5 Tips for Maintaining Your Pool this Summer

Having your very own backyard swimming pool is a great way to enjoy some outdoor family fun during the dog days of summer. After all, there’s nothing quite like jumping into a pool on a hot July day! Keep the water clean and safe all season long with these five pool maintenance tips.

Test & Balance the Chemicals

Maintaining the proper chemical balance is vital to prevent bacteria and algae growth, reduce skin and eye irritation, and avoid corroding the pool equipment. When you opened your pool in the spring, you should have tested the chemistry before jumping in for the first time. Following this initial test, it’s important to continue checking the pH, chlorine, cyanuric acid, and other chemicals two to three times per week all summer long. It may also be necessary to “shock” the pool on occasion, which raises the chlorine level for a short time to wipe out bacteria and algae.

Skim, Scrub & Vacuum the Pool

Make it a daily habit to skim leaves, bugs, grass clippings, and other debris from the surface of the water. This task reduces the amount of scrubbing and vacuuming you must do to remove dirt, chemical residue, algae growth, and other debris from the pool walls and floor.

Backwash the Filter

Your pool will stay cleaner longer if you maintain the filter properly. The easiest way to perform a quick-clean is to backwash the filter to flush it out. Here’s how:

• Turn off the filter and connect a backwash hose to the waste port.
• Set the valve to “backwash” and let the filter run for two minutes.
• Turn off the filter, set the valve to “rinse,” and run the filter for another minute.
• Turn off the filter and set the valve to “filter.” It should now be ready to run like normal.

In addition to weekly backwashing, you should thoroughly clean your filter once or twice a year.

Monitor the Water Level & Areas Surrounding the Pool

Evaporation can slowly drain your pool over the summer, so keep tabs on the water level and top it off as needed before balancing the chemistry. Also, sweep and pressure wash the pool deck occasionally to remove debris that could fall into the water.

Schedule Professional Pool Maintenance

Don’t take your family’s health and safety lightly. If you have any questions about maintaining your pool this summer, call an expert for help. At Millennium Pool Service, we schedule pool maintenance visits on a weekly or biweekly basis. Our services included:

• Vacuuming the pool
• Checking and balancing the chemistry
• Cleaning the skimmers
• Backwashing the filter
• Blowing the deck area

We also offer pool opening and closing packages for your convenience. With over 35 years of combined industry experience, you can trust us to keep your pool clean and safe all season long. Contact us at 703.939.5062 in Virginia or 301.591.3750 in Maryland to learn more or to schedule swimming pool maintenance with us today.