов, в этой удобной для чтения иллюстрированной электронной книге и видеокурсе. Это поможет вам сразу сэкономить 100 долларов на уходе за бассейном!

Справочник по уходу за бассейном

The Basic Components of a Swimming Pool

Every type of swimming pool has four components that need regular care. These include:

1. Pool Water

It might seem like a no-brainer but the water in your pool is key to lasting pool happiness. Keeping it clean, clear, and balanced protects you and your family from contaminants and pollutants. It also helps you avoid costly hardware repairs due to corrosion or mineral build-up, and helps your whole pool last longer.

2. Pool Interior

The walls of your pool liner are in constant contact with pool water, and everything that enters it. Keeping these surfaces in good repair, and clear of algae, mold, and debris, will help keep your pool clean and safe.

Читайте также:
Эргономичное кресло Generation by Knoll®| Холм

3. Pool Filter System

The pumping heart of your pool is also its liver. OK, that sounds a little weird. But think about it: your pool pump draws water keeps your water circulating, like your heart does with your blood. Your pool filter clears dirt and other contaminants from your water just like your liver filters last night’s cheese fries from your blood.

Both protect you and your pool from harm. Without a functioning filter system, your pool will soon be a cloudy, polluted, and unswimmable mess.

Depending on your setup, you might have a cartridge filter, a sand filter, a diatomaceous earth (D.E.) filter. Or, if you have a salt water system, a salt water chlorinator.

4. Pool Skimmers and Returns

If your pool’s filter is its liver, then your skimmers and returns are its veins and arteries. Your skimmers—not to be confused with a net skimmer, the cleaning tool attached to a telescoping pole—pull water into the filter for cleaning, while the returns push the cleaned water back into your pool. And like your veins and arteries, they work best when they’re clean and clear of obstructions.

No two pools are alike, and you’ll no doubt encounter pool maintenance challenges specific to your pool as time goes on. But if you’ve got a firm grasp on these four pool components, you’ll be well equipped to face down most upkeep challenges.

The Three C’s of Proper Pool Maintenance

The foundation of effective pool care is built on three simple but important concepts: обращение, очисткаи химия.

1. Good Water Circulation

In your pool, moving water is cleaner, clearer, and safer. Proper pool circulation is key to healthy and safe swimming.

A pool with good circulation rarely has issues like cloudy water or pool algae infestation. Keep your pump and filter system running daily to maximize circulation.

How long should you run your pool pump? Ideally, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But since that’s not feasible for everyone’s budget or equipment, we recommend running your filter at least 10 to 12 hours a day. That’ll turn the water over a few times and help keep your pool safe and clean.

Читайте также:
Ремонт зимних дорог и строительство зимних дорог - Powerblanket

The other key component to good pool circulation is frequently взрыхляющий your filter. Backwashing refers to reversing the flow of water through your filter and shunting the dirty water and built-up contaminants to the waste port, carrying them out of your pool.

If you’re not sure how to clean a pool filter, it’s imperative to learn and make it part of your regular pool care routine.

Наконечник: If your pool has a sand filter, add a cup of D.E. powder to boost its filtering power. Cloudy water will clear more quickly as the D.E. aids your sand filter in straining fine particles.

2. A Pool Cleaning Schedule

If it has proper circulation, you’ve already made cleaning your pool much easier. But you’ll still need to apply some good old-fashioned elbow grease. The basic tools you’ll need are:

Both Mother Nature and the folks using your pool bring all sorts of wild and wacky things into your pool, from leaves, mold, and the odd duck or frog to residues from shampoos, perfumes, and hair products. Add in the risks of bacterial contamination, and cleaning your pool becomes an absolutely essential part of safe swimming.

Skim, brush, and vacuum your pool weekly, at a minimum. This will keep debris out of your water, and your walls sparkling clean. Baking soda paste works particularly well as a basic scouring cleaner that won’t damage delicate tile or a vinyl liner when you brush.

An automatic pool cleaner can significantly cut your pool cleaning time. It won’t eliminate the need for regular skimming and brushing, but it’ll make both tasks easier, freeing you up to spend time enjoying your pool instead of cleaning it.

