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REGULAR MAINTENANCE

So at this point we've covered all of the components of a pool. We know about the advantages and disadvantages of each basin type, about all of the parts that fit together to make a pool work, and about how disinfectants ensure both water quality and personal safety for the people using the pool. In other words: we've done all of the hard work.

Now it's time to use all of that information to talk about exactly how one goes about maintaining a pool for regular use. Once you understand how the parts of a pool fit together, this is simple. Just keep the way a pool works in the back of your mind--and make sure that you take care of any problems that stand in the way of the pool's working.

Need more specifics? Press on.

FILTER MAINTENANCE AND BACKWASHING

One of the most critical components of the pool, as we've discussed, is the filtration system. It does all of the hard work of keeping the pool water free of debris, safe for use, and pleasant to look at. In the process of doing all of this hard work, it's naturally exposed to all of the worst things a pool has to offer in terms of dirt, oil, and other accumulations of gunk. So the filter is one of the most critical pieces of equipment to keep working.

How often should you run your pool filter? The answer depends on the size of the pool and the climate outside. Generally speaking, you'll want to run your pool about six hours a day during less hot months, probably from the time you start using the pool up to about Memorial Day. When the weather is hotter and the pool gets used more often, it's more important to maintain water quality in order to avoid damage from the climate and from dirt and grit in the water. After Memorial Day until roughly Labor Day, it's a good idea to run your pool filter for at least twelve or so hours every day. At the very least, make sure your pool motor is running whenever people are actually using the pool. If you follow these guidelines, you'll keep your water looking nice and clean in 99% of situations.

So what about that other 1%, when your water starts turning green and cloudy and regular filter use doesn't seem to be doing anything to fix it? There are three options. One: run your filter more. Two: backwash the filtration system. Three: "brute force” the water clarity by using bleach or other disinfecting agents. Try these options in this order.

Running your filter more is often a reasonable way to solve persistent clarity problems. Simply run your filter constantly, 24/7, until your water clarity gets back to normal. The only real limit on this strategy is the amount of money you have in your utilities budget--since you'll be spending a lot of extra electricity to keep your motor running this often--and the patience of your neighbors, since your pool pump's motor will be making much more noise than normal during nighttime hours.

If this fails, you can resort to the second option: performing "backwashing" maintenance on your pool.

What is "backwashing" maintenance? Answer: along with maintaining water quality, backwashing is the single most important thing you can do to ensure the health of your pool.

Eventually, so much debris passes through the sand filter that it becomes clogged and it slows down significantly in filtering and cleaning the water.

Backwashing cleans the filters so that they can again work efficiently in keeping the water free of debris.

To backwash a pool, the owner closes off the valves that transmit the clean water to the pool returns, as well as the valve that brings dirty water in through the drains. Another valve is opened: one that transmits wastewater to the city sewer system. The pool pump is used to flush water backward through the filter. This forces all the collected debris out of the sand, diatomaceous earth, or cartridge filter and washes it away into the city sewer system: no fuss, no muss. Once the filter is cleaned, the valves can be returned to their normal configuration and the pool filter can work normally.

We're introducing the topic of backwashing as a method for cleaning pools that seem clogged beyond the filter and pump's ordinary ability to remedy. But backwashing can and should be part of your ordinary maintenance routine as well. Generally speaking, you should backwash your pool roughly every two times you add chlorine, or at least every two weeks. It's slightly more of a hassle, but it can help prolong the life of your filter and saves you some scrubbing and vacuuming work in the bargain.

The third option for clearing your pool of dirt and debris when other methods don't seem to work is the "brute force” approach. Add one or two gallons of bleach to the pool water and hope for the best. This is an unorthodox method for cleaning a pool, but it does actually work to break down difficult-to-eradicate debris and dirt and help the filter work more efficiently.

If all of the above fails, take a water sample to your local pool supply store. The problem in this case probably has more to do with your water quality than with anything in the pump and filtration system, and you'll want a specialist in pool water quality problems to diagnose your problem and give you a solution for it, probably of the chemical variety.

As far as other issues with dirt and debris go: as we've said, your filtration system isn't perfect. That's why there are a few extra lines of defense against debris and clogs. Part of your regular pool maintenance should be to clear skimmer baskets regularly, no less than once a week. If your pool is extra prone to clogs or surface debris--for example, if a backyard or neighboring tree produces a great deal of leaf debris, or if you have a summertime infestation of junebugs--you'll need to clear them every two days, or as often as it takes to keep your skimmers working properly. The strainer basket in the filtration system can be cleaned more sporadically, with once a month being probably sufficient for most problems.