Caring for your swimming pool is certainly something a DIYer can take on him or herself. The swimming pool contractors from Seahorse Pools & Spas in Fort Worth, Texas talk about 7 mistakes new pool owners make. They note, though, that even seasoned pool owners can make these mistakes, too. After all, when you’re a pool owner for a long time you may get lax in its care — you don’t want to do that!
In their years of pool maintenance, they have come across these mistakes which are the most common and the most easily addressed.
7 mistakes new pool owners make
- Getting lax in testing the pool water chemistry. You may think, “oh we haven’t been swimming much, it’s okay.” That’s not the case, though! The water should be tested at least once a week — regardless of how often you used it. We recommend checking more often — especially if you use it a lot.
- Pouring in any chemicals — especially chlorine in the daytime. When you add chemicals in the hot light of the sun it will evaporate more quickly. Also, when you do that, you don’t want to use the pool for a while. Add the chemicals when you’re done with the pool for the day. Turn on the pump and filter and let it run overnight to circulate everything.
- Neglecting the chlorine generator cells. Check them and clean them to prevent calcification and corrosion.
- Thinking that you don’t need to run the pump for as long as you truly need to. Your pool contractor can let you know how long it should be run daily based on the pool shape, size and depth. A rule of thumb is to run it for 10 to 12 hours per day.
- Forgetting the importance of brushing the pool walls and floor to remove any bacteria or algae spores.
- Not checking on the pool during the winter months. Just because it’s closed, doesn’t mean you want to forget about it. Make sure the cover is still in place and that there is no standing water or snow that can damage it.
- Forgetting to check calcium hardness. Check total dissolved solids and total dissolved liquids at least every six months — more often if your pool gets frequent use. If you begin to smell chlorine — test it — chlorine is odorless unless there are undissolved solids.
If you’re new to pool ownership or if you want a refresher on pool maintenance, give us a call and we can come and (socially distanced) show you. We can also give you an estimate for seasonal pool care — wouldn’t you rather swim than clean the pool in your free time?