HOME WORK: Crystal Clear
Other Columnists
Now that your swimming pool is open for the season - it
must be by now, right? - how do you keep the water sparkling clean?
It's not as difficult as it might seem. The folks who build and service
swimming pools say homeowners can experience a season virtually free from
problems if they remember one thing: It's all about the water.
"Water chemistry is the most important factor in swimming-pool
maintenance," says Mark Fitzgerald, owner of Lifestyle Pools in Lake Grove.
Fitzgerald has been building and servicing swimming pools for 25 years. And
every year, from mid March to the end of October, his company builds about 60
pools. The rest of the season, Fitzgerald's company services the pools it
builds. "If the water is balanced properly, everything else falls into place."
What's water chemistry? In the world of swimming pools, it means regularly
adding industry-designed chemicals to control microorganisms in the water. The
right combination of chemicals not only keeps water cleaner, it can prolong the
life of expensive equipment, from electrical components in the pump and
filtering system to the pliable vinyl liners or gunite (sprayed-on concrete)
walls.
Because pool technology is a rapidly advancing field, a wide variety of
chemicals is available. And Fitzgerald admits the average homeowner can easily
be confused. It's typical, he says, for a homeowner to add more chlorine (the
most common pool disinfectant) than necessary, see a pool that appears clean,
and then just continue the practice.
"The only way to really make sure your water is chemically balanced is to
test it regularly," says Finn Hanserud, Lifestyle Pools' field supervisor,
whose job primarily is responding to service and maintenance calls and
troubleshooting poorly maintained pools. Regardless of the pool - in-ground or
above - or its major sanitizing-additive - traditional chlorine or the newer
salt-based systems - its water must be tested for pH, a measure of hydrogen ion
concentration; chlorine, a disinfectant; and total alkalinity, which is
closely associated with pH. Total alkalinity is measuring the water's
resistance to change in pH.
If you can properly maintain these three elements of water chemistry,
experts say pool maintenance normally is a snap.
Some pool experts prefer daily testing; others weekly. Generally, the pool
makeup, location and use will help you decide. And pool supply outlets have
several kits that reveal water chemistry. Popular for years have been kits with
red and yellow liquids for about $10. Water from the deep end - about 12
inches below the surface - is collected in two separate tubes and five drops of
each liquid are added to each tube. The water in each tube turns color, and
the color is related to a numeric range. Proper pH is between 7.2 and 7.6 on
the red side of the tube; acceptable chlorine levels range from 1 to 3 parts
per million on the yellow side.
Testing for total alkalinity (ideal range is 80 to 120 parts per million)
used to mean another tube or a larger testing kit, for about $20. Today,
water-test strips that turn color - red for pH, yellow for chlorine, green for
alkalinity - are available. A container of 50 test strips is about $10.
There are issues with maintaining balanced water chemistry, experts say.
Depending on the type of chlorine (it commonly comes in granular and tablet
form), adding too much can either raise or lower pH significantly.
"There is some work behind it," says Alan Sanderfoot, a Wisconsin-based
author of how-to pool and spa books, about pool maintenance. "Sometimes,
industry people make it sound like it's the easiest thing in the world. But
many factors are involved."
Sanderfoot says pool location, weather and frequency of use can affect
water chemistry. "Every pool is unique," he says. "Every pool is used
differently. One pool may be used by a retired couple, so the demand for
chemical sanitization will be different than a pool with frequent pool parties."
Sanderfoot advises that pool owners understand their sanitizing systems
(how the water is disinfected) and start slowly when adding chemicals. "It's
like a haircut," he says. "You can always cut a little here and a little there.
But if you start out cutting too much, you can get into trouble." Adding
chemicals too quickly can make things a mess and create a buildup of solids in
the water.
Both Sanderfoot and Hanserud agree that balancing pH is the most crucial
step in proper water chemistry. After that, other things generally fall into
place.
Hanserud advises homeowners to know a little about their pool's filtering
and sanitizing systems. The first step is keeping operator's manuals handy;
these contain crucial information on general maintenance, winterizing and
troubleshooting.
Filters commonly use sand or diatomaceous earth; sanitizing can range from
traditional chlorine to various types of new, high-tech systems. Some newer
pools feature sanitizing systems where electrically charged salt is changed to
chlorine. While these salt-chlorine generating systems feature digital settings
and reduce maintenance demands, regular water testing remains crucial. While
local experts recommend weekly water testing using kits or test strips,
Sanderfoot prefers testing every day.
