Summer maintenance for your pool: Tips and tricks for crystal clear water
This advice is part of the 'All about saltwater pools: Your Complete Guide' range.
Summer is finally here. Temperatures are rising, the barbecue is fired up and the pool is becoming the most popular spot in the garden. Whether it's a refreshing dip in the morning or children playing in the afternoon: your pool is working overtime.
But it is precisely during this period, when you want to enjoy your pool the most, that the danger of problems lurks. Heat, bright sunlight and intensive use are a golden combination for bacterial growth and algae. Before you know it, your clear blue paradise turns into a murky, green soup.
Fortunately, you don't have to. With the right routine and a little attention, you'll maintain your water quality effortlessly. In this blog post, we share a comprehensive guide to summer maintenance. We'll give you a handy checklist, tell you how to handle sunscreen in the water and how to prevent that dreaded green buildup.
Why is summer so tough on your pool?
Before we look at solutions, it's good to understand exactly what happens to your pool water in the summer. There are three main factors that upset the balance:
- High temperatures: Bacteria and algae love warm water. The warmer the water, the faster they multiply. In addition, chlorine evaporates faster at high temperatures, reducing your disinfection.
- UV radiation: Sunlight breaks down chlorine. On a cloudless summer day, the sun can "eat" up to 90% of the free chlorine in your pool within hours if you don't use a stabilizer.
- Pollution: More swimmers means more dirt. Think dander, hair, sweat, but most importantly: residue from sunscreen and cosmetics. This organic dirt is food for bacteria and makes the water cloudy.
To overcome these challenges, up your maintenance routine during the summer months.
The Golden Rule: Adjust filter times
Many summer pool problems arise from simply too little circulation. Stagnant water is the enemy. Your filter system has to work much harder in summer than in spring or fall.
A handy rule of thumb for pumping time is: The temperature of the water divided by two.
Is your pool water 28 degrees? Then the pump should run at least 14 hours a day. During a heat wave, when the water goes towards 30 degrees, it is often wise to run the pump continuously (24 hours) or at least 18 hours. In any case, make sure the pump is on during the day, when the sun is shining and swimming occurs. This is when the need for filtration and mixing of chemicals is greatest.
Your summer maintenance checklist
Structure is the key to success. By scheduling set times, you'll avoid falling behind.
Daily tasks (5 minutes)
- Check the water level: Evaporation and splashing children cause the water level to drop quickly. Make sure the level is halfway up the skimmer opening. Too low a water level can cause the pump to suck in air and run dry.
- Emptying skimmer baskets: In summer, pollen, insects and leaves often blow into the pool. Empty the baskets in the skimmer so that the water flow remains optimal.
- Surface scooping: Use a scoop net to remove floating debris before it sinks to the bottom.
- Visual check: Does the water look clear? Is there no incipient green deposits on the walls?
Weekly tasks (30 minutes)
- Bottom suction: Even with good filtration, sand and fine debris sink to the bottom. Use a bottom vacuum or - even easier - put your pool robot to work.
- Measure water values: This is crucial. Measure pH and chlorine levels at least twice a week. In extremely hot weather (above 28 degrees), prefer to measure this every other day.
- Edge cleaning: On the waterline, a greasy edge is often created by sunscreen and pollen. Brush this off with a special edge cleaner and a soft sponge to prevent it from burning into the liner.
- Filter backwash (Backwash): All the dirt will saturate your sand filter and increase pressure. Backwash the filter weekly for 2-3 minutes to drain the dirt to the sewer. Don't forget to backwash (Rinse).
Water balance: Measuring is knowing
In summer, your water values fluctuate faster. Here's what to watch out for:
1. The pH Level (Acidity)
The ideal pH level is between 7.2 and 7.6.
- Is the pH too high (> 7.6)? Then your chlorine hardly works anymore and you get limescale.
- Is the pH too low (< 7.0)? If so, the water can be corrosive to your equipment and may cause eye irritation.
In the summer, the pH often tends to rise (due to factors such as chlorine consumption and splashing). Correct this promptly with pH-min granules or liquid.
2. Chlorine Level (Disinfection)
The ideal level for free chlorine in the summer is between 2 and 3 ppm (mg/l). During colder periods, 1 ppm is often sufficient, but in the summer you really need that extra buffer. If the level drops too low, add chlorine tablets or granules immediately.
Tip: Preferably add chemicals in the evening after swimming. This way they can act all night without being immediately broken down by the sun.
Dealing with intensive use and sunburn
A full pool is cozy, but all those swimmers bring pollution with them. Sunscreen is one of the biggest culprits. It forms an oil film on the water, clogs the pores of your filter cartridge or sand bed and breaks down chlorine at lightning speed.
How do you limit damage?
- The shower rule: It's the simplest but most effective tip. Have everyone shower before swimming. Even a quick rinse off removes most sweat, cosmetics and excess sunburn. A solar-powered garden shower is ideal for this purpose.
- Use flocculant: Sunscreen particles are often so small that they slip through the filter. Flocculants (flocculants) actually cause these small dirt particles in the water to "flocculate" together. Because the particles are then thicker, the pool filter can filter them out of the water that way. Use a weekly flocculant tablet in the skimmer or liquid flocculant for clear water.
- Anti-grease products: You can buy special "absorbers" (often in the form of a sponge or flower) that you place in the skimmer. These suck up fats and oils from the surface of the water.
The battle against algae: Prevention is better than cure
Hot weather and thunderstorms are the perfect ingredients for algae growth. Algae are microscopic plants that turn your water green and make the walls slippery.
Once your water is green, it takes a lot of time and chemicals to get it clear again. So prevention is key.
- Keep chlorine level: As long as there is enough free chlorine in the water, algae won't have a chance. Make sure you never reach 0.
- Anti-algae: Use an anti-algae agent preventively. This does not kill algae directly (chlorine does), but it does inhibit growth and reproduction. Add a dash weekly according to the package.
- Scrubbing: Algae likes to stick to dead nooks, steps and edges. Brush the walls and bottom regularly to prevent algae from taking hold.
- Beware after thunderstorms: Thunderstorms change the electrical charge in the air and introduce nitrogen into the rain, which acts as fertilizer for algae. Measure and correct your chlorine levels immediately after a severe thunderstorm. A small chlorine shock is often needed.
What to do when you go on vacation.
It's the irony of pool ownership: during the summer, you often go on vacation yourself. How do you make sure you don't find a green swamp when you return home?
- Ask neighbors: The best option is if someone keeps an eye on the pool. Ask neighbors to empty the baskets once a week and check that the pump is still running.
- Cover the pool: Use your summer tarp or bubble wrap. This prevents evaporation and keeps dirt and sunlight out of the water. Less sunlight means less algae growth.
- Lower the pH: Before leaving, bring the pH level to 7.0 or 7.2.
- Give a chlorine shock: Add extra chlorine just before going out.
- Use slow-dissolving tablets: Fill a chlorine float with enough tablets (for example, 200-gram tablets) and set the opening to the minimum setting. This will release some chlorine for weeks.
- Timer: Use a timer to keep the pump running for a sufficient number of hours daily. Don't turn the pump off during your vacation!
Conclusion
Summer maintenance requires regularity, but it doesn't have to be a day job. By working preventively and incorporating regular check-ups, you'll stay ahead of problems. A clean pool starts with good circulation, correct water values and hygiene of the swimmers.
Notice that the water is getting dull despite your best efforts? Then don't wait, intervene immediately. An extra rinse, a chlorine shock or a flocculation tablet often works wonders. Enjoy the summer and your swim