You can also make your cleaning life easier with a few unorthodox additions to your pool. Toss a few tennis balls into your skimmer basket, or even right into the pool, and they’ll absorb surface oils left behind by suntan lotion, cosmetics, etc. You can also wrap your skimmer baskets with pantyhose to create an extra-fine filter that’ll catch more contaminants than a skimmer alone.

Читайте также:
Построить кирпичный гриль-барбекю из нержавеющей стали: используйте мое руководство.

Simply replace both the tennis balls and the pantyhose when they start to show signs of wear.

Наконечник: If you have an inground pool, the drains built into the bottom of the deep end will help pull water into the filter and make it easier to clear debris loosened during cleaning. Above ground pools don’t have these drains, but you can get the same water-clearing boost with a manual pool vacuum.

Simply attach your vacuum to your filter system and place it in the middle of your above ground pool, making sure the vacuum is с ног на голову. Turn it on, and it’ll act as a main drain to help you clear cloudy water more quickly.

You can also clear cloudy pool water quickly with flocculant. But remember, that just treats the symptom, not the cause, so it’s only a temporary fix. Click here to find out more about using pool floc.

3. Balancing Your Water Chemistry

Step away from the Bunsen burner. Pool chemistry might sound intimidating and complicated, but you don’t have to worry. While it is an essential part of effective pool maintenance and water care, basic pool chemistry is surprisingly straightforward.

The most important tool in your bag of water care tricks is your water testing kit. You wouldn’t season your stew without tasting it. So before you reach for the chemicals, do some pool water testing. Understanding what’s in your water, and what isn’t, is the first step to balancing it.

The three most important parts of pool water chemistry are:

  • Уровни pH: The measure of how acidic or basic your pool water is. Low pH levels are acidic, while high levels are basic. The ideal range for your pool is 7.4 – 7.6.
  • Щелочность: Works as a pH buffer and helps avoid huge spikes in basicity or acidity. The ideal range is От 100 до 150 частей на миллион (ppm). And you can use baking soda to increase your pool’s alkalinity level.
  • Sanitizer levels: The amount of chlorine, bromine, etc. in your pool water. Proper levels vary depending on which type of sanitizer you choose.
Читайте также:
Как правильно выбрать водяной насос для пруда - Grainger KnowHow

Once you know your pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels, you can start to add chemicals to tweak your water balance. Take your time, follow all the directions, and be sure you know what each chemical does and how it’ll affect the water, and the folks who swim in it, before you add it.

How to Take Care of an Inground Swimming Pool

How to Take Care of an Inground Swimming Pool

When added to the backyard, an inground pool offers entertainment, leisure, exercise opportunities — and an increase in value to your home. A 2003 study by the National Association of Realtors found that an inground swimming pool adds about 8 percent to your home’s value. The typical pool maintenance schedule involves a few weekly and monthly tasks, along with several daily tips to keep in mind. If there isn’t a pool supply store convenient to your home, most super stores and home improvement stores also offer pool care equipment and supplies.

В сезоне

Check your pool’s pH and chlorine levels at least twice per week. Your pool water should maintain a pH range of 7.4 to 7.6 and a chlorine level of 1.0 to 3.0 parts per million (ppm), according to the My Pool Supply website. Test the pool water levels at dusk at least four hours after all swimmers have left the water and at least eight hours after a rain or wind storm. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for the testing strips you choose. If necessary, add products to re-balance these levels.

Clean the pool at least once per week. For a thorough cleaning, empty the skimmer baskets, skim the leaves and debris from the water. If there is debris on the bottom of the inground pool, use a vacuum cleaner designed for pool use. Skim the surface with a cleaning net.

Apply pool surface cleaner to the waterline on the pool walls. These cleaners eliminate waterline stains to keep your pool looking fresh. Apply the cleaner with a pool brush. Once you rub the cleaner into the wall at the waterline surface, dip the brush into the water and give a quick scrub to the walls under the water surface.

Читайте также:
Как сделать обои |

Shock the pool water once per week. Shocking involves adding a large dose of chlorine to the pool to eliminate algae and other contaminants. The amount of shock you use varies based on the specific chlorine product and the amount of water in your pool; follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Shock the water at dusk, allow the pump and filter to run overnight and avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after shocking the pool.

