6 Essential Summer Pool Maintenance Tips
How to Keep Your Pool Pristine for Summer Entertaining
The guest list has gone out, the caterer has been booked, and the housekeeper is scheduled for a deep cleaning before your next party. As you prepare your home for summer entertaining, don’t forget the outdoors! During the dog days of summer, one particular area of focus should be your pool. Between hosting guests, canine swim companions, organic debris, sunscreen, and everything in between, your pool demands acute attention. So, show off your backyard oasis in style with these summer pool maintenance tips.
Pool maintenance is a partnership
As part of Bonick’s maintenance packages, we offer weekly pool service. While this covers the basic needs of a swimming pool, extended use during the warmer months necessitates additional summer pool maintenance. Just like a car, routine upkeep on your part is essential to your pool’s longevity.
Bonick Pool Service Manager, Bryan Smith reminds his clients that pool care is a partnership.
“Many people think once a week service is enough and they don’t need to do anything else to keep their pool running properly. That’s not the case. It’s a partnership. We need your help just like you need our help.”
Pool School
One of the ways we partner with our clients to maintain their pools is conducting Pool School. After every new swimming pool build, we hold a session to ensure that its new owners know the basics of how to care for it. We review all of the components involved in the pool system, what function each one serves, and how they interact together. Our clients learn how to scrub, skim, operate their automated app and even receive a test kit to keep their water chemistry in tip top condition. By the end, they are armed with beneficial knowledge to make personal adjustments as needed and keep their equipment clean and functional.
Summer Pool Maintenance
In conjunction to weekly pool service, here are some items you can perform in between our visits to keep your pool water healthy and your systems operating at peak performance:
1. Maintaining the Pump and Circulation System
If you own a Bonick pool, one of the simplest forms of pool maintenance is maintaining your pool pump. Since we set up all of our customers on Pentair products, they all integrate together through a user friendly app that can automate your pool. It even allows you to set your pool pump on a worry-free schedule. Since the pool pump is the central core of your pool’s circulation system, you can keep it running smoothly by:
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- Running the pump for 12 hours* daily to keep the water properly circulated and filtered (We typically set ours to run from 8 AM – 8 PM)
- Regularly inspecting for leaks and unusual noises, which can indicate potential issues
- Ensuring the area around the pump is clean and free of debris to allow adequate airflow and cooling
*If your pool contains water features, we also recommend running them for several hours per day to prevent algae buildup.
2. Skimming and Scrubbing
Skimming
If you’re one of our many clients with numerous trees near your pool, you’re already aware how quickly twigs, leaves, insects, and other debris can accumulate. Exercise good judgment and remove these visible vagrants as often as you can. Be sure to empty your skimmers between service visits to prevent clogging your pool filter.
Scrubbing
Calcium, algae and other residues can quickly build up on the sides and bottom of your pool, turning it into a dangerous and unattractive green Slip ‘N Slide. To combat this, use a pool brush to scrub the walls several times a week, if not daily. Take care to address corners, steps, and any areas with limited water circulation.
3. Maintaining Adequate Water Levels
Swimming and our excessive Texas heat can can cause your pool’s water level to plummet from splash-out or evaporation. While we measure the water level on our regular service visits, pay careful attention after practicing for your favorite Olympics event or engaging in spontaneous cannonball competitions. Proper water levels are paramount for circulation system functionality. So, monitor your water levels to ensure that they remain at mid-level of your pool skimmer opening.
4. Balancing Chemicals
To keep your water healthy, routinely test your water chemistry several times a week to maintain a beautiful balance. If in doubt, ask your pool technician or take a water sample up to Leslie’s for testing.
- pH Levels:Keep your pool’s pH between 7.2 and 7.6. Anything outside of this range can result in skin irritation and damage pool equipment.
- Alkalinity:To help stabilize your pH levels, sustain a total alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm.
- Chlorine:In order to keep algae and bacteria at bay, maintain chlorine levels between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million (ppm).
5. Shocking the Pool
Even though our weekly pool care includes regular chlorine, organic contaminants can accumulate from heat, heavy rain, frequent use, and especially from furry friends frolicking in the water. So, be sure to add more chlorine after parties or puppies and wait until chlorine levels reach normal levels before resuming swimming.
6. Cleaning the Filter
Your pool’s filter is essential for removing dirt and debris. At Bonick, we employ DE Filters for our clients and backwash them every 2-3 weeks, with thorough cleanings several times per year. Be sure to let your pool care specialist know if you have dogs swimming in the pool or if you’re hosting events with numerous people and we can increase the frequency.
We understand that some don’t have the time or desire to conduct regular pool maintenance on your own. So, if you’d prefer to increase the frequency of your pool service visits to handle additional maintenance tasks, be sure to reach out for assistance. Additionally, please contact us if you notice any unusual issues or wear and tear, or if you’d like an estimate on a repair or renovation, and we’ll be happy to help. If you’re not on our pool maintenance schedule, learn more about our various services. Together with our team and your assistance, we can maintain your pool’s beauty, health, and functionality for years to come.
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