If you are a homeowner, surely one of the things that you want in your backyard is a pool. Most people imagine themselves relaxing and sipping their favorite drink, or organizing parties and gatherings for their close friends and family. However, there is one thing that usually slips their mind – maintenance.
When it comes to choosing a pool you have a few options. You can either go with concrete, vinyl or fiberglass one. As it is to be expected, each of these has certain benefits and downsides. Nevertheless, in this article, we are going to give you some practical tips on how to maintain a fiberglass pool, which is why you should keep reading this text if you have chosen to install this type.
Remove the debris
Let’s start with the basics. Cleaning your pool from leaves, bugs, and other types of debris is something that you have to do frequently. This is something that depends on how often you use it, but generally speaking, it is something that has to be done at least once a week. Naturally, if you use it every day, then you should clean it more often because you do not want to swim while debris is floating around you, right?
When it comes to the tools that are necessary for this task, they are quite common, therefore, inexpensive. You should get a net scoop that will enable you to collect all the large pieces from the surface. However, this net will not allow you to collect the sunken debris i.e. the one that is on the bottom of the pool which is why you should also purchase a vacuum that you can use to clean the walls and floors. Finally, you should invest in a brush that will allow you to thoroughly wash the mildew and minerals that have accumulated on the walls over time.
Be careful with cleaning products
Since we are focusing on fiberglass pools, there is one thing that we have to warn you about. You should be extremely cautious about different cleaning products. Why? Well, simply put because they can do more harm than good.
Not only can these products damage the walls of the pool, but they can also seriously affect the chemicals in the water and disturb the natural balance which can have bad consequences for everyone who takes a swim. Similarly, you should also be careful when using the above-mentioned brushes for cleaning the debris.
Check water chemistry
It is of crucial importance that you understand the pH levels and the alkalinity of the water. These two are intertwined meaning the higher the alkalinity, the higher are the pH levels. Keep in mind that pH levels can be between 0 and 14, with 7 being the natural range.
Besides these, you also have to be familiar with the chlorine level, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, and so on. When it comes to chorine, you surely know that its main purpose is to sanitize the water which is why its levels have to be perfect. Secondly, calcium is used to ensure that the water doesn’t become corrosive. This can happen is calcium hardness is too low and the pool’s lifespan is going to be drastically reduced. The main difference between fiberglass and concrete one is that the latter requires you to add acid every day in order to main the perfect balance.
How to test the water?
Most people opt for hiring professionals to complete this task on a daily basis, but if you want to, you can try to do it on your own. All you need to do this are testing strips that you can purchase in the local store. Naturally, you should get the ones that test for the above-mentioned chemicals (chlorine, pH, alkaline, and cyanuric acid).
Next, take one of these, dip it into the water, and wait for at least 10 seconds. Different colors will appear on the strip and then you have to compare them with the ones on the packing. Still, make sure to carefully read the instructions, because this process might differ between manufacturers.
Incorporate a filtration system
These filters are an essential part of your pool. You cannot install a pool in your garden and not invest in these. The first thing that you should know is that there are three main types of this system – sand, cartridge, and diatomaceous earth filters. As it is to be expected, each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages, and they also have a specific design which is why you should do a thorough investigation before purchasing one.
The great thing about having this system in a fiberglass pool is that it only requires one circulation per day. This is not only convenient, but it also means that you will save a significant amount of electrical energy, therefore, money. If you were to compare the fiberglass to a concrete one, you would learn that the latter needs two circulations every day which means that it uses twice the electricity.
Maintain the water level
This is another important thing that you have to do. In order to ensure that everything stays perfect, you should try to always keep the water level ½ way up above the skimmer. This little device also collects the debris from the pool. If this level isn’t right, two things can happen. Firstly, if the level is too high, the skimmer won’t be able to collect all the junk. On the other hand, if it is too low, meaning that the water doesn’t reach it, it just won’t have anything to attract.
Make your pool self-cleaning
This might seem quite odd, but it is possible. Upon reading some of these methods that you have to use to keep your pool clean, surely you agree with us that oftentimes this is not only hard work but also something that has to be done on a regular basis. So why not facilitate this entire process and invest in the Vantage in-floor cleaning system?
Basically, this system allows the constant circulation of water which means that it cleans the debris and maintains the chemical balance, and you do not have to do anything. If you want to learn more details about this cleaning system and how it actually works, you can read more here.
