Spring is approaching and it’s almost time to dust off the goggles and take to the backyard pool.
And local pool expert, Poolwerx Shailer Park and Redland Bay franchise partner Brendan Brown, has a few tips for pool-owners to save effort, time and money when it comes to preparing for the hot weather.
Mr Brown’s big tip for pool-owners hoping to beat the cost of living is to purchase energy efficient pumps.
“Energy saving pumps and variable speed pumps, although a little bit more expensive in the short term, will save you a lot of running costs in electricity consumption in the long term,” Mr Brown said.
“We’ve noticed there’s a trend towards more user-friendly equipment, such as things you can connect to your phone.
“Pool cleaners you can control by Bluetooth, or Wi Fi chlorinators and pool lights, are becoming more prevalent now.”
Mr Brown said there was a simple checklist for pool-owners to follow to get their pools swim-ready.
“One of the first things to do is to take all the debris off the cover if there’s one on there, or clean any of the organic matter out of the pool,” he said.
“Check the water level to make sure it is at least halfway up the skimmer box opening so you get strong water flow, and then you won’t risk damaging the pump.
“Turn the system on and run it to make sure you’ve got good water circulation.”
Next, Mr Brown said to have the pool water tested.
“Then you know it’s chemically balanced and safe,” he said.
Mr Brown said that even if the pool water looks clear, it could still have pH and chlorine imbalances, which can “irritate swimmers and prematurely age pool equipment”.
“Most pool shops will give free in-store testing,” he said.
“We recommend testing the pool monthly, but it depends on how often it’s being used.”
He said the more a pool is used, and the more people in the pool, the more it should be tested.
“You’ve also got to check your equipment,” Mr Brown said.
“Check your pump make sure it sounds okay and is working okay, give your filter a good clean – whether it’s a cartridge filter or a media filter, give it a good clean.”
“As we come into the warmer months, your chlorine demand is going to start to increase so you might want to extend your equipment running time or turn your chlorinator up a little bit to keep up with the demand.
“And check that the chlorinator cell is clean and hasn’t got any calcium buildup on it because if it does, it’s not going to work as effectively.”
Mr Brown warned not to empty a pool without first seeking advice, because it can cause the pool shell to crack or lift above the ground.
“And last but definitely not least, is do a safety check on your pool and your pool fence,” he said.
“Make sure your pool fence is not compromised in any way, make sure the gate is self-closing and self-latching, make sure you’ve got a CPR chart clearly displayed, and if you need your own personal CPR qualification refreshed, do it now.”
