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Pool Maintenance Advice
There is much more to pool maintenance than simply cleaning the pool. Although a visual inspection of your pool may prove to be sparkling clean, there may be potential dangers or damages lurking within the intricate workings of your pool. If not taken care of regularly and properly, your pool can not only become a health hazard for your family, but also a huge investment in long-term repairs and upkeep. By starting early with proper and regular maintenance, your pool can easily stay in prime condition and bring joy to your family for many years.
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More Information
The Importantance of Proper Maintenance
Common Pitfalls
Choosing the Right Pool Service Company
Our pre-screening process
The importance of proper maintenance for your pool’s health and longevity.
In order to keep the pool safe and healthy for you and your family, it is important to regularly maintain the health of your pool. This maintenance is much more complicated than the simple cleaning of the pool. Cleaning the pool would be like washing your car; just as it would be important to care for the engine of your car, it is critical to maintain the core components of your pool.
Regular maintenance decreases long-term costs in repairs and chemical treatments.
When your pool is properly maintained weekly, you substantially decrease potential damages that can cost thousands of dollars in repairs. An initial catch of a problem with the engine may only require a $10 part; however, left to its own devices, the problem can turn into a $5000 replacement.
The structure of your pool will maintain its integrity for many years, as long as it undergoes proper, regular maintenance of brushing, cleaning, and chemical balance. If the pool is not properly maintained, the growth of algae can substantially damage the structure, such as etching into the plaster surface of the pool. This would cost thousands in repairs and resurfacing, but can be easily prevented with regular, proper maintenance.
How to maintain the core parts of your pool:
- Motor and pump. The heart of your pool is contained in the motor and pump, and thus, it is critical to keep them in good condition to ensure that your pool is maintained well. First, ensure that the pump and motor units remain dry, without debris potentially blocking any of the parts. In addition, use your eyes to visually check for any leaks, while utilizing your ears to be in tune to any grinding or abnormal whirring noises in the pump or motor.
- Strainer basket. An often overlooked part of pool maintenance is keeping the strainer basket in good condition, without any debris, clutter, or algae growth in the unit. In addition, check the basket regularly for any signs of wear and tear, such as cracking or chipping. If you do notice any cracking or chipping in the basket, or damage in the O-ring or pot cover, this may be a symptom of potential damage in your pool’s motor or pump.
- Spa or Jacuzzi maintenance. If you also own a Jacuzzi or spa, then there are additional complications in the workings and maintenance in the motor, pump, and strainer basket.
Cleaning your pool filter:
Your pool filter is one of the most important parts of keeping your pool clean and healthy. When your filter begins to gather and process debris, it is harder for your pump to continuously circulate the water through the filtration process. Therefore, the amount of water filtered decreases, while your pump has to work harder. The quality of your pool water also decreases.
There are three types of pool filters: Diatomaceous earth filters, sand filters, and cartridge filters. The different change times on filters vary depending upon their type. It usually is time to change your filter when the pressure reaches 8 to 10 psi. However, it is critical to safely remove your filter, as the built-up pressure can be very dangerous. It is recommended that your pool maintenance professional conducts this task, but if you choose to do so yourself, it is important to read the safety directions included with your filter’s operating manual.
Pitfall #1) A clean, sparkling pool may be dirty for your family’s health. Even if a pool looks sparkling clean, chemical and bacteria imbalances may abound, with their presence not immediately visible in the water. If your pool’s water chemistry is not balanced through proper and regular testing and adjustment, then over 15,000 types of algae and organisms can grow quickly and threaten the health of your family. In addition, by regularly monitoring and maintaining the chemical balance of your pool, you will save money in the long run; you will not have to spend money on expensive chemicals, such chlorine shock treatment.
Pitfall #2) Friendly family toys can be a disaster if left unattended. The bright neon foam noodles that provide hours of fun for your family can be detrimental to your pool if they are left unattended. They can block the pump and cause it to run dry, which will eventually create an overload that damages the skimmers. In addition, leaving toys in the pool cause them to deteriorate faster, which cuts down on the enjoyment time your family has with them.
Pitfall #3) The shallow end is not always safe for the kids. According to medical experts, children can drown in water that is less than six inches deep. It is not the depth of the water that matters, but the fact that water can block the airway that determines the risk of drowning. Within two minutes, a child can be left unconscious, and in four to six minutes, irreversible brain damage occurs. If you have young children, it is important to build in safety considerations, such as installing a four feet high fence with an out-of-reach self-latching lock around all sides of the pool.
Choosing the right pool maintenance company for your needs
The right pool maintenance company is important for the longevity of your pool, as well as the health of your family. It is an important choice that must be considered carefully. When choosing your pool cleaning service, there are many different factors to consider:
- Does your pool maintenance company regularly service pools that have similar equipment, usage, and size to yours?
- Are the pool maintenance owners certified Pool-Spa operators, or do they have equivalent training and experience?
- Will my pool cleaning service reliably come every week, on the scheduled day?
- Are there are changing array of pool cleaning technicians, or can I always rely on one regular pool technician or operating owner?
- Does frequency of service change depending on the season and your usage needs?
- Does the monthly fee include cleaning and chemical supplies? Do you have a clear price list of what is not included in the monthly contract service?
- If my pool needs to be repaired, can my pool service technical accurately evaluate and meet those needs?
- Can I easily contact my pool service company if there is an emergency?
For a pool cleaning company to become part of our database of providers, they must pass certain standards. The questions highlighted above are easily answered by the pool maintenance companies in our network. We implement a rigorous pre-screen process that reviews the following checkpoints:
- We verify their business insurance for their pool maintenance company.
- We verify their state business filings to ensure they are a legitimate company.
- We verify their identity through several methods, such as Reverse Phone Lookup.
- We verify their customer references to ensure they are reliable, ethical, and professional.
- We run a sex offender database search to certify that your home and family are kept safe.
We conduct this analysis in order to ensure that you are matched with the best pool maintenance companies for your needs. By obtaining competitive, custom quotes from Pool Cleaning Quotes, you can save time and money, while maintaining peace of mind for the health of your family and pool.