If you have a swimming pool on your property, you are one of the lucky few people who have the privilege of swimming whenever they want without any restrictions. However, this privilege comes with a number of responsibilities. If you do not maintain your swimming pool, it can do more harm than good. After all, contaminated water can spread diseases while a slippery surface and loose diving board can cause serious injuries. Unattended kids and pets in the pool area can also cause problems. To ensure the entire swimming pool area is safe, there are a couple of things in this Pool Maintenance Guide that pool owners need to do. Below are some simple swimming pool maintenance tips from Dolphin Pools:
Test Your Water Regularly- Pool Maintenance Guide
When a person swims in a pool regularly, the water is bound to get dirty over time. Leaves from nearby trees, dust and other airborne debris can settle on the surface of the pool. If you use hard water, treatment chemicals can form sediment that may stain the walls of the pool or settle on the floor of the swimming pool. To ensure your pool water is always clean and safe for swimming, you have to test the water regularly. The pH of the water should be around 7.5 while calcium and phosphorous levels should be within the desired levels. If there is an imbalance, the appropriate pool chemicals should be added to the water to treat it. In addition to that, a leaf rake should be used to remove any floating debris, such as leaves, from the surface of the pool water.
Inspect Swimming Pool Features Regularly- Pool Maintenance Guide
Swimming pools should be inspected regularly to ensure everything is in order. The color of the water should be sky blue and not greenish. Be sure to also check the water circulation system to ensure it works flawlessly. All the fasteners on the diving board should also be in good shape. You want a diving board and handrails that are well-secured to the ground. Loose boards and handrails can cause swimming pool accidents. It is only through regular inspection of swimming pools that issues with the pool can be identified and fixed.
Use Safe Swimming Pool Chemicals
There are some pool chemicals that are considered unsafe. To ensure you only use safe pool chemicals, be sure to buy your pool supplies from reputable vendors. Before you order pool chemicals, therefore, make sure you read reviews and check the certifications of the vendor.
Keep the Pool Area Fenced and Locked
One of the most important measures that pool owners can take to ensure the swimming pool is safe for everyone is to fence the pool area. There are many types of pool fences that can not only enhance safety, but also improve privacy. Most fences can also add to the aesthetic appeal of the swimming pool area, so they can be a wonderful addition to your landscaping. Be sure to keep the swimming pool area locked to keep children, pets and unauthorized persons at bay. Children and pets can easily drawn in the pool if they use the pool without the supervision of adults, so be sure to always keep this in mind.
Use a Swimming Pool Cover
Swimming pool covers just like fences, can help to improve safety around the pool area. After all, the risk of falling into the pool and drowning will be minimized. In addition to improving safety, the pool cover will minimize water loss through evaporation. It will also keep the swimming pool clean as no airborne debris will get into the water. There are some amazing pool covers you can buy for your pool, so be sure to shop around.
Clean the Swimming Pool Regularly
Regular cleaning of swimming pools can improve safety in a number of ways. For one, it will keep the pool water clean and free of pathogens. Swimming in dirty water may lead to contracting of diseases. Secondly, walking on slimy or slippery surfaces on the edge of swimming pool can lead to slip and fall injuries. The areas around the swimming pool must be cleaned to ensure they are free of anything that may cause slip and fall incidents among other things.
Have a Great Maintenance Contract
Since you may have a busy work schedule or you lack the supplies, knowledge and skills needed to maintain your swimming pool, it may be a good idea to hire a professional to take care of your swimming pool. By having a professional maintain your swimming pool, you can be assured of having a safe and great-looking swimming pool you will enjoy swimming in.
Pool maintenance companies usually offer services under a swimming pool maintenance contract, so you need to negotiate a great contract with a trusted and reliable contractor. One of the key factors to be taken into consideration when analyzing maintenance contracts is cost, so the monthly fees charged by a contractor should be taken into consideration. The contract should also specify when and how the contractor can access the pool area as well as the fees they can charge for ad hoc maintenance works or repairs. It is crucial you also pay attention to the exit clause of an agreement because you don’t want to have a difficult time cancelling the contract if the contractor fails to maintain your pool effectively.