A pool is meant to be maintained year-round. Pool maintenance by definition would include cleaning the pool surface at least 4 times a week, keeping the water chemistry normal by using chlorine, PH levelers and more, and providing adequate filtration and water movement to keep the water circulating at healthy levels. Another maintenance factor is opening and closing the pool down for the season. There are times when you’ll need to do a deep-cleansing of your pool.
Most pools are winterized by shutting down all of the pumps and putting in jet plugs to secure the piping against freezing water. Next, a winter pool cover is placed over the pool. This cover is not solar-heated and usually is a very tough material to withstand heavy loads of rain water, and/or heavy objects falling onto the cover. Many owners will drain their pool for the winter which is fine, although can be dangerous if left un-covered.
As most pool owners are aware of these measures involved to keep a pool clean throughout the year, many pools do not get the proper treatment. For instance, if pool water is left untouched for long enough periods of time and the PH and Algae get out of hand, you can experience extreme amounts of greenish-brownish murky water. The effect of long-standing debris in the water can actually do harm to your pool’s surface causing it to stain beyond measure. As a general rule, if you can see the bottom of your pool, the odds are that you’ll be able to fix the water chemistry by a combination of super-shocking with large amounts of concentrated chlorine, other chemicals, as well as back-washing your pool.
Back-washing is a term that relates to the method of cleaning out your filter pump by blasting a high-pressure stream of dirty water through a release valve. During this process, the filter gets rid of all the really bad water helping the good water to restore its natural state. To cure the water once it has reached this stage takes much time and effort. If you simply cannot see the bottom of your pool and it looks like you’re staring into a dark oasis, it’s time to drain your pool and start from scratch.
Acid-washing is a deep cleansing procedure that is only to be used in the most severe cases where poorly-kept water stains the surface of the plaster. Acid-washing removes a very thin layer of the plaster to help restore the original color. Some people acid-wash their pool every couple of years as a general maintenance exercise to keep the surface looking bright, although we don’t recommend doing so any closer than 2 years apart since it does result in a thin layer of plaster being removed. Since acid is a very dangerous liquid, it is advised that only trained pool maintenance companies perform such cleaning task.
Owners of vinyl-lined pools do not have to use acid wash since the surface is made out of a smooth surface. Instead, a special cleaning detergent is recommended instead. It is also recommended when cleaning a vinyl liner pool to not empty the pool completely as this may cause the liner to bubble or pop out, causing the need to have it vacuum pulled while filling up with water.
