Right now, swimming might be the farthest thing from most people’s minds here in Macon, Georgia. With February temps at their absolute lowest, it’s almost impossible to recognize that summer will be here before you know it – and along with warmer temps and clearer skies, it will bring the need for pool maintenance.
Whether this will be your first summer enjoying a pool in your Macon backyard or you’ve been maintaining an inground pool for years, here are a few tips to make sure your summer is spent enjoying your pool, not fighting with it.
Your Vacuum Is Your #1 Pool Maintenance Tool
Maintaining essential surface-level cleanliness is an excellent step towards a more painless swimming season. Each week, from the time you open your pool in the spring until its autumn closing, you should:
- Brush the pool’s sides, steps, and bottom to knock loose any algae or debris that’s stuck to the pool’s interior
- Thoroughly vacuum the bottom of the pool to remove contaminants
- Skim the water surface to remove any leaves or other debris
Keeping your pool clean at this basic level can go a long way toward creating a safe and healthy swimming environment by removing algae and other biological contaminants that can lead to difficult pool infections. Cleaning will also reduce wear on your pool’s interior surfaces, pumps, filters, and other infrastructure.
Monitoring Water Level Is Key to Pool Maintenance
Let’s assume you have a pool that’s 25 feet by 40 feet and that the water level is down by one inch. How much water is missing from your pool? A gallon or two?
Not quite. To bring the water back up to the right level, you’d need to add a little less than 500 gallons.
If your water level is low or high by even one inch, that can be enough variation in volume to throw the pool’s delicate chemistry out of balance. Complicating matters for pool owners in Macon and other places around Middle Georgia is the fact that southeastern summers often see long dry periods where pool water seems to evaporate as fast as you can add it back and periods of almost unending rain that routinely send pool water spilling over the sides.
Keep a close eye on your pool’s water levels and add or drain water as needed to keep levels consistent throughout the swimming season for the best results.
Pool Maintenance Requires Filter Maintenance
Depending on the type of filtration you use for your pool, your filter may need annual or more frequent maintenance to remain effective. Check the documentation that came with your pool’s filter, or consult a local pool contractor or maintenance company to find out what your filter’s maintenance schedule should look like.
Cartridge filters must be cleaned regularly, from monthly to every 4-6 months. Diatomaceous earth and sand filters usually need to be backwashed monthly to remove contaminants from the filter medium, and sand filters will usually need to be completely replenished every 3-5 years.
You should also look at cleaning, replenishing, or repairing your filter if you begin to smell an abnormal odor from your pool, if the drain doesn’t seem to be draining the pool effectively, or if you notice reduced suction on your pool vacuum.
Lessons in Pool Chemistry Maintenance
Water is essential for life, and millions of types of life would love nothing more than to grow in the welcoming and sheltered environment of your backyard inground pool. Fortunately, dozens of different products can prevent those unwanted life forms – algae, bacteria, mold, and other microorganisms – from gaining a toehold in your pool’s clear water.
No matter what disinfection method you choose – chlorine, saline, or other – maintaining the exact balance of chemicals in your pool is necessary for keeping your pool safe and clean. Even a tiny fluctuation in your pool’s acidity or salt level can lead to an infection that takes the rest of the summer to clear up.
Regular monitoring is the best way to maintain your pool’s chemical balance. Test your water at least once every two weeks during swimming season, or have your water tested by a professional pool maintenance service. Frequent testing will allow you to correct any slight imbalances before they become large enough to be problematic.
Keep a Pool Maintenance Schedule
Even if you had nothing else to do, keeping track of the many different maintenance chores of an inground pool can be challenging. By scheduling regular times for weekly, biweekly, and monthly tasks, you’re more likely to adhere to your maintenance program and enjoy crystal clear, inviting water in your pool all year round.
Mid State Pools Can Help You Establish Your Pool Maintenance Program and Sells a Wide Variety of Chemicals, Cleaning Tools, and Repair Parts! Call and Speak to One of Our Pool Experts Today – 478-953-7300
Mid State Pools and Spas builds custom pools for residential and commercial customers in:
- Warner Robins
- Macon
- Forsyth
- Perry
- Milledgeville
- Lake Oconee
- And all across Middle Georgia!