Summer is quickly approaching. In many ways, it’s already here. But if your pool isn’t properly cleaned and maintained, it may as well be winter in your backyard.
So follow these 5 pointers from the pool maintenance experts at Lucas Firmin Pools to get and keep your Baton Rouge in-ground pool ready for summer!
Banish that pollen from your in-ground pool
Oh, pollen. The seasonal bane of every outdoor surface in Louisiana. Even if you don’t suffer from a pollen allergy, you certainly don’t want that pesky yellow substance clumping up and staining your pool walls and decking.
When trying to get rid of pollen, running your filtration system regularly can keep pollen from accumulating on the water’s surface and reduce the amount of manual labor you’ll have to perform to clean your pool. In addition to regular filtration, you’ll want to skim your pool daily (twice daily during the height of pollen season) and chemically shock your pool to kill anything under the pollen that has decided to call your pool home.
Balance your Baton Rouge pool's chemicals
When chemical levels become unbalanced, your pool can have a host of unwanted issues (murky water, bacteria growth, and irritating to skin). If you weren’t checking your water levels on a weekly basis throughout the winter, you should test for chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and calcium before opening your pool for swimming this summer.
Pick up a testing kit (we recommend the Taylor K-2006 FAS-DPD kit) to determine the current chemical levels in your pool. Adjust levels as needed to keep your water perfectly balanced.
Check for cracks in the walls and floor of your in-ground pool
Whether you have plaster, concrete, or vinyl-lining, cracks and tears in the surface of your pool are not only unsightly, but they create a safety hazard for swimmers. Over time, these cracks and tears will only worsen, so please call a pool construction expert immediately.
Test your pool filter
Proper filtration is crucial for your pool’s longevity. Whether it’s sand-, cartridge-, or DE-based, it’s very important to watch and record your filter gauge’s reading. Sand filters should be backwashed and rinsed weekly. Cartridge filters have four cartridges that must be taken out and cleaned thoroughly. DE filters will need to be backwashed & rinsed three times before adding the appropriate amount of required DE powder to the skimmer.
Never drain your in-ground pool completely
While it may seem like a quick, uncomplicated way to clean your pool’s walls and floor following winter and the pollen season, draining your pool can greatly increase the risk of cracks appearing in the pool structures. If the surrounding ground is not sufficiently dry, draining your pool completely of water can even cause your pool to pop out of the ground. If your inground pool does need to be drained completely, leave it to the pool maintenance experts of Baton Rouge.
As Certified Pool Operators™, the service and maintenance technicians at Lucas Firmin Pools will keep your pool in tip-top shape all year long, so you don’t have to spend your free time testing water balance, cleaning filters, and waging war against pollen. Give the pool building and maintenance experts at Lucas Firmin Pools today to guarantee your pool is summer-ready from now on.
