A pool is a wonderful way to add value to a home, in terms of its property worth, aesthetics, and the quality of life for your family. However, like any other valuable piece of equipment, a pool needs to be maintained and kept clean. Keeping a pool clean will increase its longevity between renovations, require fewer costly repairs, keep the water sanitary and safe, and allow you to regularly use and enjoy it. Failing to keep your pool clean, however, can be costly in terms of both your wallet and your health.

Common Signs That You Need to Clean Your Pool

• Clogged drains: A major concern for pool owners, a clogged drain can burn out the motor of the pool, forcing an expensive repair to fix it and replace parts. Check your drains regularly and clear out any debris that is cluttering them to avoid this.
• Algae growth: If the water in the pool or any of your pool’s components has started to develop a green tinge to it, that’s usually a sign that algae has started to form in the pool. This occurs if the pool isn’t cleaned properly on a regular basis. There are numerous products for preventing and removing algae, but hiring a cleaning service may be your best bet.
• Illness: Failing to maintain a pool’s cleanliness and quality can lead to serious health issues like skin, eye, ear, and respiratory irritations. A buildup of bacteria in pool water can contaminate it and lead to rashes, eye infections, and more.
• Mosquitoes: Summertime is not only the height of pool enjoyment, but it’s also mosquito breeding season. Unfortunately, this means that the insects will be popping up to ruin the time that you want to use your pool the most. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in bodies of still water, up to four hundred eggs at a time, which means that they’re likely to infest your swimming pool. If your backyard has begun to develop a mosquito problem, it is critical to check and clean your pool to keep the infestation to a minimum.

Pool Cleaning Steps

Keeping a pool in the best state possible requires you to clean it yourself or hire the services of a professional pool cleaning company. If you plan to clean it yourself, here are the most common and routine things you can do to maintain your pool’s health.

• Remove debris: A long-handled leaf skimmer can remove leaves, insects, dirt, and other types of floating debris. Doing this approximately once every couple of days will remove debris before it can float to the bottom, where it becomes much harder to remove by hand. Once it does float down, you’ll need to use a pool vacuum to get it.
• Clean the filters: Filters are critical to keeping your pool’s water clean and clear of debris. Make a habit of checking and cleaning your filters regularly, and replace them as needed.
• Brush the surface of the pool: At least once a week, you’ll want to use a manual brush and pool vacuum on the walls and floor of the pool, even if your pool has an automatic cleaning system. There are certain parts of a pool that automatic cleaning systems fail to reach, such as stairs, corners, and hard-to-reach areas that don’t get much circulation. Be careful when brushing near the bottom of the pool, however, as scraping with the edges of a brush can cause marking and damage to the plaster. In this instance, you may have to hire a pool replastering service to repair the damage.
• Test chemical levels: There are multiple important chemicals to balance in a pool, such as chlorine, alkalinity, and calcium hardness. Chlorine and pH levels should be tested roughly two to three times a week, total alkalinity once a week, and calcium levels once a month in order to ensure a safe and sanitary swimming pool. 
• Have damage repaired ASAP: No matter how well maintained, a pool will eventually begin to age and deteriorate. Plaster will begin to crumble and tiles will crack, leaving debris in your pool water and letting contaminants enter it. Pool repair services like pool replastering, pool tile repair, and more are critical for maintaining a pool’s long-term health.

As long as you follow these steps and do your due diligence, your pool can provide you and your family with countless hours of fun and entertainment. At So Cal Pool Plaster, we offer a wide range of pool installation and renovation services, such as pool restoration, pool tile repair, pool replastering, and more. As a full-service pool contractor, we can help you in every step of the installation or renovation process, and we always strive to work in a transparent and efficient manner. If you would like to receive a free estimate for your pool renovation or installation project, please call us at (714) 617-8182.