Run your filtration system as much as possible — constantly if you can afford it — during the summer months. When the water is continuously moving, it is less likely to become tainted with dust, dirt, environmental pollutants, bacteria and body oils.

Межсезонье

Inspect the pool before you close it for the season. Look for cracks, leaks or any type of damage that needs to be addressed. Since harsh winter temperatures will only make the damage worse, you’re better off fixing the problems before you close the pool.

Test the water’s chemical levels and adjust accordingly. Use the same procedures and materials you used during pool season. Clean and shock the pool using the same guidelines as well.

Remove all objects from the pool. This includes ladders, diving boards, slides, pool toys, ropes, skimmer baskets and any other accessories submerged in the water.

Drain all water from the pool’s pump, filter, heater and all associated tubing. If pool water remains in the system during the winter and freezes, damage will likely occur. A shop vacuum can help remove water, but be gentle with delicate items, like tubing.

Lower the pool’s water level by draining the water into the local sewer lines. Do not drain all the water from the pool. Simply reduce the water level until it’s below the lowest pool return. If your pool walls are decorated with tiles, the water level should also remain below the tiles during the off-season.

Читайте также:
Сколько стоит установка балок из искусственного дерева?

Cover your pool with a pool safety cover. The cover should secure tightly around the pool with no obvious tears, rips, gaps or damage. Inspect the pool cover every few weeks during the off-season. If you notice a poor fit or damage to the cover, replace it immediately.

How To: Maintain a Pool

A filthy pool is unappealing and unsafe. Knowing how to maintain a pool is the key to enjoying crystal clear pool water anytime.

By Brie Greenhalgh | Updated Apr 6, 2022 5:49 PM

Мы можем получать доход от продуктов, доступных на этой странице, и участвовать в партнерских программах.

How to Maintain a Pool

Enjoying a cool dip in the backyard pool is the ultimate reward after a long day. The last thing you want is to jump into murky pool water with a foul odor. Keeping a pool clean and clear takes more than just tossing a few chemicals into the pool every once in a while. Balancing the pH, skimming debris from the surface, and performing shock treatments are just a few tasks pool owners need to do regularly. To avoid that disappointing halt to a dive into the deep end, follow these steps for how to maintain a pool so you can relax or play anytime.

Необходимое время: 30 минут до 24 часов
Сложность: От начального до промежуточного
Ориентировочная стоимость: $ 60 до $ 150

  • Long-handled skimmer
  • Pool brush with long handle attachment
  • Пылесос для бассейна
  • Перчатки
  • Безопасные очки
  • Nonslip shoes
  • Посмотреть полный список «
  • набор для тестирования pH
  • Chlorine test kit
  • pH balancer
  • Sanitizer (chlorine, bromine, or salt)
  • Лечение шоком
  • Альгицид
  • Filter cleaner (optional)

Мы являемся участником партнерской программы Amazon Services LLC, партнерской рекламной программы, предназначенной для того, чтобы предоставить нам возможность зарабатывать за счет размещения ссылок на Amazon.com и аффилированные сайты.

Прежде чем вы начнете…

How to Maintain a Pool Before You Begin

DIY pool maintenance can be tricky and involves keeping chemicals properly balanced and preventing murky or algae-filled water. Microscopic elements blow into the pool, trees drop pollen and leaves, storms bring heavy rains, humans introduce oils, and frogs or birds enjoy taking a dip in the pool. All of these situations can quickly alter the pH level or chemical balance of a pool. Without the proper testing kits or tools to clean the pool, it can be challenging to identify how to maintain the pool and how to raise pH in the pool to bring back clean water. Additionally, broken pumps or filters will need to be repaired or replaced by pool service companies to get the pool back on track.

Читайте также:
Уровни из полированного бетона - Сравните варианты отделки - Concrete Network

Tips for How to Maintain a Pool

  • Establish daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly schedules for cleaning or treating the pool and replacing old parts.
  • Keep all chemicals on hand so you can quickly treat a problem.
  • Run the pool filter for at least 8 hours each day to keep the water circulating and prevent algae buildup.
  • Clean the filter twice a year and replace it every 1 or 2 years.

