If you have a swimming pool on your property, chances are you’re looking to enjoy a few of its many benefits, such as:
- Increase in property value
- Better property curb appeal
- Physical fitness or general wellness
- Enhanced social status
But whatever your reason, the fact remains that you invested in a swimming pool, which means you’ll want to get the most out of it as much as possible. To do this, you need to take steps to extend its lifespan.
Not sure how to do that?
This article discusses five ways you can help make your swimming pool last longer.
1. Maintain proper water circulation.
The water in your swimming pool is a major contributor to the structure’s longevity. This is mainly because it affects how well the filter, pump, and all other components of the pool work.
To be more specific, you need to monitor and maintain ideal water circulation. Doing so not only ensures you have a clean pool but also prevents algal growth.
Based on the recommendations of one of the top swimming pool companies in Dubai, below are some of the essential tasks you need to perform to maintain good pool water circulation:
Run the pool pump every day.
The water needs to go through the filtration system every day to stay clean, so you’ll spend less time balancing its chemistry or scrubbing off algae from the pool.
This means you need to run your pool pump daily for eight to 12 hours, especially if you live in a place with a warm climate like Dubai.
If that sounds a bit too expensive, time-consuming, and exhausting for you, consider investing in a variable speed pool pump. These run at lower speeds throughout the day, make significantly less noise, and use less electricity compared to regular pool pumps.
Adjust the jets at an angle.
You can also adjust the jets in your pool at an angle so that the water flows in a circle. The circular movement makes it easier for the skimmer to eliminate debris from the pool.
Aiming the jets downward also ensures better circulation at the bottom of the pool. If your swimming pool has other parts that struggle to get flowing water (e.g., corners, ladders, steps, or crevices), you can also aim your water jets towards those.
Clear the skimmer basket.
Make sure you clear any blockage in your skimmer baskets once or twice every week. This will ensure that your pump doesn’t have to work harder to get the water circulating in the pool.
Clearing your skimmer baskets regularly also ensures that no critter gets stuck there, like frogs attracted to wet places (e.g., swimming pools).
To clear your skimmer basket, start by turning off the pump. Then, empty the basket under the skimmer lid before putting it back.
You should also do the same for the pump basket in your pool pump. However, you don’t need to do this as frequently, since skimmer baskets catch most of the debris in the water.
2. Ensure ideal water chemistry.
Clear water doesn’t always indicate all is good with your swimming pool. In fact, a visual inspection may not be enough to determine if your pool water is in optimal condition.
Besides circulation, you also need to maintain the ideal water chemistry to extend the life of your swimming pool. It also helps prevent bacterial and algal growth.
To get the best results, make sure you test the water weekly. There are ready-to-use test kits that can help you do this, but you can also ask for help from the pool builders. They can help maintain the structure themselves or refer pool maintenance service providers who can do it for you.
When checking the water chemistry, you need to look into a few essential things:
pH levels
This refers to the degree of acidity or basicity of the pool water. Low pH means the water is acidic, and high means basic.
Try to get the pH levels in your pool water to anywhere between 7.4 and 7.6. Anything outside that could foster algal growth or cause equipment corrosion.
Alkalinity
The alkalinity of your pool serves as a buffer for the pH levels and prevents massive spikes in acidity or basicity.
You’ll want to have around 120 to 150 ppm of total alkalinity. Anything lower can affect the pool’s pH and leave the surfaces more susceptible to staining; but if the alkalinity is too high, the water could become cloudy.
Calcium hardness
Calcium hardness describes the level of mineral content in pool water.
The ideal for swimming pools is 200 to 400 ppm. Your pool vinyl liner or plaster finish may get damaged if the calcium hardness is too low. If it’s too high, you might have to contend with some hard-to-remove calcium deposits in your pool.
Sanitizer levels
You also need to check the sanitizer levels in the pool water. The ideal levels vary on what products you use, but the two most common ones are:
- Chlorine: 1 to 3 ppm
- Bromine: 3 to 5 ppm
3. Keep the pool clean.
Maintaining pool cleanliness also affects the structure’s lifespan. So, make sure that it gets brushed, skimmed, and vacuumed regularly.
You can invest in an automated pool cleaner to make cleanup easier or hire professionals to do the job.
Of course, you can also do it yourself, but make sure you use the right tools, like:
- Pool brushes
- Surface water skimmers
- Vacuum head hose
4. Inspect the filter system periodically.
Unclean filters put more pressure on the pumps, so you must always check their condition periodically.
You can already clean or backwash your filter if the gauge reading is outside 10 to 15 psi, which is the normal water pressure for a clean filter. This is also the ideal time to clean the cartridge if you’re using a cartridge filter.
Other forms of filter, like sand or diatomaceous earth (DE), may require a different cleaning method, so be sure to do it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
5. Fix all types of damage as soon as possible.
When you observe any type of damage to your pool, big or small, attend to it as soon as possible. Else, you could face bigger issues if you leave minor damages unattended in your swimming pool.
Contractors in Dubai can help you deal with pool problems effectively. By asking for professional help, you can save yourself from major headaches and expenses that may come with a worsening pool problem.
Enjoy Your Swimming Pool for Longer
Swimming pools are valuable assets to any property.
Make the most of your investment in this structure by following the recommendations presented in this article.
AUTHOR BIO
Rachel Hennessey manages the Pools and Landscaping Division of Hennessey LLC. She also works on Tender and Pre-Qualification and brings in new business to the company’s Construction, Interiors and Civils Division.