Archive for March, 2015

Tips for Softening Your Pool Water

Friday, March 20th, 2015

GettyImages_178806559Hard water is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved minerals. Although hard water is not harmful to your health, it can cause irritation of the skin and result in buildup in your pool’s plumbing system and on its visible surfaces. Treating your pool water to soften it can help to eliminate the limescale deposits left by hard water for a more beautiful and comfortable swimming pool.

Determine Your Pool Water’s Hardness

Before you can treat your pool water for hardness, you need to know the hardness level of the water. Test your pool’s water weekly to determine the hardness level with a hardness test strip. Dip the end of the strip in the water and compare the results with the chart provided on the strip’s packaging. Pool water that is harder than 300 parts per million should be treated to soften it.

Add Fresh Water

In some cases, all it takes is adding a bit of fresh water to your pool to reduce the hardness levels. Drain a few inches of water from the pool and refill it with your garden hose. Turn on your pool’s pump to circulate the water for at least 10-12 hours, then test the hardness of the water once more. If your pool’s hardness is still too high, there are further steps you can take to soften the water.

Use Chemical Water Softener

Water-softening pool chemicals reduce the hardness of your pool’s water. To add water softener to your pool, fill a five-gallon bucket with 2.5 gallons of water from your pool. Add water softener to the bucket based on the size of your pool and the instructions on the packaging. Mix the water and chemicals together, then pour the contents of the bucket into your pool and run the pump. Re-test your water for hardness after 24 hours to determine if additional softener is needed.

Blue Knight Pool Services can help you maintain a healthy, limescale-free pool with our pool water chemical service. You can reach us today by calling (520) 429-4696 or visiting our website to discuss pool maintenance and cleaning in Tucson.

Keeping Your Backyard Pool Environment Safe

Thursday, March 5th, 2015

GettyImages_166623417Your backyard pool is a wonderful way to enjoy time with family and friends. Keeping your pool environment safe will help to prevent pool-related accidents or injuries. If you have questions about maintaining your pool or your backyard for safety and comfort, contact your Tucson pool technician for more information.

Install and Maintain Pool Fencing

Pima County has specific pool and spa barrier requirements in place for safety purposes. These barriers are not only meant for your safety, but for the safety of any animals or people entering your property. If you own a backyard pool or spa, you must also install a fence or barrier to prevent accidental access to the pool. During the pool design process, you and your installer should plan for a pool barrier that meets these requirements, as well as your personal preferences and needs. Once your pool fencing is installed, it’s also important to maintain it to ensure it can perform its function properly.

Clean and Maintain Your Pool

Keeping your pool clean and maintained is a big step toward promoting a safe swimming environment. Test your pool water regularly and adjust its chemical content as necessary to prevent mold and algae growth and reduce hardness to prevent limescale buildup. Your pool should also be vacuumed and skimmed regularly to remove dirt and debris from the water. If your pool develops damage or a leak, have these issues repaired immediately; avoid using your pool until these repairs have been made. Many homeowners aren’t sure how to maintain their pool or don’t wish to do so on their own—if you’d rather not handle pool maintenance yourself, hire a pool service to regularly check and clean your pool for you.

The experienced pool technicians of Blue Knight Pool Services can help you care for your pool to ensure it is clean, healthy, and safe. We are pleased to offer general pool and chemical services, as well as pool cleaning and pool repair in Tucson. You can visit our website for additional information, or call (520) 429-4696 to schedule pool services.