Вопросы безопасности

  • Use gloves and safety glasses when handling pool chemicals to avoid skin irritation.
  • Wear nonslip shoes when cleaning the pool to avoid accidentally falling in.
  • Adhere to pool chemical dosage recommendations to prevent skin burns in the pool.
  • Store chemicals according to manufacturers’ recommendations.
  • Avoid mixing pool, spa, and household chemicals.

STEP 1: Get rid of debris from the water’s surface and the filter.

Skimming debris from the pool is the most straightforward and most frequent pool maintenance task. Fallen leaves, dead insects, and even living creatures are often found in pools but are relatively easy to remove with a long-handled skimmer net. In some cases, the filter may have sucked in debris, which means the filter will need to be opened to remove the debris. Make sure the filter is not operating while doing regular pool cleaning.

How to Maintain a Pool Brush the Sides

STEP 2: Brush the sides of the pool to remove algae and sediment.

Despite efforts to keep the pump running often enough, scum, algae, and sediment will build up on the edges of a vinyl or concrete pool. On the upper edges of the pool, use a pool brush to clean off any sediment or chemical buildup that may occur. With the long handle attached to the brush, reach down into the bottom of the pool and scrub any dirty or scummy spots. Be sure to complete this step before doing any testing or chemical treatments.

STEP 3: Vacuum the pool.

Once per week—or after a heavy storm or wild party—pool owners may notice a lot of debris settled on the bottom of the pool that the skimmer can’t get. That’s when it’s time to haul out the pool vacuum. There are manual vacuums available that pull out water and debris from the pool. Robotic vacuums automatically clean the pool, and suction vacuums work with the filtration system to collect debris into the built-in skimmer basket. Or avoid the weekly hassle of hauling out a pool vacuum altogether by using a local pool service company to do the job for you.

Читайте также:
Строительство AAC против ICF: в чем разница, плюсы и минусы? | Фокс Блоки

STEP 4: Test the water and adjust chemical amounts.

Now that most of the debris is removed and the walls are free from scum and sediment, it’s time to test the water’s pH balance and chemical content. Here are the ideal ranges a pool service company would test for: pH between 7.2 and 7.6, alkalinity between 100 and 150 ppm (parts per million), and free chlorine between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm. Use a pH balancer to adjust pH levels to maintain the appropriate range. Add sanitizer or a chlorine shock treatment per the pool manufacturer’s recommendation. In hot, humid climates, adding a small amount of algaecide each week can prevent a buildup.

How to Maintain a Pool Backwash the Filter

STEP 5: Backwash the filter and clean the pump filter.

Backwashing a filter is a regular task that helps push all the built-up sediments out through the waste line and drain, so they don’t remain in the filter. A good rule of thumb is to do this weekly for high-use pools or as often as the filter reads 8 to 10 psi higher than usual. That’s an indication that significant buildup has occurred and needs to be flushed. If the pump filter looks dirty, use a filter cleaner to remove the scum or replace it every year or two.

STEP 6: Call a professional if you encounter any issues or are unsure about how to maintain a pool.

Getting the proper chemical balance when the pool has gone green or murky isn’t always an easy process. In some cases, you might add too many chemicals, and the pool may need to be partially drained and refilled to restore safe levels. A pool that is used regularly needs more maintenance than pools used once a week or less. These are all tasks that a pool service company is more than willing to handle to alleviate the burden of DIY swimming pool maintenance.

Regular pool maintenance is the price pool owners must pay to enjoy the fun and relaxing benefits that a backyard pool can offer. Staying on top of debris and scum is key to preventing most major pool contamination problems. Weekly testing and regular pool maintenance can keep your pool filled with crystal clear water. Pool service companies can quickly identify serious pool problems that caused an algae overgrowth or broken pump, especially when they are already familiar with the history of the pool’s use and maintenance schedule.

Рейтинг
( Пока оценок нет )
Понравилась статья? Поделиться с друзьями:
Добавить комментарий

;-) :| :x :twisted: :smile: :shock: :sad: :roll: :razz: :oops: :o :mrgreen: :lol: :idea: :grin: :evil: :cry: :cool: :arrow: :???: :?: :!: