As a proud pool owner, you’re likely already aware of your maintenance responsibilities and requirements. You routinely perform your cleaning and chemical testing to ensure your pool is sanitized and safe to use.
However, even long-time pool owners can make mistakes when it comes to upkeep. There might be some things that your pool contractor or operator forgot to warn you of, which led to certain maintenance habits that are bad for your pool.
City Wide Pool Service, a local pool services provider in Las Vegas, shares five pool maintenance mistakes that you need to stop doing immediately.
1. Not cleaning pool after pets use it
You may have adopted a dog recently, so you’re still not familiar with the proper pool maintenance practices for pet owners. The one thing you should remember is that you need to clean your pool every time after your pet uses it.
Not only do their fur clog the pump and filter, but animals also generally harbor more bacteria and contaminants than humans.
After your dog’s swim, you can simply clean your pool using an automatic pool cleaner to remove the fur and dirt. You’ll also need to clean your filter more frequently if your pet loves to swim in your pool.
2. Using an automatic pool cleaner to fix algae problem
Robotic cleaners make pool upkeep easy, so many owners use this device for most of their pool cleaning chores. However, you should never use an automatic pool cleaner if you have algae build-up.
The robotic vacuum will just push the algae and debris around the pool. The small amounts of algae that do get suctioned will only clog the automatic cleaner’s mesh bag, which can end up damaging your expensive robotic vacuum.
3. Shocking your pool during the daytime
Shocking a pool during the day makes the shock less effective. That’s because the sun burns away the unstabilized chlorine in the shock chemicals, which is the element responsible for rebalancing your pool’s chlorine levels.
Although shocking during the daytime doesn’t damage your pool, it leaves a dent in your finances by wasting your chemicals. So, if you’re trying to stick to a pool maintenance budget, make sure you’re only shocking your pool at night.
4. Running your pool filter and pump system for less than 8 hours daily
You need to run your pool pump for at least eight hours a day. This ensures that the pump has had enough time to turn over your pool’s entire volume, which is necessary to keep the water clean and safe for swimming. If you neglect to run your pump enough, bacteria can breed in your pool.
Larger pools naturally require a longer pump run time since they hold more water. You can check Swim University’s guide on how to calculate your pool pump’s run time.
5. Neglecting to service your pool heater or pump
Your pool pump and heater are the two most heavily used components of your pool, so they naturally wear down quicker. To prevent these two from breaking down, have them serviced at least once a year — more if you use your pool frequently or live in an area that experiences extreme weather conditions.
You also want to watch out for warning signs indicating that your pump or heater is having problems, such as loud noises or water leaks. Call a pool technician immediately if you spot any.
Pool Maintenance Services in Las Vegas
For residential pool maintenance or repair services, look no further than City Wide Pool Service. With our 7-step cleaning and maintenance process, we have been helping pool owners in Las Vegas keep their pools in tiptop shape since 1995.
For inquiries, contact us at 702-873-2989. Fill out our online form to get an estimate on our maintenance services.
