Whistler Residential Pool Services

Residential Pool Care: What to Know 

Keeping a pool clean isn’t as simple as throwing in a few chemicals and turning on a robotic vacuum. Regular cleaning and maintenance doesn’t just improve visuals around swim spaces, it can help to extend the lifespan of pool structures and equipment. This means avoiding damage and the high costs of premature repairs and replacements. The best way to keep your pool in great shape is with a multi-step approach that addresses the structures of your swim space as well the internal water systems that keep it running. 

Clearing Out Debris: It is easy to scoop out unwanted items that are floating along the surface of pool water but this is only the tip of the iceberg! Heavier items will sink to the bottom of the pool where they are more difficult to remove. If not removed regularly, organic debris will rot and break apart, clogging up filters and skimmer baskets and leaving stains on vinyl liners. A standard vacuum can’t get debris out of corners or into the tight spaces around stairs. Speciality brushes can scrub away residue that has formed around water lines, manual pool vacuums suck up unwanted items and cleaning out skimmer baskets helps to remove pockets of bacteria. 

Achieving Water Balance: Pool supply stores are full of different types of testing kits designed to help you balance pool chemicals but these don’t often cover the full spectrum of water chemistry. Just shocking the pool once it starts to go cloudy might help to clear away some of the murkiness but that doesn’t mean that it is safe to swim in! Without a proper chemical treatment plan even freshly cleaned water won’t stay that way for long. Instead of relying on basic test strips, Puddle technicians test and balance chlorine levels, pH levels, total alkalinity and calcium. 

Keep Your Pool Filters Clean: It is easy to get caught up on water chemistry and forget about filtration systems but these are the unsung heroes of any swim space. These trap and hold small bits and pieces of debris while letting filtered water pass back into systems. If filters aren’t cleaned regularly it becomes harder for water to pass through. This means pool pumps have to work harder to circulate water. If pumps are working harder they will go through wear and tear, and will break down prematurely. Instead of dealing with a struggling pool pump, make filter cleaning a part of your routine. Cartridge filters should be removed, cleaned and reinstalled every 3-4 months while sand fillers need to be emptied and refilled with clean sand every 3-5 years. 

Seasonal Pool Care: No matter the type of pool that you are dealing with, they all need a little extra TLC when summer turns to fall. Cold temperatures make plastic brittle and cause water to freeze, expanding in pipes and causing damage. Not closing a pool for the off-season can mean widespread damage not just to the pool itself but the surrounding area too. Luckily, local Puddle technicians are ready to swing into action closing pools down in fall and opening them back up again in spring so you can make the most out of your swim space. Don’t want to close for winter? No problem! Ask your Puddle Pro about our off-season pool programs that keep your swim space usable and looking great on a bi-weekly basis.