How to Keep Your Pool Water Clear All Summer Long

Summertime can be brutal on your swimming pool’s water, but proper swimming pool care and cleaning can keep your water crystal clear and ready for use. Between the increased pool use, higher risk of contamination, and the effects of UV radiation on clean pool water. Summer pool water maintenance requires more attention to detail, but the reward is a backyard oasis that is ready to be your personal refuge or the block’s hottest get-together spot all summer long. Let’s take a look at how to make sure your safer swimming pool area stays clean and clear until it’s time to close the pool for the winter. 

Summer: More Fun for You, More Work for Your Pool

There’s nothing like a dip in your backyard pool to beat the summer heat. If you’re like many pool owners, you can’t wait to open your pool up in the spring, and it doesn’t take long for it to become a daily part of your routine, whether for exercise, relaxation, or family fun. The warmer months also bring more exposure to wildlife, airborne contaminants, and increased sun exposure due to the lengthening days. Increased summer pool care is needed to counteract these hazards to your pool’s water:

• Frequent Use – More bodies are entering and exiting your pool more often. This leads to more bacteria and contaminants riding in on the skin and swimsuits of your family and guests. While pre-swim showers can help, there’s no way to eliminate a potential rise in contamination due to a rise in pool usage. That’s not even factoring in those pool guests who stay in the water a suspiciously long time without a restroom break.
• Mold, Pollen, and Dirt – Spring showers bring summer mold and pollen. Spores and pollen can easily ride the warm summer winds, along with dirt and other contaminants. As they pass over the cooler air above your summer pool water, they plummet, entering the water.
• Insects, Frogs, and Other Wildlife – We’ve talked about how to keep frogs out of your pool before, and insects are always attracted to the water and food sources found in and around your swimming pool area. Other wildlife, including birds, squirrels, and stray cats, can also find their way into your pool enclosure or the pool itself, each bringing some level of dirt, bacteria, and potential waste contamination.
• UV Radiation – The sun’s energy plays more than one role when it comes to increasing the need for summer pool care to keep your water clean. First, ultraviolet radiation speeds up the breakdown of chemicals used to treat your pool water, lowering concentrations and making your pool more susceptible to bacteria and algae proliferation. It also provides the energy used by algae to feed itself through photosynthesis. Finally, the sun’s rays heat up your summer swimming pool water, leading to increased…
• Evaporation – As water evaporates, it can throw your neatly balanced pool chemistry out of wack. In addition, while the water may evaporate, the majority of contaminants suspended in that water stay behind, increasing the by-volume concentration of chemical and biological hazards.

Top Summer Pool Care Tips

1. Be Honest About Your Summer Pool Water Needs – There is no one-size-fits-all summer pool care strategy. It’s all dependent on your climate, the environment around your home, and the usage of your pool. Some pool owners may be able to stick to a regular weekly cleaning schedule, while others may have to test and balance summer pool water daily. Remember: it’s far easier to get ahead of pool water issues and slowly relax your care routine than it is to catch up once issues have set in. Err on the side of caution when finding the right routine to keep pool water clean.

2. Prepare for More – Whatever your summer pool care routine, prepare for it to require more time, chemicals, and effort than your off-season routine. Additional cleaning, testing, and water balancing help ensure you can stay on top of any changes to your swimming pool water’s delicate balance.  Maintaining that balance is vital to a clean, clear pool for you, your loved ones, and your guests.

3. Be Fastidious When Following Your Pool Care Plan – When you do find your summer pool maintenance routine, stick with it. Make a commitment to protect your private oasis and the investment it represents. Establishing and maintaining an effective routine will help keep your pool ready for summer fun all season long.
4. Use Automation to Make Pool Ownership Easier – Automated systems are a relatively new type of pool technology that makes it easier than ever to keep your summer pool water clear. From robot vacuums to automatic chemical dispensers, labor-saving devices can make pool ownership more enjoyable with less effort.
5. Keep Your Pool Protected – Safety always takes precedence when it comes to maintaining your swimming pool. Keep your pool fence in good repair, and your pool fence gate latched to lower the risk of unsupervised pool access that can lead to accidental drowning. Thousands of lives are lost every year, and many of those deaths are attributed in part to a lack of safety barriers. Some barriers, like removable mesh pool fencing, can also catch trash before it enters your pool and deter animal intrusion, reducing the risks to both lives and your summer pool water.
6. Limit Sun Exposure – Controlling evaporation and the water’s exposure to UV rays can make summer pool care easier. Swimming pool safety covers help keep your pool safer by providing an effective safety barrier while also reducing evaporation and direct exposure to the sun. These covers are UV-resistant, capable of holding the weight of a full-grown adult, and can help keep maintenance costs lower, making them a great investment for safety and your pocketbook.
7. Know When to Call the Pros – Whether you’re interested in protecting your swimming pool or facing a summer pool water problem that seems to be escalating, there’s usually a professional just a phone call away. Pool service companies can restore your clean pool water and keep it beautiful all summer long, while your local independent All-Safe contractor is dedicated to improving swimming pool safety in your community. 

Get Your Free Pool Safety Estimate

Talk to a pool safety professional about ASTM-certified safety barriers to ensure your swimming pool is summer-ready. When you schedule an appointment, your local contractor will visit your property, take measurements, and tailor a quote to your pool’s specific needs. Find out how cost-effective safety can be. Keep your pool safe and your summer pool water clean with All-Safe Pool.