Pool Maintenance
Maintaining Your Pool Is Our Business
Pool maintenance will ensure that your pool is safe and functioning well. Proper pool maintenance will ensure that your pool will last for decades. You’ll be able to save money and avoid expensive repairs.
As premier pool installers, we provide superior pool maintenance services in Raleigh, North Carolina. We’ll provide you with a few tips on effective pool maintenance.
How To Maintain Your Pool
Pool Circulation
One of the most important things that you will need to maintain is proper pool circulation. Excellent water circulation will prevent algae and bacteria growth in the water.
Algae spread fast during the summer or on hot weather. Aside from this, you will need to clean and remove debris from the skimmers and pump baskets. This will prevent your filters from clogging.
To achieve the best water circulation, make sure that your pump and filters are running at least 8 to 12 hours a day. This is essential especially during the summer season. Run your pump at least 4 to 6 hours a day during the winter season.
Make sure that you angle the pool’s jets at a diagonal position to achieve the best results. Position your jets at 7 o’clock or 8 o’clock position to achieve excellent water circulation.
How To Clean A Cartridge Filter
It would be more convenient to clean your pool filters instead of buying a new one. There are three types of filters such as cartridge filters, sand filters, and D.E. filters. We’ll look more into cleaning cartridge filters and sand filters.
On average, it will only take approximately 30 minutes to clean your cartridge filter. You must check the pressure gauge first before proceeding to the cleaning part. If the pressure gauge shows a psi of 8 to 12, this means that your filter needs cleaning.
Make sure that the filtration system is completely turned off. This will help avoid damage to your filtration system. This will also avoid water contamination. Ensure that the automatic setting of your filtration system is completely turned off.
Removed Trapped Air
Remove trapped air from the filter, and to achieve this, gradually turn the air relief valve. Make sure that the air is completely removed from the tank.
The next thing that you will do is to unlock the tension clamps. These clamps hold the filter in place inside the tank. If you’re not sure how to remove the clamps, refer to the user manual. This will prevent damage to your filter’s clamps.
Tension Clamp Removal
Once you have removed the tension clamps, make sure to set them aside. You’ll need them to replace the filter once cleaned. Start by removing the cartridge filter and check for any cracks or tears. If you see large visible damages, then it would be best to replace them with a new one.
If you don’t see any damage to the filter, you can start cleaning the cartridge filter. Keep in mind that damaged filters are not efficient in filtering water. So you might as well replace them for the best results.
Cartridge Filter Cleaning
When cleaning a cartridge filter, make sure to use a pressurized water hose. This is very effective in pushing debris and other materials in the cartridge filter.
Always start from the top of the filter and work your way down to the bottom of the filter. Make sure to clean between the pleats of the cartridge filter. There are cartridge cleaning tools that you can use to clean the filter.
Removing Oil On Cartridge Filters
Oil and other chemical buildups might be present in the cartridge filters. If this is the case, try to soak the cartridge elements in a filter cleaner for a few minutes.
You can also use dishwashing detergent to help remove the oil and other chemicals in the filter. Make sure that you rinse the cartridge filter before reinstalling them.
O-Ring Care
After cleaning, you’ll need to apply a silicon-based lubricant to the O-ring. before you install the filter. This is crucial to help extend the lifespan of the O-ring.
The next step is to install the cartridge filter and make sure it’s in place and secure the tank lid. Check if everything is secure. Turn the filtration system on while keeping the air valve open. This will release excess air from the tank.
After making sure that everything’s in place, turn on the filtration system. The next thing that you would need to do is to see and check if there is a PSI reading.
If you don’t see any, then it means that the filter was not secured or placed well. You should be able to see a normal reading of 10 to 15 psi.
How To Clean A Sand Filter
Sand filters are very easy to maintain and clean and at the same time, affordable. Regular maintenance and cleaning will keep your sand filters in good condition. You can clean sand filters by yourself and it’s a simple process.
Check the PSI reading to determine if your sand filter needs cleaning. If you see a reading of 10 to 15 psi, this is within the normal range. If the psi reading shows you 20 to 25 psi, then you’ll need to start cleaning the sand filter.
You’ll need to use the backwashing option in the valve. Cloudy pool water requires cleaning. Backwashing reverses the flow of water back to the sand filter through a hose. This will remove dirt and debris.
Make sure that both the pool power and pump is completely turned off. Turn your attention to the valve and you’ll be able to see different settings. It might show options such as backwash, waste, rinse, recirculate, flush, and closed. Start by turning the lever and point it to the backwash setting. Turn the power on and run the pump for at least 2 to 3 minutes and then turn the power off. Wait for the loose sand to settle and then turn the lever to the rinse setting.
Turn the power on and run it for 3 minutes then turn the power off. The next step is to switch the lever to the waste setting. You can use this option to reduce the amount of water in your pool. For instance, if you want to vacuum the pool floor.
You can also use the waste setting if you want to avoid water from returning into the pool. The flush setting drains the water from the pool. Clean the pump baskets and skimmers to avoid debris from clogging the basket and filters.
Brushing
Brushing will help keep your pool from algae buildup. Make sure that you brush the steps, walls, and pool ladders and other hard-to-reach areas. This will help keep your pool algae-free.
Skimming
Skimming is cleaning the surface of the pool to remove leaves or other debris. This is easier as compared to manual vacuuming. It’s important to skim the surface of the water. This will prevent debris collection and clogging in the basket, skimmers, and filters.
Vacuuming
Vacuum your pool at least once or twice a week. You can choose to invest in an automatic pool cleaner or you can manually vacuum your swimming pool.
Maintaining Water Chemistry
Always check the alkalinity level of your pool. Make sure that there is a perfect balance of water chemistry. The normal pH level of water should be between 7.2 to 7.6 and the water alkalinity should reach 100 to 150 ppm.
Chlorine levels should be at least 1.0 to 3.0 ppm. Other chemicals such as Cyanuric acid must be around 25 to 50 ppm and Biguanide should be at least 3 to 50 ppm.
