Blue Mountain Pools
POOL TIPS - Chemical Tips
CHEMICAL SAFETY
- Store your pool chemicals out of direct sunlight to prevent breakdown by UV rays.
- Scale and corrosive conditions occur when pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and dissolved solids are out of balance. Frequent testing can help prevent these problems before they get out of hand.
- Store pool chemicals out of the reach of children in sealed containers.
CHLORINE
- To maintain the proper level of residual chlorine when bather load is heavy, shock your pool once a week with a 3 to 5 times higher than normal dose of chlorine.
- Chlorine is broken down by the sun's ultraviolet rays. Using cyanuric acid to stabilize the chlorine in your pool at the beginning of the swim season will help you maximize your chlorine's efficiency all summer long.
- Filters remove suspended particles from pool water, but don't control bacteria or algae. Maintain a residual chlorine level of 1.0-3.0 ppm (parts per million) to kill bacteria and/or algae present in the water.
PH LEVEL
- The ideal pH for pool water is 7.5. A pH range of 7.4-7.6 is considered acceptable.
- Maintaining an alkalinity range from 80-120 ppm (white plaster) will help minimize changes in pH, which can result in scaling and corrosion.
- Maintaining an alkalinity range from 60-90 ppm (black plaster) will help minimize changes in pH, which can result in scaling and corrosion.
QUALITY
- To ensure accurate readings, replace test kit reagents annually.
- To ensure the highest water quality, test your pool's pH and free chlorine levels daily, adding chemicals as needed.
- Proper chemical usage is important for maintaining a healthy pool. Be sure to follow the chemical manufacturer's instructions closely regarding proper dosage for your size pool.
- Add an algaecide and chlorine to your pool before covering it for the winter. It will ensure that the water is clear and algae-free when you reopen it the following season.
POOL TIPS - Cleaning Tips
DEBRIS
- When preparing to open your pool for the season, clean all leaves and other debris off the cover before removing it.
- By emptying your skimmer baskets frequently, you'll help minimize the amount of leaves that end up on the bottom of your pool.
- When cleaning the surface of your pool with a leaf net, work your way around the sides first, then clean from the middle of the pool to the sides.
- Be sure to empty your leaf net occasionally when cleaning your pool's surface. Otherwise, the net's contents may accidentally end up back in the pool.
- Keep the trees and shrubs around your pool trimmed back to minimize the amount of leaves and debris that end up in the pool.
WATER CLARITY
- When opening your pool at the beginning of the season, run your filter around the clock until the water is completely clear.
- If your pool water appears green or has an unpleasant odor, the problem is probably caused by algae. Test for proper chlorine level, and consult a pool professional if the problem persists.
- Keeping your filter, pump, lint trap and skimmer baskets clean and in proper working condition will help ensure that your pool water stays sparkling clear.
- Pool inlets should be adjusted so the surface water is moving in a circular direction.
- Make a habit of checking and emptying skimmer and pump baskets regularly.
POOL TIPS - Energy Conservation Tips
ENERGY CONSERVATION
- When leaving for vacation for more than a week, turn off the pool heater.
- If you use your pool only on weekends, reduce your heater thermostats settings by eight to ten degrees during the week.
- Use fencing, hedges or other landscaping, or cabanas to shelter your pool from prevailing winds.
- According to the National Swimming Pool Institute and the American Red Cross, the most healthful swimming temperature is 78 degrees. Reducing your heater thermostat to maintain a 78 degree or lower temperature will also help conserve energy.
- When reopening your pool for a new season, make sure your pump and filter are working properly before adding chemicals to the water.
- If your pool heater is more than five years old, chances are a new high efficiency gas heater such as the MiniMax could quickly pay for itself in utility bill savings.
- To obtain maximum filtration and energy efficiency, backwash or clean your filter regularly, as required.
POOL TIPS - Equipment Tips
CLEANERS
- An automatic pool cleaner will dramatically reduce the time spent on weekly maintenance.
- If you fill your pool with well water, you'll need to add a metal remover.
FILTERS
- When cleaning cartridge filters, soak them in a cleaning solution for 24 hours, then hose them off before reinstalling.
- D.E. filters should be disassembled and cleaned at least once per season.
- Is your sand filter 3-5 years old? If so, ask your pool professional if it's time to replace the sand.
- If your filter pressure gauge indicates that pressure has dropped below the normal reading for a clean filter, check to see if you have a clogged pump or skimmer basket.
- Cleaning your sand or D.E. filters when you close your pool for the season will ensure that they are ready for action when you open your pool the following summer.
- To obtain maximum filtration and energy efficiency, backwash or clean your filter regularly, as required.
GASKETS, O-RINGS, & RUBBER FITTINGS
- If your pool has a deck-mounted junction box, check the condition of the gaskets regularly--and replace as needed--to make sure the box cannot be penetrated by water.
- When closing your pool for the season, coat all accessible o-rings, rubber fittings, and gaskets with a silicone O-ring lube to keep them from drying out.
