As a new pool owner, you need to know how to keep your pool clean and safe for swimmers. Routine maintenance is critical to ensure the longevity of your pool. Having a good understanding of the pool maintenance essentials’ ins and outs will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and ready to care for your pool the right way.
If you’re interested in finding out more on pool maintenance essentials, then stick around because we have a ton of useful information for you coming up.
Tools
The first thing we should discuss is the tools that will help you keep the inside of your pool clean. Tools are used to give you a little extra help when things get dirty and are the top essentials for maintenance you should always have in your pool care arsenal. Depending on your needs and the type of cleaning situation, that will determine the kind of tool you need.
Let’s dive into the depths of the different kinds of pool tools you may need or use.
Brushes
Brushes come in all different sizes and shapes. If you have hard to clean stains in or around your pool deck, then a brush will be the best tool to use. Brushes require some elbow grease and depending on the stain you have, it will help you determine the type of brush you will need.
Cleaning a large and hard to clean stain? You should consider getting a brush with wire bristles to help eliminate dirt, algae, and grim. Need something softer and won’t be as abrasive? Use a brush with blended bristles that are softer and use more synthetic materials that won’t scratch your pool liner.
Using the wrong brush could cause permanent damage to the walls and liner. Always be careful when choosing a brush and consider the type of pool lining you have before going to town on stains in and around your pool.
Vacuums
Nothing is better than a tool that does the work for you; a pool vacuum does just that. Sit back and relax, knowing that your automatic pool vacuum will work to clean debris and dirt off of the floor and in areas that you may not be able to reach with a traditional brush.
Manual pool vacuums are less expensive, of course. However, if you don’t want to be bothered with another manual cleaning task purchasing an automatic pool cleaner will save you a lot of time and effort. A few things to consider when purchasing a pool vacuum include:
- size of your pool
- type of lining your pool has
- preference between a manual or automatic vacuum
- price
After considering these, you’ll be ready to buy the best vacuum for you.
Skimmers
Depending on the pool you have, a pool skimmer may or may not already be included in your pool’s build. For example, in-ground pools typically have skimmers lined along the inside of the pool wall. Above ground pools usually do not need an automatic skimmer to be added to the water, which can either be attached to the side or float within the water. Skimmers work to clean floating debris before it sinks to the bottoms of your pool, which may include:
- leaves
- sticks
- insects
- animals
- hair
Much more can be cleaned from your pool using a skimmer. Of course, there are the manual skimmers that you can use daily and clean off debris that has reached the bottom of your pool, which an automatic skimmer might have missed.
Cleaning Products
Tools can only help so much. To keep algae and bacteria growth at bay, you need to invest in the right cleaning products. The type of cleaning products you use will be different for each pool owner. A few things to consider when purchasing cleaning chemicals for your pool include:
- price
- preference
- the temperature of pool water
Shock
All pool owners want to have clean and crystal-clear water. Well, the way to achieve this is by using the right pool shock cleaner. Most people are familiar with chlorine. This type of pool sanitizer chemical in pool shock is often used to clean pool water and make it safe for swimmers.
Fortunately for people allergic to chlorine shock chemicals, other options on the market will help you clean your pool without having to use chlorine.
Test Strips
When using pool shock as one of your pool maintenance essentials, you must routinely check the levels to ensure they are at the proper range. Test strips will ensure that you don’t go overboard on the chemicals and or have enough to kill harmful bacteria and algae. Too much and too little pool shock can create a dangerous environment for swimmers.
These water test strips will allow you to check the PH levels in your pool, which will indicate how safe the pool water is after or before you clean it. PH levels should always be maintained around a range of 7.4-7.6.
Deck Cleaner
Let’s not forget about the area around your pool known as the pool deck. This needs to stay as clean as the inside of your pool to ensure that nothing drains into the water. When choosing a surface cleaner for your pool, make sure that it is environmentally friendly, so in the case that you accidentally wash it off into your yard, it will not affect any nearby wildlife.
Pool Covers
The last pool essential that every owner must have is a form-fitting pool cover. A cover will protect your pool from the debris and much more. If you decide to close your pool down for the colder months, a cover is a pool maintenance essential.
Leaving your pool uncovered when it’s not in use can create more problems than you may think. Not only does it leave access for debris, insects, and animals to seek shelter in your pool, but it could also allow bacteria and algae to grow faster and spread quicker, meaning you have a bigger mess to take care of on opening day.
Pool Maintenance Essentials: Conclusion
As a new pool owner, I am sure you don’t want to spend all of your time having to clean and scrub your pool. Instead, take the knowledge you have gained from today’s article and relax, knowing that you are prepared to handle any situation with ease and can enjoy the luxury of owning a pool. Ready to own a custom-built Artesian pool? Contact us today to find out more information.
