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12 Tips for Every New Pool Owner
If you're looking at purchasing a home with a pool or thinking about adding one to your property: congratulations!
Owning a pool is an exciting endeavour that will not only add to the value of your home and provide a great atmosphere in the summer but can also work wonders for your mental and physical health!
However, like anything else, a pool will require regular maintenance. Water balancing might seem a bit confusing for those new to owning a swimming pool, but not to worry, as it's easy enough to get the hang of once you've read through this guide.
If you’re looking to kit out your new pool, why not take a look at our extensive selection of poolside products? We have an array of essential chemicals to maintain your pool, as well as other important accessories such as swimming pool covers!
If you need additional advice, we run a blog that offers loads of excellent swimming pool maintenance guides, too! Here at 1st Direct Pools, we are always happy to share our expertise with our customers.
When owning a pool, it's essential to be aware of general safety practices that should be regularly maintained, especially for families or pets.
If you own a pool, it is your responsibility to be the lifeguard, so it's best that you familiarise yourself with pool safety and what to do in an emergency.
Safety should always be a priority, whether the pool is residential or commercial. A pool should be protected by a fence or boundary that is not accessible to unaccompanied children.
Installing a pool or gate alarm to monitor the pool’s access is a great idea to ensure that safety is adhered to! If a fence is not possible, you can place a secure cover on the pool instead.
Good pool maintenance will provide a clean and safe space to swim. Maintaining the water's chemistry is a straightforward process that may seem slightly confusing at first, but won't take long to make sense of.
Maintaining a clean swimming pool will also provide clean, safe water to enjoy and elongate the pool's lifespan and prevent potential issues that could need repairs or replacements.
Accidents naturally happen, especially when you're least expecting them. Prevent accidents by staying vigilant. If there are children or weak swimmers, it's best to give them your full attention as you are your pool's lifeguard.
For children and weak swimmers, you should always provide buoyancy aids that will give them a degree of independence, but that is not to say that they shouldn't receive your full supervision when using them.
When first purchasing a pool or a property with a swimming pool, it's best to get to know what individual systems do and why. This way, if you encounter an issue with your pool, you can easily determine what the problem is and potentially fix it yourself.
Every pool has a filter; they are an essential component of your pool’s system, as they will ensure that your pool stays clean. The system works by removing small particles suspended in the pool as they pass through the filter.
Filters usually fall under four categories:
Take note of the general pressure of your pool. When you notice the pressure has risen and the flow starts to slow, the pool filter should be backwashed or cleaned to release the trapped debris.
Your built-in drains and returns work with the filtration system, draining dirty water and debris, which is then returned to the pool when cleaned. Every five years, pools should generally be fully drained and cleaned.
The pool vacuum will vacuum up any dirt that is sitting along the pool floor. It is recommended to vacuum the pool twice a week. Most pool vacuums will need to be replaced every five years.
To find out how you can vacuum your pool, refer to our article that will take you step-by-step through the process.
The pump is what circulates the pool water by pushing it through the filtration system. Pumps should be on during the day and when the pool is in use. However, pumps can be left on continuously if desired. They have a very long lifespan of 10-15 years.
Pumps need to be on during the day as algae feed on sunlight. The pump should run according to your pool's turnover rate, which is usually around 8 hours.
For more information, you can refer to our article below. It will take you step-by-step through running your pool pump.
Water balancing is a crucial component for your general health and safety and the pool’s lifespan. Poor maintenance can recruit unnecessary repair expenses.
Although the chemistry may initially sound confusing, the process is straightforward. To help regulate the cleaning, you might also want to consider having a pool maintenance schedule.
When balancing the water chemistry, you should not directly mix general swimming pool chemicals together; this includes combining different types of chlorine. When adding chemicals in general, it's recommended that you wait 30-60 mins before adding in another water balancing chemical.
Chlorine is what disinfects the pool. For swimming pools, there are two sanitisers to choose from, chlorine and bromine. Out of the two, chlorine is the most popular option due to its affordability.
You can add chlorine to your pool in the form of granules, liquid or tablets. Before adding the chlorine to the pool, it will need to be diluted in water first.
Chlorine levels should be 1-4 parts per million. The way you add your chlorine to your swimming pool will depend on which type of chlorine you choose.
pH is a measure of the acidity of the water, which ranges from 0-14. Standard rainwater has a pH of 7.0, and pools should aim for between 7.2-7.4.
The pH of the human eye is 7.4; by maintaining this measurement, you can reduce eye irritation.
The pool's pH will not only support the chlorine to sanitise the pool but also prevent the water from damaging your pool and equipment over time. If the pH is too high or low, it can lead to scaling. If the pH is too low, it can begin to corrode the pool's surface, ladders and pumps.
The hardness of the water is composed of calcium and magnesium, but this is often only referred to as calcium hardness. The recommended range for calcium is 200-400 ppm.
If the level is too high, the calcium deposits will scale; if too low, the water will start to corrode the pool and discolour the water.
Another important consideration to contemplate is the effect that the pool will have on your utility bills. A lot of new pool owners are surprised by the increase in their power and water bills.
It's best to monitor your monthly bills so you will be more inclined to spot a hidden issue with your pool if they increase unexplainable.
To reduce utility expenses, you can consider cost-effective accessories such as a heat pump, which will heat your pool for a significantly lower price compared to an electric heater.
Another cost-effective accessory you might be interested in is a solar pool cover, which will attract the sun’s heat and reduce water evaporation, retaining the heat.
We hope this article has provided you with helpful tips to kickstart your journey of owning a pool. If you require any more information about swimming pools and spas, you are welcome to contact a member of our expert team or browse through our blog!
