Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Pool Maintenance 101

Tips to ensure your pool makes the grade this summer

There is more to cleaning a pool than keeping a proper pH balance. Not only is there skimming for “floaties,” but also vacuuming; scrubbing the tiles, sides, and floor; and cleaning, maintaining, emptying, and backwashing the filter and pump. ServiceMagic, Inc. provides the following tips for keeping your pool clean so you can enjoy the rewards of diving into the cool water this summer.

For daily maintenance during the swimming season:

• Check filter pressure.

• Clean filter if the water is not clear.

• Remove debris from strainer basket.

For weekly maintenance during the swimming season:

• Use a nylon brush to clean the tiles and walls of the pool.

• Whether the algae are green, brown, or little black spots, it will take over your pool if it is not dealt with immediately. Use a stainless steel brush to loosen algae on concrete walls. If the problem is bad enough, consider attacking it with a chemical treatment.

• Check walls or vinyl liner for cracks or tears, and repair with an appropriate kit for your pool. Smaller pool surface cracks due to impact can easily be patched. If it's a structural crack, you may have a bigger problem and patching the crack will do nothing because it will crack again. You may need to call in the pros for this one.

• Test the water, and add recommended chemicals. Improper chemical balances open the door to contamination. Using a water testing kit provides a good indication of the need for temporary treatment vs. the services of a pool service professional.

• Hose off the deck but aim water away from the pool.

• Invest in a pool cover that will reduce evaporation, keep debris out of water and trap the heat.

• Consider hiring a professional since pool maintenance can take anywhere between four and eight hours a week. A professional pool cleaning service will give you many clean, clear hours free of scale, rust, pollutants, bacteria and cloudy water. Pool services professionals can be found at no charge by visiting www.servicemagic.com.

Additional tips on hundreds of home-related topics can be found in ServiceMagic’s HomeFront library at www.servicemagic.com.