The warm sun of Miami can feel like heaven. The long, bright, days are often best spent in the clear water of your own pool. However, as all pool owners know, if you don’t properly maintain your pool it can turn a refreshing dip into a very unpleasant, dirty, or even dangerous experience.

If you own your very own backyard oasis then you know how important pool maintenance in Miami is. The following text will discuss what can go wrong with your pool and a few suggestions on how to fix it so that your pool can stay clean and functional all year round. Of course, fixing and maintaining the pool may be a little too much for you to handle yourself. With this in mind, we will also discuss how a professional pool maintenance service can be a convenient way to keep your pool looking its best.

What Can Go Wrong With Your Pool?

As you probably know, there are many issues that can make your pool unusable. The type of pool you own, the materials from which it is constructed, its position on your property, and a host of other factors can influence the kind of maintenance that you require. The following is an outline of a few things that could require your attention if you own a pool.

Water Issues (Chemicals)

Consistently High/Low PH

Pool water can be a very hospitable environment for a host of plant life. Chemicals are necessary to keep these unsightly plants out of your pool. These chemicals must be properly balanced or they can cause damage to your pool and its equipment.

What is PH?

PH is the measure of the acidity of your pool’s water. The PH should be as close to 7, neutral, as possible. Too much of one type of chemical may make the pool to acidic. Too much of another type of chemical may make it too basic. Both are bad for your skin and your pool.

Water that is acidic will prevent algae from propagating and it will make your pool look sparkling clean. However, it can cause a lot of damage to many components of your pool. Acidic PH can,

• Damage your pool’s vinyl lining
• Damage the pump and the pool filter
• Cause the automatic cleaner to malfunction

Left untreated, acidic pool water can cause very expensive damage to virtually every part of your pool. This is why monitoring and adjusting the PH is so important to pool maintenance.

Don’t Forget About the Calcium

Just like PH, the calcium hardness in your pool must be monitored and adjusted, if needed. Calcium also helps to keep you pool’s water clean and clear. Too much calcium, though, can make the water cloudy and unpleasant to swim in. It also can damage the lining, the filter, and the concrete/plaster.

It is important to test and balance the calcium as well as the PH.

Shock Mistakes

Pool shock is a commonly used chemical that is very effective at keeping the pool clean. However, if it is not used correctly it can cause damage to your pool in the long run and also not function as it is intended.

Adding Shock Directly to Water

Pool shock is essentially very strong chlorine. It prevents growth by destroying plant life that want to make your pool their home. Many people make the mistake of adding shock directly to the water. When this happens, the particles can bleach your vinyl pool liner. This can cause damage and even leaks (which we will discuss later).

A good way to avoid this is to dissolve the shock in a bucket of warm water and then add it to the pool. This will give it a more even distribution throughout your pool which prevents it from concentrating in one area and causing damage. (This method may produce chlorine gas. If you utilize this method ensure that you are wearing the proper personal protection equipment.

Shocking Your Pool in the Daytime

Chlorine is so useful because it “attacks” foreign bodies that are in your pool. This process produces new particles called “chloromines”. These particles cause skin and eye irritation.

Fortunately, shock takes care of these particles. But, in the daytime the sun burns off a significant amount of shock. This prevents it from fulfilling its duties because it is no longer present at the correct concentration. Shocking the pool at night allows the shock the time to clear the pool of harmful particles.

Leaks and Structural Damage

Leaks

“Leak” is one of the worst words that a pool owner can hear. Leaks can be caused by a variety of factors including, improper installation. Assuming your pool is properly installed, there are a few preventative measures that you can take to attempt to avoid leaks and the expensive repairs that they involve.

One way to prevent leaks is to consistently pressure test the pipes to ensure that there is not a developing problem. Additionally, incorrectly balanced chemicals can have a long-term effects on your pool’s plumbing system. Keeping your pool balanced can help to lessen the likelihood/severity of leaks.

Concrete pools are especially vulnerable to these issues but, the likelihood of having these issues drastically decreases when the pool is properly maintained.

Wrapping Up

Pool maintenance in Miami is so vital because; it’s always summer here. When a problem does occur, fixing the pool can be an expensive and complicated process. The best way to avoid this is to keep up on the maintenance of your pool. Properly balancing the chemicals, testing and monitoring the plumbing system, and regularly inspecting your pool are all ways that you can extend the life of your pool.

Taking care of your pool can occupy a lot of time. If you fear that you do not have the time to take care of your pool you may consider a professional, pool servicing, company. These professionals have the experience to know what is best for your pool. Many provide cleaning services that will keep your pool perfectly maintained for those hot, Miami, days. Also, if something does malfunction, these companies can make fixing the pool quick and pleasant.