There’s nothing better than jumping into a clean, clear pool when the weather is hot. It can be refreshing, relaxing and a great way to enjoy staying at home more.
Of course, this relaxation and relief comes with a price. A pool is great to have but it doesn’t take care of itself. There is work involved and you do need to put in some time and money to make sure you are getting the most out of it.
From keeping it clean, to repairs to the structure, you have to know what you are getting into before you invest in a swimming pool. There are common pool problems that many owners experience. There’s a reason that a pool can take value away from your home when you try to sell it!
In this article, I will go over several of the things you’ll need to be doing to keep your pool safe and fun.
Keep it safe
This is easily the most important aspect of having a pool. A pool can be as dangerous as it is fun so you need to make sure you are doing everything possible to keep it safe for everybody.
And that includes people who are not meant to use your pool. You’ll need a barrier in place to keep kids from wandering into your yard and getting into the pool. Have a fence with a gate that is difficult to open for a child. It should also be difficult for a child to climb up and over.
The gate should always be locked when it is not in use even if you have it child proofed. And even neighbors’ pets can get into your pool so it is important to make sure that they can’t get in.
If your pool is above ground, then have a ladder that can be lifted up and locked to prevent anybody from accessing the pool.
In addition to somebody entering the pool when you’re not home, you have to make sure that the area surrounding the pool is safe for the people using it.
For in-ground pools, the deck surrounding it should be even and without anything somebody could trip on. If it’s made of brick pavers or travertine tile and they have sunk, then you’ll need to call a paver repair company to come and refit them to make them safe.
Keep it clean
There is nothing worse than doing all you can to have a pool that is enjoyable and easy to use and find it with green water one day. When you want to dive in and refresh, the last thing you want is for the water to be full of algae.
The reason this can happen is that there is poor water circulation. Standing water attracts algae and can be hard to keep away even when you are using chemicals. In fact, you’ll need to use more chemicals to keep your water clean if there isn’t enough circulation.
Algae can’t grow well when the water is moving around. This is why a good pool filter keeps the water moving and doesn’t just remove impurities. When you use a good filter that also circulates the water well, you don’t need to keep it on as many hours per day to keep it clean.
Even with a good filter, you still do need to actually clean the pool manually. The lining of the pool will still attract some algae. To get around this, you’ll need to occasionally vacuum the pool all around. There are robotic ones now that can do it while you relax.
Then, you’ll also need to skim the surface to remove any debris that has fallen into it. Once again, there is an automatic skimmer that will do this passively so you don’t have to use any elbow grease to clean it yourself.
Chemicals
Using chemicals to keep your pool clean is a fact of life. Though you may not like the idea, the alternative is a pool that is never clear and not enjoyable to swim in.
You’ll need to use it to keep it clear and clean, but the trick is to not use too much chlorine to the point where it burns your nose or dries your skin after using the pool. Take care to do frequent water testing to make sure that you only need a little bit of chlorine to keep it clean.
Once in a while you’ll need to shock your pool. Just putting some chlorine tablets won’t get the job done and you’ll need to put quite a bit of chlorine in to kill any bacteria that may be present. After a heavy rain if you have an inground pool, or after a pool party is a good time to test and shock if needed.
Alternatively, you can have a salt water pool that uses less chemicals, but it is still going to be tricky to keep it from being too salty and unpleasant to swim in.
Keeping it comfortable
There is a fine line between crisp and refreshing water and way too cold. If you jump in and it sends shockwaves throughout your body then you may want to invest in a pool heater.
This can be as simple as a solar heater which is essentially a clear tarp that goes over the pool and allows the sun to heat the water. You can also invest in a complex heater to keep the water warm when there is not much sun or to use year round.
Conclusion
A pool is a great responsibility, but it is also a wonderful thing to have to fully enjoy your home. If you really want to get friendly with your neighbors then buying a pool is a great way to do so!
Parties are always better when you have a pool and there is nothing better than to take a dip after a long day of work or play. You’ll find whatever work you need to do to maintain it totally worth it.
