Pool Hacks
We all like a shortcut. It saves us time and money. And when it comes to our swimming pools, we know they can cost us a pretty penny and take time to maintain. So, having some tips to that can help us out with our time management and budget is certainly worth trying. Give these hacks a whirl and see if they make a difference.
Cleaning Hacks
If you have not tried a Mr. Clean Eraser by now, where have you been? The nifty little sponge can take marks, stains, and smudges out of many things in and around your pool including the fiberglass steps; tiling; and aluminum and plastic coping, handrails, and ladders; and pool furniture. When it comes to your pool water, you can use tennis balls to absorb oils left behind by swimmers, including natural body oil, suntan lotions, makeup and hair products. You can just place a couple of tennis balls in your pool and let them float around. This will also work in your hot tub and is extra helpful if you let your four-legged friends in your pool. But the best hack to eliminate bather waste is to shower prior to entering. When it comes to cleaning around your pool, you can use a leaf blower to blow any deck debris away. Remember to blow away from the pool. This trick also is great in the winter to remove debris from your pool cover. Do this on a dry day and do so with caution and never walk across the cover.
Maintenance Hacks
Did you have water clarity issues or did you just have a big party making your pool water cloudy? You can use your manual vacuum head as a main drain to help speed up clearing the pool water. Take your manual vacuum and hook it up via your skimmer. Then, place it upside down in the deepest portion of the pool to act as a main drain in order to clear you water faster if you’re experiencing cloudiness.
Do you suspect you have a leak? Before you give us a call, you can so some simple leak detecting tests yourself. First, you can try a bucket test. Fill a bucket near the top with pool water and place on the first step of the pool. Mark the water level on the bucket with tape and the water level along the tile line of the pool with tape. The longer you can leave the bucket in that place undisturbed from swimmers and weather, the more accurate picture we can get of the possible leak. Check the water levels often and log times and results. Be aware, when the system is running, pressure side leaks tend to lose more water.
Next, you can try using a testing reagent from a liquid test kit or food coloring (diluted as to not stain) to find the source. First, you need to shut off the pump and then drop some of the dye around the areas you suspect a leak. Typical areas include step jets, pool lights, and skimmers. When you are near the leak, you will notice the dye get sucked in at the spot where the leak is.
Heating Hacks
If you don’t have a heater or want to try some cheaper alternatives to heating your water, you can give these hacks a try. When adding fresh water to your pool, you should use a black hose. It is best to leave the black hose coiled in the sun to absorb the sun’s solar heat. Then, you can use that to add some heated water. Another way to garnish the sun’s energy to heat the pool is through solar rings. You can make your own or purchase a few inexpensive ones to make a “solar cover’. Be forewarned this won’t heat as fast or as much as a heater, but it’s a hack not a replacement.
Can’t Hack It
Not interested in these hacks. As always, we are here to address any of the above issues you may have with your pool. Just give us a call!
