As summer approaches, ensuring your pool is in optimal condition is essential. To have a pool that is ready to use, safe and able to cope with the heat and constant use, it’s vital to perform a few key checks.
To help you prepare and maintain your pool during the warmer months and make the most out of those long, hot summer days, we’ve prepared this detailed, step-by-step guide on what’s involved.
How To Get Your Pool Summer Ready And Keep It That Way
Enhance Filtration During Hot Weather
Elevated temperatures can encourage algae growth and increase debris accumulation. To combat this, operate your filtration system for at least 10 hours daily during hot spells. This extended filtration helps maintain water clarity and hygiene.
Additionally, if your pool is getting a lot of use from morning to night, it is common for it to be quite cloudy by the end of the day (sunscreen, body oils, urine, etc, all contribute to this). So, where possible, run your pool manually on medium speed overnight. This should have your water sanitised and crystal clear by the morning, ready for another day of action!
Apply Sunscreen (To the Pool)
Pool sunscreen is a chemical, also known as stabiliser, that protects chlorine from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. It’s usually added to outdoor pools at the beginning of the swimming season to help extend the life of the chlorine in the water. This aids in keeping chlorine levels stable, reducing the need to keep adding more and ensuring water stays properly sanitised.
Regularly Test Water and Balance Pool Chemicals
Maintaining balanced water chemistry is crucial for a safe, enjoyable swimming environment and the longevity of your pool surfaces and equipment. This is especially true in summer, where evaporation and increased use can alter water chemistry and introduce harmful contaminants.
Key things to test for, monitor and adjust in the lead up to and during summer include:
- pH Levels: Aim for a pH between 7.2 and 7.8. Levels outside this range can lead to skin and eye irritation, equipment corrosion, or scale formation.
- Total Alkalinity (TA): Keep TA within 80–120 ppm to stabilise pH levels and prevent fluctuations.
- Calcium Hardness: Maintain calcium levels between 200–400 ppm to prevent scaling or etching of pool surfaces.
- Chlorine Levels: Ensure chlorine is maintained at 1–3 ppm to effectively sanitise the water without causing irritation to eyes and skin.
Regular testing, at least once or twice a week during summer months, allows for timely adjustments to these chemical levels. Should you have a self-testing, mineral pool system from Laguna, much of this will be easier to manage and fewer harsh chemicals are required to keep the pool clear and sanitised.
It’s also wise to be mindful of how much Summer rain your pool receives as this will dilute your water chemistry and the pollutants in the rain can reduce sanitiser levels. So it’s a good idea to test your pool water after a rain event to ensure you can re-balance your water chemistry ASAP.
Keep Consistent Cleaning Habits
Regular cleaning throughout the year prevents debris buildup and maintains water quality, making it easier to have your pool summer ready.
- Skimmer Baskets: Check and clean skimmer baskets weekly to ensure proper filtration and water circulation.
- Pool Surfaces: Brush and vacuum the walls and floor regularly to prevent algae growth and maintain a pristine appearance.
For Laguna pools with an in-floor cleaning system, automated debris removal reduces manual maintenance efforts and helps to keep your pool clean and ready to use in all seasons.
Maintain Optimal Water Levels
Ensure the water level is at least halfway up the skimmer box opening. Proper water levels are vital for effective skimming and filtration, preventing potential equipment damage.
Evaporation in hot weather and splash-out during peak use can cause water levels to drop more quickly than expected, so be sure to closely monitor this during summer months.
Inspect and Maintain Equipment
Regular inspection and maintenance of pool equipment ensures efficient operation. Scheduling a check before the summer season is especially important as this is when the equipment will be used the most.
- Pumps and Filters: Clean or backwash filters as needed and verify that pumps are functioning correctly and their baskets are empty.
- Solar Systems: Ensure these are switched on and functioning properly so you can harness the best of the warm sunny weather.
- Probes: In self-testing pools, probes need regular cleaning and replacement if not functioning to ensure proper chemical readings.
Perform Essential Safety Checks
Of course, we want our pool to look great, but pool safety is also very important. The lead up to Summer and entering peak pool season is a good time to check that your pool is still compliant with all safety regulations.
- Check that your pool gates are self-closing.
- Be aware of CPR instructions and ensure these are properly displayed in your pool area.
- Ensure pool fencing is intact and that any vertical gaps are less than 100 mm apart.
- Remove any climbable objects away from pool fencing.
We also advise:
- Keeping your eyes on young children at all times, it only takes a moment for tragedy to strike.
- Not propping your pool gate open, no matter how annoying it may get going in and out all day—it’s there for a good reason.
- Not using glassware or drinking from glass bottles—broken glass is very hard to see in pools or remove without properly draining the pool.
- Limiting alcohol consumption around pools while swimming or supervising others.
By following these steps, you can ensure your pool is ready for use and remains a refreshing and safe haven throughout the summer months. Need help? Laguna’s expert team is available to provide advice or assistance as needed, just give us a call.
