Above the ground swimming pools make a great addition to any home and they can add to your property value, too. They come in a variety of sizes making it easy to find the one suited for your family and lifestyle. Once your pool is installed, proper maintenance is required to protect your investment and keep the pool in excellent condition.
Adding chemicals, inspecting the pool pump and physically cleaning the inside of the pool are the three main steps needed to keep these pools in excellent condition. Here are some basic maintenance tips for above the ground swimming pools to help you follow these three steps and extend the life of your pool.
Tips for Adding the Chemicals
A big part of maintaining pools is adding the chemicals to keep the water clean, free of contaminants and to prevent the growth of algae. Use test strips to test the water in your pool. These strips will show you how much chlorine and alkalinity is in the water, so you’ll know how much chlorine to add.
Always check the chlorine levels and the pH balance before adding chemicals to your pool. Your chlorine levels should be around 10ppm and the pH balance of the water should be between 7.2 and 7.6 to be effective. Normally, you’ll need one bag of chlorine for every 10,000 gallons of water.
Another product you need to add to your pool is called Pool Shock. This product will help reduce the chlorine smell and it will help keep the chemicals working properly. You can also add an algaecide product once a week if needed. After adding the chemicals to your pool, run the pump for about eight hours to circulate everything around through the water so it won’t settle in one place.
Checking the water before adding any chemicals is necessary to ensure the chemicals are within the desired range. This way, the water will stay clean while preventing corrosion or damage to the pool and the chemicals won’t cause irritation to the eyes and skin.
Maintaining Your Pool Pump
Keeping your pool pump in good shape is a vital part of your maintenance routine. The pump keeps the water fresh and clean by pulling the water out of your pool, circulating it through a filter and then pumping it back in again. Pool pumps are responsible for filtering out small debris, preventing the growth of bacteria and they help to keep the water from becoming stagnated by keeping it circulating.
The main thing you need to do to maintain your pool pump is change the filter. As dirt and debris circulate through the filter it collects and builds up over time. Reusable filters can be washed out and other types need to be changed regularly.
General Cleaning Tips
Even though you use chemicals and have a pool pump, you still need to clean your above the ground pool at least once a week. Vacuum the top of the pool to pick up the large debris like leaves and then scrub the sides of the pool with a pool brush. You can also use a skimmer to skim the debris off the top in-between regular cleaning. After scrubbing the sides, you’ll need to run the pump until the water becomes clear again.
While it may seem like there is a lot of work involved in keeping your pool clean and functioning properly, having a schedule to follow will make it easier. It will also help to ensure that you don’t get caught up with other things and forget to keep your pool maintained. If you get behind on regular maintenance, it can be unsafe to use and it will take more cleaning to get it back up to standards.
Proper maintenance will extend the life of these above the ground swimming pools and keep them in excellent condition so you can continue to enjoy yours for many years.