Summer’s over, and for many Houston homeowners, that means one thing: It’s time to close down the old swimming hole. Off-season pool maintenance is an annual chore; doing it right can be trickier than you think. Don’t make these common mistakes with your pool.
Failing to Clean It One Last Time
We know, we know: Those summer cleanings were terrible enough. What would it hurt to leave a few sticks and dirt clods over the winter?
You’d be surprised. Organic matter can quickly decay and foul the water. Worse, any algae remaining behind on warmer winter days will multiply exponentially. It’s up to you to prevent this, so get outside and:
• Turn on the filtration system
• Scoop out the bugs and fallen leaves
• Vacuum the bottom and brush down the sides to remove stubborn algae. Stop often to clean out the skimmer basket
• Backwash the filter to get rid of any acceptable debris that may remain
Forgetting to Shock Its Socks Off
It’s not as if you’ve never done it before. A final shock treatment is equally important to ensure that no pond scum remains alive to tell the tale. Finally, test the water and re-balance those chemicals if necessary.
Neglecting to Winterize the Filter
Your pool filter has a “winterize” setting, so don’t forget to turn that dial. You must also provide an easy escape hatch for any moisture that might build up over the winter, so unplug the drainage outlet to avoid having to deal with cracks and leaks.
Providing Inadequate Cover
Any hole in the ground will pose a danger, and a pool is more hazardous than most. A cover is essential, but I don’t think that any piece of plastic will do. Your topper must be sturdy enough to support the weight of any person or animal that might fall onto it. You must also fasten it tightly enough to ensure it stays put and does its job.
With any pool cover, the following can go wrong:
• Falling branches can puncture it
• Winter winds can whip it from its moorings
• A shallow water level can pull it down
• Frozen puddles on its surface can cause it to rip
To ensure that none of the above happens to you, it’s best to check your cover weekly.
Save Yourself the Trouble
You could be suitable if all that pool maintenance seems too much work. Why knock yourself out every fall? With the assistance of ABC Home & Commercial Services in Houston, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your leisure time. Isn’t this the year to let someone else do the dirty work for you?
Comments
Regular care of your swimming pool water keeps it clean and also all your pool equipment works smoothly. Water balance should also be maintained at times to ensure that your swimming pool doesn’t develop any algae. You can also go for swimming pool replastering if you feel like giving a whole new look to your pool.
A study was just carried out a few weeks ago and confirmed a few things that people already knew about swimming pools; they are the perfect breeding ground for diseases. Some of the disease that were talked about originated from sweat and other human body secretions, not to mention the fact that an open pool is standing water which could potentially become a breeding ground for mosquitoes as well. Most modern swimming pools do a good job of adding chlorine as a preventative measure for fighting bacteria and disease, but the keyword is preventative, which is not always successful. That is why it is important to take measures like winterizing your pool, and performing cleaning in order to keep it safe for swimming.
Eric | http://www.splashswimmingpoolsinc.com/
Good article. Do you care if I link this article out on paradisepoolandpatio.com to remind people on how to close their pool? Thanks