Swim Right Pools, serving Scottsdale, AZ pool owners explain pool care basics

Swimming pool care varies based on whether you own a vinyl liner, gunite or fiberglass swimming pool as they all have different needs. However, the bottom line in swimming pool care remains the same the swimming pool service contractors from SwimRight Pools explain — pool care and maintenance needs to be consistent and is almost continuous.

The more frequently you use your swimming pool and the number of people who use it may also mean you will need to have more frequent visits from your swimming pool service contractor, but here, are the basics of pool care and the role the pool equipment plays in keeping the water clean and swimmable:

• The swimming pool pump keeps the pool water clean by circulating it through the pool, into the filter for purification, and then back into the pool again. The length of time your pool pump needs to run will be determined on the size and shape of the pool itself. Ask us for advice on how long your pump should be run daily.
• Whether you use a sand filter, cartridge filter or a diatomaceous earth (DE) style filter, they all work on the same basic model. They trap dirt and debris as it moves through it.  When you had your pool constructed you had to make a decision on which type of filter you wanted for your pool and they all operate basically the same way.
• You can purchase a pool water test kit from your service contractor and he will show you how to understand the readings. The pool water should be tested two to three times a week — and this means you will have to do it between service visits. The test kit measures various items in your pool water including: the water hardness, calcium levels, chlorine levels, the levels of undissolved solids and metal levels in the water.
• Chances are you’ve heard about swimming pools needing to be “shocked.” This means it will be super-chlorinated in order to bring way out of whack chemical levels back in line.. Shocking will address cloudy water and the potential for algae growth.
• If algae takes hold in your pool you will notice it because the pool water will be green and slimy and when this happens, the only way to bring it back is through shocking. Your pool contractor will add an algaecide to hopefully prevent algae from taking hold in your pool.

Your pool contractor will also advise that you skim any floating debris from the water before it has a chance to fall to the pool floor and potentially get stuck in the filter. Using a pool cover when you’re not in the pool will help keep any dirt and debris from falling in and will help keep the pool water clean.