Keeping Your Pool Water Crystal Clear

Every homeowner with a swimming pool envisions their pool area as an oasis, an attractive spot for relaxation and a refreshing escape from the heat, not a cesspool people are hesitant to approach. The question is: how do you maintain that crystal-clear pool water? Well, that look is achievable by paying attention to various details, and if work or life keeps you busy, the importance of hiring a pool maintenance company cannot be understated.

Do you need a company to take care of your pool? Before you decide, you might want to take a look at what goes into keeping your pool area looking like a slice of paradise:

Water Balance

Before you submerge your whole body in a pool, you want to make sure the water is balanced, i.e., with optimal pH and degree if alkalinity. The pH level, measured on a scale of 1 to 14, tells you if the water is too acidic (low numbers) or too basic (high numbers). A pH level of 7 is considered neutral, and the ideal range for your pool is 7.4 to 7.6 (that’s a relatively narrow range). It’s important to stay on top of this measurement because the pH of your pool is continually changing.

Alkalinity, which helps keep the pH from fluctuating wildly, should fall between 100 to 150 parts per million (ppm). Are you prepared with a test kit, chemicals (pH increaser or decreaser), and time to make the necessary adjustments weekly?

Sanitation

As it probably is not possible to overemphasize the importance of cleanliness too much, the same holds for pool maintenance as well. Chlorine is the most common chemical used for keeping a pool clean because it kills algae and bacteria cheaply and effectively. The ideal chlorine concentration is 3ppm. There are various ways you can add chlorine to pool water, but if you’re not sure how, or you’d prefer not to handle chemicals, you could hire a pool maintenance professional to take care of the task for you.

Another duty you must perform to keep that pool clear is to “shock” your water each week. That, according to SwimUniversity.com, means “adding enough chlorine–or non-chlorine shock including Potassium Monopersulfate–to reach breakpoint oxidation.” This process breaks down the bacteria and organic material that chlorine kills in your pool.

While the tasks aren’t particularly difficult, you do have to complete them regularly. If you believe you have a handle on all of these duties, then you can lounge by your pool, admiring the crystal-clear water and the hard work you put into achieving it. If not, it doesn’t hurt to ask for a helping hand from a professional pool maintenance company.

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