Pool Maintenance Made Easy

Maintaining a pool during summer in Australia can be time-consuming and expensive. This is true, especially if you’re a first-time pool owner: the heat, the dirt, dry leaves, and algae that you need to rid almost every day can take you by surprise!

So to make it easier to keep your pool clear, sparkling, and always ready for a dip, here are our top tips for easier pool maintenance.

Check the debris from the surface of your pool

Briefly checking your pool surface is probably the most convenient and fastest approach towards maintaining pool cleanliness.

Floating debris like pollen, bugs, and leaves usually stay afloat for three to four hours before eventually sinking to the bottom of the pool. The longer that the debris stays in your pool, the faster it decomposes and this results in free chlorine depletion.  This is easily removed by a quick vacuum with the manual cleaner that came with the pool or an automatic pool cleaner.

Remove the debris collected by your skimmer baskets regularly. Never allow debris sucked into the skimmers as it will be only blick the basket and water flow to the pump.

To help you save time and effort, skim your pool and empty your skimmer baskets regularly, especially if you do not have a pool cover. 

Throw one or two tennis balls into your pool

Here’s another practical and inexpensive but effective pool maintenance technique that we love: Surface oils make the pool water cloudy and eventually, deplete the pool’s free chlorine levels. When a tennis ball is thrown in your pool, the oils are absorbed by the ball’s fluffy surface. Newer tennis balls are more effective compared to the older ones.

Regularly clean your pool

You do not need to buy expensive equipment or spend a lot of time cleaning if you clean your pool regularly. That’s why it’s highly recommended to clean your pool thoroughly at least once every week.

Brush the ladders, tile-line, and pool walls. Brushing surfaces and walls will lessen the accumulation of mineral deposits and algae that can result in cloudy pool water. It's similar to the brushing of one's teeth.

For pools made of concrete, you need to use a brush.

You should also vacuum the pool. But before doing so, you need to remove any unwanted dirt and clean the pump basket. If you have a sand filter, you can also backwash and rinse.

Learn how to clean your pool filter: Pool filters explained

Check the chemical levels of your pool

One of the most effective ways to maintain the perfect condition of your pool is to maintain its chemical levels. Make sure to monitor your pool's pH, calcium hardness, total alkalinity, and chlorine levels regularly.

In the absence of frequent disinfection, bacteria may accumulate in pools which can lead to serious health hazards. To combat this, your pool must have chlorine to keep it clean and sanitised. However the chlorine level must not be too high or the pool users will experience skin itching and reddening of the eyes. The most ideal chlorine level is 1 to 3 parts per million (ppm).

You also need to check your pool's pH weekly. This can usually be done in the early evening after the last person has gone out of the pool. The ph level ideal is between 7.4 to 7.6, which balances the acidity and alkalinity of the pool.

If the ph value is lower than 7.4, the water becomes acidic. On the other hand, a pool with a higher ph level has more alkaline, which will reduce the effectiveness of the chlorine. It will also result in cloudy water.

Lastly, calcium hardness determines the hardness or softness of your pool water. If calcium hardness is too low you’ll get cloudy pool water if the water is too hard, which will also scale your pool equipment. So, make sure to keep your pool’s calcium hardness between 200 to 400 ppm to keep the water in good condition.

Use water shocking

Based on how frequent your pool is being used, ammonia and other nitrogen compounds may accumulate in the water. These substances may interact with chlorine, which leads to the formation of chloramines that cause water cloudiness or the emission of a foul "chlorine" odor.

To save time and effort, water shocking once a week through the summer removes chloramines, bacteria, and other toxins. This method also aids in the prevention of future possible problems that include algal growth.

Moreover, the best time to do this method is when everyone has finished using the pool for the day. This is because ultraviolet light (UV) from sunlight easily degrades chlorine. The addition of chlorine at night means it can work without UV degradation. Also, chlorine is more useful at night instead of during the day since it neutralizes what has been applied to the water before swimming.

Always keep pumice stones

If the grout between tiles of your pool begins to show some signs of algae growth rub the affected area with a pumice stone. The delicate yet abrasive property of the pumice can penetrate the external protective layer of algae, especially during its early growth stages without any damage to the pool surface or the grout of tiles. Thus, this will enable your pool chemicals to work together in destroying algal growth.

Check the stabiliser level of your pool

If your stabilizer level is not correct, the chlorine will not be able to perform its task and your pool will have all types of issues.

Since sunlight degrades chlorine, a pool stabilizer (cyanuric acid) decelerates the process and elevates the chlorine lifespan in your pool by about five to ten times. Nevertheless, the stabilizer level needs to be kept at 30 to 60 parts ppm. Below this level, degradation of chlorine quickly occurs. Yet, above this particular level, no marginal benefit is observed and at anything that is above 100 ppm, the stabilizer hinders the chlorine from water sanitization.

Consult Burleigh Pools

Pool maintenance doesn’t have to be so costly and time-consuming. With our top tips for pool maintenance, you will save money and time in keeping your swimming pool safe and clean. However, if your pool remains hard to clean after following these tips, then it’s best to consult pool experts like Burleigh Pools.

We have a team of builders that can immediately determine a faulty pool system and help fix it for you. Winner of the Pool Builder of the Year award, Burleigh Pools have been providing homes on the Gold Coast with high-quality inground pools for many years.

Contact Burleigh Pools today at 07 5576 0500 to book a consultation or to build a new stylish swimming pool for your property.