Tips for Pool Cleaning

 

Diligent maintenance is a must not only to maintain a safe and healthy swimming environment but protecting your investment as well. 

In this quick review we outline steps that should be part of your weekly routine. When it comes to pool care, keep in mind the three C’s of pool care: Circulation, Cleaning, and Chemistry.

Circulation:

• It’s extremely important to calculate the amount of time it takes to run the volume of water in your pool thru your system. Your pool pump(s) are 2^nd only to energy use to your HVAC system. Not enough filtration equals unhealthy water, too much equals wasted energy and money
• Backwash or clean the filter if pressure is 10 psi above a clean filter reading
• Keep the skimmer & pump basket free of debris
• Keep jets facing circular and slightly downward creating a Venturi effect

Cleaning:

• Brush walls, steps, ladders and low circulation spots weekly
• Skim the surface daily
• Vacuum once a week or use automatic cleaner

Chemistry:

• Test and balance your Total, Free and Combined Chlorine 1-2 times per week
• Shock your pool when your Combined Chlorine levels reach > .2 ppm
• Test and balance pH 1-2 times per week
• Test and balance Total Alkalinity once per week
• Test Cyanuric Acid and Calcium Hardness monthly

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Or relax and enjoy your investment allowing Blue Skies to do all the above and more . . . much more!

Following the “traditional” steps above is an easy way to maintain your pool but there is now a better way, more thorough although more complicated. At Blue Skies we use the Langelier Saturation Index ( LSI ) method. The LSI separates maintaining your sanitizer levels and the chemicals that effect bather comfort and have an effect on your pool and equipment (pool plaster, waterline grout, pump motor, heater, etc . . ).

The LSI model includes measuring Temperature, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and a “corrected” Total Alkalinity factor in addition to pH, Calcium Hardness and Cyanuric Acid. See the formula below.

(pH) + (Temperature ºF factor) + (Calcium Hardness factor) + [(Total Alkalinity ppm) - (CYA ppm x correction factor @ current pH)] - (TDS factor) = LSI

The LSI is a value that indicates weather water is balanced. If your water is not chemically balanced it will be either corrosive (undersaturated) or scale producing (oversaturated with calcium). Either will cause equipment damage, bather discomfort and poor water quality,

At Blue Skies we adhere to the LSI model, the more thorough and complicated route because we feel that Water Is Sacred !