HEATERS
- To maintain your heater's heating efficiency, follow a regular program of preventive maintenance, including annual inspection and de-liming of the heat exchanger when necessary.
LIGHTING
- The addition of fiber optic or automated color changing lighting can dramatically enhance your nighttime pool enjoyment.
PUMPS
- Turn the pool pump off before operating the multiport valve.
- If your pump starts running louder or making unusual noises, shut it off and contact your pool professional.
- If your pump motor hums but will not start, turn off the power and check to see if the impeller is clogged with debris.
- Make a habit of checking and emptying skimmer and pump baskets regularly.
SKIMMERS
- To prevent your skimmer basket from tipping over when the pump switches on or off, place a small weight or rock in the bottom (the weight must be larger than the suction pipe below the basket).
- Check to make sure the skimmer weir is in place and is moving freely.
- Make a habit of checking and emptying skimmer and pump baskets regularly.
POOL SAFETY TIPS - Adults
To learn more about how to take swimming precautions and how to help those in emergency situations contact your local American Red Cross or for free water safety booklets, call the NSPSC at 800-323-3996.
FOOD
- Do not chew gum or eat while you swim; you could easily choke.
- Never drink alcohol and swim.
- Use common sense about swimming after eating. In general, you do not have to wait an hour after eating before you may safely swim. However, if you have had a large meal, it is wise to let digestion get started before doing strenuous activity such as swimming.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
- If you come upon a person in an emergency, remember CHECK-CALL-CARE: CHECK the scene to ensure it's safe and CHECK the victim, CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency number, and CARE for the person until help arrives.
- Take an American Red Cross CPR and first aid class.
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
- Watch out for the "dangerous too's"-too tired, too cold, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
- Stay out of the water when overheated.
- Know your swimming limits and stay within them. Don't try to keep up with a stronger skilled swimmer or encourage others to keep up with you. Keep an eye on weaker swimmers-if they appear tired, encourage them to rest on land.
- Obey "No Diving" signs, which always indicate the area is unsafe for head-first entries. Always check the depth of the water before you dive. A general rule is to enter feet first into water rather than head-first if you don't know the depth. In addition, learn the correct way to dive from a qualified instructor.
- Know local weather conditions and prepare for electrical storms. Because water conducts electricity, it is wise to stop swimming as soon as you see or hear a storm.
POOL SAFETY TIPS - Children
To learn more about how to take swimming precautions and how to help those in emergency situations contact your local American Red Cross or for free water safety booklets, call the NSPSC at 800-323-3996.
SAFETY
- Install barriers to make the pool or spa area safer and delay entry of unsupervised children. Fences should be at least four feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates, which are kept in good working order. Power safety covers or doors equipped with an alarm system or self-closing and self-latching devices are other effective safety features. While these measures do not replace supervision, they can prevent or detect access by young children to the pool. Use these barriers in "layers," with each layer adding to the safety of the pool.
- Don't leave toys in the water: Toys could lure a child back when a parent is not present.
- Enroll in a water safety course with your child: Your decision to provide your child with an early aquatic experience is a gift that will have infinite rewards.
- Watch the weather: Know local weather conditions and prepare for electrical storms. Because water conducts electricity, stop swimming as soon as you see or hear a storm.
SUPERVISION
- All caretakers of children: parents, grandparents, baby-sitters, older siblings, etc., must be instructed to watch children constantly.
- Children are naturally curious and must be supervised at all times when in and around all bodies of water, including pools and spas. The NSPSC says: "Drowning is a silent accident; rarely is there a cry for help or a splash, yet it is preventable. Never take your eyes off a child when he/she is in or near any body of water, even for a second."
- At no time should you leave your child unattended in or around any water environment (pool, stream, tub, toilet, bucket of water), no matter what skills your child has acquired and no matter how shallow the water.
- Don't rely on substitutes: The use of flotation devices and inflatable toys cannot replace parental supervision. Such devices could suddenly shift position, lose air or slip out from underneath, leaving the child in a dangerous situation.
- Encourage safe practices: Don't assume young children will use good judgment and caution around the water. Children must be constantly reminded to walk slowly in the pool area and only to enter the water with you.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
- Remember CHECK-CALL-CARE: If you come upon a person in an emergency, CHECK the scene to ensure it's safe and CHECK the victim, CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency number, and CARE for the person until help arrives.
- Take an American Red Cross CPR and first aid class.
- Keep a phone by the pool.
- Knowing these skills can be important around the water and you will expand your capabilities in providing care for your child.
POOL TIPS - Water Level Tips
WATER LEVELS
- Maintain your pool water level halfway up the skimmer box opening.
- Normally, a pool should lose no more than 1/4 inch of water per day. If you notice a greater loss, suspect a leak.
- If you notice water-saturated soils in the area around the pool, pool pumps or plumbing, your pool may be leaking.
- If you see bubbles in the return water when the pool's pump is running, it's likely there's a leak in the suction side of the filtration system.