First Time Pool Owner

1. Cleaning is essential.

Pretty much like your car, your house, or even the computer you may use every day, maintaining your pool can help prolong its beauty and extend its longevity. After all, having spent the time, effort, and money, having those luxury pool builders design and build you the pool of your dreams, you want it to look at its very best for as long as possible! Maintaining your pool can be done in different ways typically through a pool service company that visits and cleans your pool weekly. You can also do it on your own.

 Cleaning can help maintain pool water balance and keep dirt, debris, and microorganisms like algae at bay. Plus, it can help make your pool irresistibly inviting.

2. Keep your pool water in check.

As essential keeping your pool clean is, it’s also important that you pay close attention to the pool’s water chemistry. Proper pool water chemistry allows you to avoid many of the common issues including cloudy or green water, dark or slippery spots, mineral stains and buildup, and so on. Like cleaning and maintenance, checking the pool water’s chemistry is generally carried out by pool service companies using professional quality water testing kits. However, you can also do it on your own using pool water test strips.

3. Have a professional drain your pool.

I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories of in-ground swimming pools that pop off the ground. That’s because you simply can’t drain your pool. There are factors that play around draining the water off your pool including hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure is a buildup of pressure that happens when too much water is absorbed by the soil in the ground. This pushes the concrete pool upwards causing it to pop off the ground. That said, pool service companies will typically drain the pool under good weather as rainwater can also cause water to be absorbed by the rainwater. Also, because there’s no pressure to keep the pool pressed in the ground, the opposite pressure from below can push the entirety of the concrete structure. So, unless you’ve been draining pools for a living, ask a professional to drain your pool.

4. You can take up a pool loan.

If you’re a few hundred dollars or grand short, you can take up a pool loan. If you’ve already managed to save some cash for your pool project, you can just finance a part of your swimming pool remodeling, renovation, or construction project. This means that if you’re working with a limited budget, you can still add the features you want and the features you need. Pool installation experts such as the ones found at https://premierpoolsandspas.com/inground-pools/fiberglass-swimming-pools/ typically offer a loan scheme or finance options, so that you can get the pool you’ve always dreamed of without needing piles of cash laying around. 

And speaking of features …

5. Not having some features can be illegal.

If you’re a first time pool owner, you’ll be surprised to know that it’s illegal not to have some pool features. In the state of California, a residential swimming pool is required to have a 3-sided pool fence plus two of any of the safety features listed below. 

• Enclosure isolating the pool or the spa.
• A mesh fence isolating the pool or the spa.
• A safety pool cover or an automatic pool cover.
• Gate alarms or door alarms.
• A door with a latching system that’s at least 54” tall.
• Swimming pool alarm systems.

 
Under the California Pool Safety Act of 2018, these safety features are necessary to ensure the safety of residential pools making them a pool owner’s legal obligation.

6. Pool features increase the value of your home.

Still about features, you’d be glad to know that the features you add to your backyard pool will coalesce to increase the value of your homes. And we’re not just talking about the safety features, we’re talking about features like Baja steps, water slides, spas, beach entries, and even a pool bar. So, feel free to contact your pool service contractor to find out what kind of features would work best with your pool. They can also help you personalize your pool whether you want it to look like a mini resort or a classic Grecian and Roman bath.

7. Variable-speed pool pumps are lifesavers.

There’s a reason why the local government of California pushes the use of variable-speed pool pumps. They help save energy compared to the traditional single-speed pool pumps and also can help you qualify for a DWP Pool Pump Rebate. The rebate can help you fund additional pool features and the variable-speed pool pump can let you save money in the long run.

8. Resurfacing is a must.

Speaking of swimming pool projects, resurfacing may be one of the most important projects new and experienced pool owners can give their pool. Pool resurfacing involved the removal of the old pool surface in preparation of applying the new one. This plays a vital role in maintaining your pool because the interior surface separates the concrete below and the water in the actual pool. The cost of swimming pool resurfacing depends heavily on the type of material you will use. Make sure to talk to your pool contractor to know what options you have in resurfacing your pool. Nevertheless, plaster will be the cheapest while tiles and pebbles could be some of the more expensive options.

9. Storing chemicals at home could be hazardous.

When you own a pool, you will find that you will have to store chemicals in your home one way or another. These chemicals can include anything from chlorine and mineral sequestering agents. These chemicals can be a safety hazard especially if you have kids at home. That’s why you should consider converting your pool into a saltwater pool. It still uses chlorine but not in the traditional sense. Talk to your pool service provider to know more about saltwater pool conversions.

10. Pool service companies are a godsend.

Pool service companies are your friends, they help take care of your swimming pool for you and offer professional advice to help you maintain your pool on your own. It’s true that they won’t tell you everything, but little pointers from pool experts can go a long way.

These are the 10 things you need to know as a pool owner that can help you maintain and make better decisions for everything pool related.