Spring is the time of year we tend to do more work outside in preparation for the coming summer. Many homeowners will refinish their deck, have their home pressured cleaned, and tend to the landscaping. For those with pools, there are a lot of ways you can begin to prepare your pool for the summer. Now is the time to look at the pool and see if it needs cleaning, maintenance, or major repair. Metropolitan Pools will share a few ways you can begin preparing your pool for the coming summer season.
Should I Drain & Refill My Pool?
One mistake some homeowners will make is to empty their pools and refill them. You never need to empty a pool unless there is a need such as for repairs. A dirty pool can be cleaned and the water treated. Only in a few situations will the water be so bad that it needs to be drained. A professional pool service will be able to determine if such extremes are needed. As a homeowner, never take it upon yourself to drain your pool.
Pool Cleaning
Most pools will be covered and left alone for most of the winter season. During the winter, the pool’s filter can continue to run unless the temperature drops to freezing temperatures. Ice can damage the pipes and cause the filters to not be able to operate as intended. As Ohio can have very cold winters, there are times the pool filtering system will be turned off. As a result, the pool can get very dirty. As the temperatures begin to warm up, you will want to begin cleaning the pool. Using a pool net, remove leaves and other large debris out of the pool. Next clean your pool filter and start it back up.
Top Off Pool & Test Water
As you clean your pool you may find the water level has dropped. If needed, you will want to refill the pool so the water line properly flows into the pool skimmer and filtering system. By adding water you will need to test the water and check its chemical levels. It is good for a homeowner to know the proper chemical levels or also referred to as chemical balance. Whether you use a professional pool service or tend to your pool yourself, you need to recognize when the chemicals are out of balance. Following is the proper chemical balance for most pools.
• PH Levels 7.2 to 7.4: The PH levels tells how much of the chlorine turned to hypochlorous acid in the water.
• Total Alkalinity 80 to 120: The alkalinity is a PH stabilizer, the alkalinity needs to be in the proper range or the chlorine will drop and algae will grow.
• Calcium or Hardness 150 ppm to 250 ppm: Water hardness will vary from place to place. Depending on your local water, the hard will vary. It is important to control the calcium level or it can corrode the pool and effect the waters chemical balance. Water softeners are often used to ensure the pool hardness levels stay below 250 ppm.
• Chlorine 1 ppm to 3 ppm: Chlorine is essential in keeping the water clean. Not just in terms of clear water, but you will prevent microbes such as algae, fungi, and bacteria from growing in the water. The chlorine will help keep the water safer for the swimmers. If the chlorine drops too low, the water will spawn life and not in a good way.
Inground Vinyl Pool Installation & More in Sandusky, Lorain, Elyria, Medina, Parma, Mentor, Akron & Greater Cleveland, Ohio
There are a tons of ways to prepare your pool for summer. If you need help preparing and maintaining your pool, contact Metro Pools today.