We are going to share the biggest secret of the swimming pool service trade right here with all of you! I hope other swimming pool service contractors do not hate me after, but here it is: The biggest trade secret to make your swimming pool sparkle in the winter is consistency in servicing your pool.

Yes, I know this is probably a let down for many of you, but servicing a swimming pool is a lot like taking care of your lawn. It may seem obvious, but servicing a swimming pool requires your attention once a week, every week. You should only attempt this if you are an expert with water chemistry though, because your swimming pool can become a contaminated lake if your water is not properly sanitized and balanced.

A Good Automatic Cleaner Like The Pool Cleaner From Hayward Can be a Huge Help in Making Your Swimming Pool Sparkle!!

We always recommend an automatic swimming pool cleaner that attaches to your suction port in the skimmer or to the suction wall port if available. These cleaners will vacuum up the bottom of the pool and save you a lot of time as they vacuum whenever the pump comes on.

These cleaners combined with consistent, repetitive service on a pre-scheduled day ensures a sparkling swimming pool all the time. Over time, you will get leaves and dirt in your swimming pool and you need to understand how your pool system works or make sure you have a good water chemistry certified pool service.

Only qualified professionals should open up or attempt to fix swimming pool equipment. I have heard of people getting hurt from exploding filter tops and such, so please call a professional if you are not an expert!

Here are some basics we perform to ensure our swimming pools filter efficiently and sparkle in the winter:

Check, balance, and add chemicals as needed to make sure you will measure these ideal levels the following week.

3.0 to 4.0 ppm of chlorine

80 to 120 ppm total alkalinity (specifically carbonate alkalinity)

pH 7.2 to 7.6

Now that we have properly added chemicals and balanced our water chemisty, it is time to clean the pool.

Here is the list in order of how we clean:

1. brush tile and steps of pool
2. net the top of the pool and all the big things on the bottom
3. vacuum the bottom if need be or net the whole bottom of the pool until it is immaculate
4. brush the sides, steps, and ledges
5.  clean out baskets

Keeping Your Swimming Pool Filter System Running Efficient is Half the Battle

Once your swimming pool is clean with ideal water chemistry, make sure your pool equipment is properly maintained. You need to know what your normal, operating filter p.s.i. is. This is the guage on top of your filter. If it reads 20 p.s.i after being torn down and fully cleaned, you need to know that this is your measuring post. When your filter p.s.i. goes above this level even slightly, it is time to backwash your filter if possible. If your pool filter does not have a backwash valve, you need to have your filter opened up and serviced at this time. Read more about swimming pool filters here Swimming Pool Filter Issues…

If you happen to notice your filter p.s.i. is lower then your normal measuring post, this usually means you have a water flow issue (filled up pump basket, blocked up plumbing line or automatic cleaner valve improperly turned, etc.)

Confirm your system is running efficiently and all your baskets are cleaned. You are now one step closer to the swimming pool sparkle, so lets now put the halo on this pool!

This is where we give a final look and confirm the completion of our work!

– Look for any leaves or debris we may have missed.

-We need to make sure that the automatic cleaner is moving normal.

-filter pressure at it’s measuring post.

-pump, skimmer, and canister baskets all cleaned.

-system is on auto or timer is on proper time and in the

accurate position of off or on.

Once all of this is complete, the swimming pool sparkle should be on display and ready for the next week! The hardest part is actually performing these steps week after week. Taking the time to care for your pool on a consistent basis will make your swimming pool sparkle which is a big part of your Pool Heaven in Irvine, Ca.