While testing a newly built pool last week, Fitzgerald discovered a low
chlorine level. While adjusting the booster to increase the salt input for a
new salt-generating system, he said, "Once the water chemistry is balanced,
it's also important to keep it that way."
Fitzgerald says he takes water monthly from his own pool to a local
pool-supply outlet for free testing. "It takes the guesswork out of adding
chemicals."
Another way to remove the guesswork is to hire a professional service for
weekly cleaning and testing. Such service starts at about $35 and can include
vacuuming the pool.
"Whether you hire it out or do it yourself, you have to make sure to keep
the pool clean as well as the water chemically balanced," says Larry Panza,
vice president of operations for Lifestyle Pools. Panza meets with new pool
owners and goes over service agreements, maintenance issues and opening and
closing procedures.
"It takes some time, sure," Panza says, "but if you do a little homework
and rely on the information provided by your pool builder, you can do it and do
it well."
Getting into the swim of pool cleaning
YOU CAN PERFORM some pool maintenance tasks, from repairing automatic cleaners
to adding common household products for balancing pH. Here are a few things I
did this spring to start off the season with sparkling clean pool water:
I repaired my Polaris 360 automatic pool cleaner. Such cleaners use their
own return valve to roll around the pool floor and walls, sucking debris and
dirt into a nylon bag. The cleaner reduces the time I spend vacuuming. And
because dirt is kept from entering the filter, it reduces maintenance of my
filter.
My recent repair featured installing two new drive belts and a wheel
bearing. I had to take apart the unit; however, I have the original documents
and referred to the manufacturer's manual. It took about 40 minutes to make the
repairs. Parts were about $45, but a tune-up alone - minus parts - can run
from about $75 at pool outlets.
Keep a few 12-pound bags of baking soda handy. On Long Island, I find the
pH can drop quickly during hot spells and after hard rains. Adding baking soda
increases pH. It doesn't have the life span of pool-grade pH increasers, but
it's natural, inexpensive and keeps the water sparkling clean.
- GARY DYMSKI
Tips for maintaining the perfect pool
Alan Sanderfoot's book, "What Color Is Your Swimming Pool? A Homeowner's Guide
to Trouble-Free Pool, Spa & Hot Tub Maintenance" (Storey Books, $19.95), is my
personal swimming pool bible.
Years ago, when my crisp, clear pool water turned deep green, I found my
pool had too much copper (from adding an excessive amount of copper-based
algaecide).
Sanderfoot's book guided me to a cure. Here are his tips for keeping your
pool water clean and sparkling:
Cover it when not in use. Investing in an automatic pool cover shields the
water surface from debris. Also, it saves on heating costs and lessens the
degradation effects of UV rays on sanitizers.
Invest in automatic sanitizing equipment. It doesn't take long for an algae
bloom to take over a pool. Equipment that automatically measures the amount of
active sanitizer (commonly chlorine) and adds or makes more as needed helps
maintain consistent sanitizer levels.
Maintain proper water balance. Check water chemistry daily to make sure pH
and total alkalinity are in the proper ranges. When pH and alkalinity are out
of control, sanitizers cannot work as effectively and water can cloud.
Clean the water line weekly. Body oils, suntan lotions, and other
contaminants tend to float to the surface, creating a dirty water line. If it
builds up, it can be hard to clean. Apply a mild detergent with a soft cloth or
long-bristled nylon brush.
Clean the filter as needed. There are a variety of pool filter types, and
each has its own maintenance regimen. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's
maintenance instructions to ensure that the filtration system is operating at
peak performance.
Shower before entering the pool. Cleaner swimmers mean cleaner pool water.
An outdoor shower allows pool users to rinse off before jumping in.
Buy an automatic pool vac. These devices maneuver about the pool, sucking
up debris. They eliminate the time-consuming step of vacuuming. Newer units
even have built-in sanitizing systems.
Landscape wisely. It's nice having flowers and plants close to the water's
edge, whether they are in beds or planters. However, choose plants that won't
drop a lot of petals and leaves into the pool. Also, bag grass clippings when
you mow so they aren't tracked into the pool on wet feet.
Ask for help. If you're struggling with cloudy water or unsightly pool
stains, consult a professional. A supply store or service contractor often is
trained to assess the problem and recommend a solution. Once the problem is
identified, adding the right chemical in the correct amount is much easier.
When in doubt, hire a service company. You'll get peace of mind because
someone else will be maintaining your pool all season long.
- GARY DYMSKI
