Having a pool in your backyard means endless hours of fun with your family. Your first priority should be to keep your pool safe. Once you’ve secured your pool area with proper safety equipment, it’s time to talk about pool water. Before you jump in and enjoy the summer, there are a few essential tips to make sure your pool water is safe, clean, and ready for use.
One of the keys to avoiding contaminants like algae and bacteria is to regularly test your water’s chemical balance. If you use your pool frequently during the summer, test the water at least twice per week.
A chemical balance that’s too high or too low could both cause skin irritation or sickness, so the proper balance of chemicals in your pool for safe water can’t be overstated.
There are some germs, like cryptosporidium, that are chlorine-resistant. This hardy germ causes diarrhea and requires a special hyper-chlorination procedure to kill. Practice the healthy habits outlined later in the post to help avoid contamination.
Another key way to help prevent your family from getting sick from pool water and keep it safe is through the care and maintenance of your pump and filtration system. Using these systems for too long between backwashing the filter or changing the filter cartridge will reduce their effectiveness. That can invite the water to become home to bugs, mold, and other unpleasant organisms. Keeping the water flowing will help reduce these contaminants.
As you’re running the pump, also check the water levels. If the water is too low, it might not reach the pool skimmer and filter properly, potentially burning out your pump. If it’s too high, the skimmer door won’t work correctly and it will let in leaves and debris.
Especially important for safe pool water is to maintain a routine cleaning schedule. While the chemicals and filtration system will do a lot of the work for you, you’ll still need to regularly skim larger debris like leaves out of the pool.
Utilizing an automatic pool vacuum will save you time and add convenience. Though if you don’t have an automatic, you should still vacuum the bottom of your pool at least once per week by hand.
The filters in your system need consistent attention as well. Depending on the type of filter, whether you use sand, cartridge, or diatomaceous, you should remove it for deep cleaning at least once per season. Do this more often if you notice your water gains an unpleasant odor or seems dirtier than usual.
Also, don’t forget about your skimmer baskets and other parts of the pump system. Empty skimmer baskets at least once per week, and especially after a storm or heavy pool usage, to ensure your pool water remains safe.
Lastly, once a week you should shock your pool by adding three pounds of calcium hypochlorite shock to the water. This helps prevent the chlorine from becoming inactive by combining with other chemicals like ammonia and nitrogen.
If you’ve done all you can with chemical balance, filtration, and regular cleaning to keep your pool water safe and sparkling, it’s time to make sure your family practices healthy pool habits.
The CDC has a set of four steps to make sure your family doesn’t get sick from pool water:
For advice on everything from keeping your pool water safe and clean to securing your pool area with a fence, net, or cover, trust All-Safe Pool Fence & Covers. We were founded to protect the lives of children, and it continues to guide every decision we make.
Contact us for a free estimate of your pool area and your local dealer will provide recommendations for the best safety equipment for your family.
Sensory swim time adapts your normal pool routine to those who may be more sensitive to sound and motion levels, such as those with autism. Swim activities are a great way to engage every child, and we’ll walk you through creating a welcoming environment.
Pool algae can stain your pool while freezing winter temperatures try to damage it. Learn how to winterize your pool and protect your investment from frost damage, even as you protect your loved ones from unsupervised access and the risk of accidental drowning.
Learn how to take care of safety nets for pools and your pool net leaf cover. From keeping it clean to checking for damage, we’ve got six tips to keep your net in tip-top shape.
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