Caring for Your Pool is Crucial Over the Summer

With summer knocking on our doors, the time to take full advantage of your swimming pool is now! The days will be longer and hotter, so you’re going to need something to do all day that’ll keep you cool. While pools are the perfect amenity to have around the summer, they are still a lot of work. You can’t enjoy all the good things about your pool without putting in the time and effort to ensure that it is clean and functioning correctly.

While you should be caring for your pool year-round, summer pool care is vital. After all, you use your pool more in the summer than during any other time of the year. As more people enter your pool, so too do contaminants and other substances that can harm it. You must stay on top of your summer pool care to ensure you keep swimmers safe and your pool in top condition.

Mid City Custom Pools knows better than anyone how in-demand swimming pools are during summer. People are always looking to escape the heat and what better way to do that than with a pool? We also understand the importance of caring for your pool. Today, we will be providing you with some useful summer pool care tips.

Maintain Pool Chemistry

You need to make a habit out of checking your pool chemistry, no matter the time of year. The summer means that your pool will be in use far more often than before. Swimmers naturally carry contaminants on their skin and swimsuits that your pool’s chemicals must eliminate. The chemicals in your pool are there to help remove these substances to protect swimmers. Additionally, the summer heat can also affect pool chemistry.

The sun’s UV rays break down the chlorine in your pool through a process called oxidation. Combine this with the extra work your pool chemistry must do to eliminate contaminants, and your chemicals levels will run low. You should check your chemical levels multiple times a week. Always keep extra materials nearby, so you can easily and quickly replace them.

Maintain Water Level

As you already know, summers in Texas are incredibly hot. With the sun beating down on your pool, your pool’s water level will likely go down. The heat from the sun will cause the water to evaporate. That’s not the only way your pool can lose water. As people go in and out of your pool, they bring water out of it. Splashing also kicks a lot of water from your pool. Weather such as rain and heavy winds can add water or remove it, respectively.

Try to keep your water levels about halfway up the pool skimmer. Whenever this level is too low, it can run your pump dry and burn it out. When it’s too high, your skimmer won’t be able to work right. If your water level is too low, use a garden hose to bring it up. If it’s too high, you can find a submersible water pump to remove water.

Regularly Check Skimmer Baskets

Located on the side of the pool, the main job of a pool skimmer is to skim the surface of the pool to collect any debris and contaminants floating around before they become too saturated and sink to the bottom of your pool. These materials must be removed before they harm your pool.

The more efficient your skimmer, the more debris it can gather. With more swimmers getting in and out of your pool, more debris will likely come in, as well. Your skimmer will be collecting more than usual, so you must make check and clean out your skimmer at least once a week to ensure it functions at its best.

Clean Your Filter

One of the most vital summer pool care tips is regularly cleaning your pool filter. Your filter acts as the pool’s kidneys, meaning just like your kidneys, your filter works to removes impurities from your pool. They keep your pool looking crystal clean without wasting water. Since your pool will experience more usage over the summer than anytime else, you should clean your filter often.

You must rinse filters with warm water about once a week to rid them of any debris and sediment they have collected then let them air dry. Every few weeks, however, you should give them a deep clean. Remove the filter cartridge, spray them down with a garden hose, then rinse it in filter cleaner. Rinse it after and let it air dry before replacing it.

Skim and Scrub Your Pool

While your pool should have its own skimmer, you should regularly skim it yourself. There might be objects and debris too big to fit in your skimmer basket that you must remove manually. By doing this, you can ensure that your skimmer does not get too full too quickly. If possible, you can even buy an automatic vacuum for your pool.

Additionally, scrub the sides and floor of your pool to prevent algae build-up. You don’t need to do this near as often, though. Make sure you have the appropriate pool cleaning tools on hand.

Shock Your Pool

On top of the chemicals you add to your pool, don’t be afraid to shock your pool. Shocking your pool requires drastically raising the chlorine levels in your pool for a short period to kill off any germs and bacteria. Always do this after heavy rainfalls or particularly busy days. Shock your pool at the end of the day to ensure that the sun’s UV rays don’t affect the chlorine. Slowly pour shock into your pool. Run your filtration system overnight for 6-8 hours to circulate the shock. Wait to enter your pool until after the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Wash Your Pool Deck

Your pool deck also needs some love over the summer. After all, if your deck is dirty, it can mess up the aesthetic of your backyard. While it is not recommended that a nonprofessional operate a power wash, you can clean your deck using a high-pressure nozzle hose attachment and a deck brush.

With summer almost here, pool use is about to increase. This increased usage means more contaminants and debris will enter your pool. You must be prepared and ready for summer pool care to keep your pool clean and safe for all swimmers. Mid City Custom Pools understands how great a pool is in the summer, but we also know the importance of caring for a pool.