Some Problems with Pool Maintenance

Now that we've switched to daylight saving time and the days are longer, you're probably already thinking about preparing your pool so you can take a dip on one of those warmer-than-usual days. This is where we can run into problems when it comes to proper pool maintenance, which is key to keeping your facility in the best possible condition.

In this post, we'll once again give you some key tips to prevent these problems from arising, although we always recommend that you contact us so we can help you address the specific problem and offer you our professional pool maintenance services.

While maintenance is essential, choosing the right materials and filtration systems is also key when building a pool to avoid future problems. Stable pH and chlorine levels, a good filtration system, and proper chemical dosage are factors that will make a difference in water quality.

Stable pH and chlorine levels

You've probably experienced this many times: after a swim, you get out of the water and discover your eyes are more irritated than usual, or even your skin is irritated. Most likely, there's an imbalance in the pH level (the ideal range is between 7.2 and 7.6), with levels well above or well below this level not only causing health problems but also resulting in cloudy water. If you want to avoid this at all costs, you can install an automatic pH regulator in your pool, which will also make your life easier by stabilizing the pH values ​​within the correct parameters.

The same thing happens with chlorine. If you maintain your pool with typical tablets, the correct levels can easily be altered (the ideal level is between 0.5 and 1 ppm), affecting the health of the swimmer and the condition of the pool. That's why we recommend installing automatic disinfectant dosing systems. There's a wide variety on the market, from saline chlorination, active oxygen, ultraviolet, and ozone equipment that, in addition to saving you a ton of work, will improve your swimming experience and that of your family.

Bad water

In the world of pool maintenance, we sometimes find that the water isn't as good as we'd like, even though we haven't changed our cleaning habits. It's not crystal clear, it has a strange smell, or the feeling on your skin is different. In these cases, you should check some of the pool's main technical elements: check the filter, make sure it's not saturated, and if so, backwash the sand to clean it. Also, check that the motor isn't clogged with dirt that's preventing it from working properly. After this, see if water is coming out of the pool's impellers at the usual pressure.

It can also happen that the pH level is too low, and despite adding kilos of pH increaser, you still can't achieve the required level. This is a common problem if we disinfect the water with chlorine tablets, which release a compound that ends up destabilizing the alkalinity level and, consequently, the pH. Therefore, the first thing you should measure and regulate is the alkalinity level. We have meters and regulators to do this job. Once you have the required alkalinity value, it's time to adjust the pH level, without breaking the bank. This is one of the most common problems faced by those in charge of water treatment in their pools.

Dirt returning to the pool

Yes, you read that right. It's not very common, but it can happen sometimes. We run the pool cleaner and see that it's not working because the dirt we collected a few moments ago is coming back out of the impellers.

When this happens, it's because your pool filter has a problem: one of its strainers (located inside the filter; they're cracked tubes that allow clean water to pass through but not the sand or dirt trapped in the filter) has broken and is unable to retain the dirt returning to the pool. The solution is to open the filter, empty the sand (or glass) until you discover the affected strainer, and replace it. This can be quite laborious, which is why we recommend leaving it in the hands of professionals like us.