Do you remember when you rolled back the pool cover and got your swimming pool ready for the summer months? What a joyful experience jumping into the pool for the first swim of the season! Fast forward half a year, and chances are your pool is less inviting and may have lost its appeal.
Prolonged heat and extensive use mean it often needs more care and attention, and you feel as though you’re spending more time looking after it than in it.
We wanted to flag up a few issues you may come across with your pool at the end of the summer season.
Heavy usage equals a green pool
Adults and children have brought in foreign matters such as sunscreen and microbes. Your dog may have splashed around and fur settled into the filter. Then there are the tiny insects who seem to drown in the water. Of course, that’s without mentioning the leaves, flowers, and organic material which is blown into the pool as well.
All these microbes and strong UV light will cause algae growth. Your pool will look murky and green, and your friends will turn green at the thought of taking a dip.
It’s gone green because of algae growth due to a lack of proper sanitisation and filtration and usually a high pH. The way to combat this is through a chlorine shock treatment when your pH sits circa 7.2 to 7.4.
A chlorine shock is not the same as adding chlorine. If buying it in granular form, make sure you add it into a bucket and then disperse it around the pool rather than dumping it directly into one area.
Where’s the water gone?
Water is one essential element of your pool, but in the summer months, the sun’s intensity means it evaporates at an alarming rate.
As a guideline, you can expect to lose 5mm of water every day. Add to that water will be lost from people jumping and diving in and out of the water, especially when your teenagers show off their bomb dives.
Extra backwashing will result in hundreds of litres of water going down the drain. To eradicate the loss of pool water, use a cover. Don’t forget if the water level goes below the skimmer box, the pump won’t work and the filtration system will stop – resulting in the return of that green pool.
Other tips for end of summer pool care
When the pool is in frequent use, make sure you regularly clean out your skimmer and pump basket and ensure your filter is running well.
It’s advisable to remove your automatic suction cleaner for a few hours to increase water flow.
Your swimming pool is your pride and joy. The team at Barrier Reef Pools Perth manufacture quality, award-winning fibreglass pools. They know everything about pools and can offer maintenance tips as well, so you can enjoy your pool whenever you want, whatever time of year.
