Everyone loves opening – and keeping – a clean in-ground pool for the summer season. With summer activities opening back up and more time to gather with friends and family, make sure your in-ground pool is swim-worthy all season long with these four basic guidelines.
Test Pool Chemicals Regularly
While your in-ground pool may look clean and clear at first, we forget that standing water becomes a chemistry lab quickly. Adding and testing pool chemicals regularly helps make sure your pool is safe to swim in. The standard chemicals you should test for include chorine, alkalinity, and pH levels, which can all be tested using testing strips from your local in-ground pool company store. Typically, we recommend pool owners to test the water on a monthly basis and when they first open and close the pool for the season.
Stay on Top of Routine Cleaning
As we know from regular in-ground pool chemical testing, dirt and grime can build up quickly. At a minimum, you should be skimming, brushing, and vacuuming your pool on a weekly basis. This will help filter out debris and dirt from settling on the walls and bottom of the pool. In addition, clean your strainer buckets weekly in accordance with your manual’s instructions. If you don’t have the time to complete routine cleaning and maintenance, an automatic pool cleaner will save you cleaning time – allowing you spend more time relaxing in or by your pool.
Check Your Circulation
Michigan summers means lots of pool time and usage. Because of this high pool usage, it’s important to check and run the pool’s circulation more than other seasons. Make sure to visually check the popup nozzles for the pool’s circulation section for proper installation. And it won’t hurt anyone to run the circulation system for 10+ hours a day. In addition to routine cleaning, proper circulation will make your pool ownership a lot easier.
Consider Shocking After Inclement Weather
After a summer storm or heavy pool usage, it may make sense to shock treat your pool. These variables tend to decrease chlorine levels from 1-4 parts per million (ppm), and a shock treatment will bring the chlorine and other chemical levels back up to normal. Just remember, shock treatments are best done in the early morning or in the evening when the pool is not in use and sunlight is at a minimum.
In Conclusion
Owning an in-ground pool is fun, but it can be a little bit of work! If cleaning and basic maintenance is hard for you or your family, contact your local experts at Blockco. Our experts offer in-floor cleaning and circulation services by Paramount, so you know your pool will be in good hands.
Have questions about in-ground pools, cleaning, or maintenance? Let us know by contacting us or stopping into our local storefront. We are happy to serve our community and make your pool ownership experience easy this summer season.