Spending lavish time in a pool of crisp cold waters is arguably the best outdoor experience you could cook up on a hot summer day. This is especially true when the pool is indoor and positioned in a serene garden filled with the aura of naturally scented leaves and flowers.
As thrilling and heart-warming as this beautifully painted picture looks, the idea still feels like an unrealistic fantasy for many. This is because they are not financially buoyant to construct a well-lit swimming pool in their garden or backyard.
Intex pools are a space cum budget friendly swimming pool option you could try if you are not looking to construct a permanent swimming pool in your home. There is no gainsaying that Intex pools are cost-effective and really easy to setup. In fact, is for these reasons that they have become the new found love for pool lovers. Still, they need practically the same maintenance routines as the fanciest rooftop or decent suburban cement pool.
Before we take a look at helpful Intex pool maintenance tips to keep your swimming pool clean, let’s have a look at what makes your Intex pool water unclean and unhygienic in the first place.
WHAT MAKES YOUR INTEX POOL WATER DIRTY OR UNHYGIENIC?
- Environmental factors and debris: This contributes the greatest to water pollution, and inadvertently, the pollution of your Intex pool. Leaves, sachet nylons, and pollen could build up in your filter, hence, causing a disruption to the filtration process. In addition, dead insects, droppings from flying birds and run-off water following a heavy downpour could contribute to making your pool dirty and unhealthy for the eyes and skin. This run-off water is usually composed of phosphates, nitrates and a host of other chemicals deemed unsafe for the skin.
- Imbalance in chemicals: An improper balance of chemicals can cause your water to be cloudy and unhealthy for its users. For this reason, you should ensure the right water balance in your Intex pool. The water balance of your pool is the relationship between its calcium hardness, alkalinity, and pH.
- Dirt from users: The dirt from users of the pool plays a big part in contaminating it. Every time you swim in the pool, you are likely to release body fats, bacteria, as well as, bits of ammonia and nitrogen into the water; all of which can be unhealthy for the skin when collected together in large quantities.
- Algae: Algae is a common feature of any water body that is not in constant motion and an Intex pool is no exception. These algae come in a variety of forms and colors and are generally unsafe for the pool users.
INTEX POOL MAINTENANCE TIPS
Tip 1: Vacuum Your Pool Regularly
This is one of the most important yet simple-to-do Intex pool maintenance tips. To begin with, you should skim the water at least twice weekly to take out all forms of surface debris, as well as, floating objects. You should also clean or brush the inner walls of the Intex pool to prevent a buildup of dirt. Finally, it is imperative that you vacuum your pool regularly especially its base to get rid of dirt. There’re so many intex pool vacuum cleaner available in the market to get your job done.
Tip 2: Regularly Measure the Ph Value of Your Intex Pool
The pH value of the Intex pool is the measure of its acidity or alkalinity. Ideally, your pool should maintain a pH value of between 7.2 and 7.6. If lower than the limiting optimum value of 7.2, the water tends to be acidic and is consequently unhealthy for your eyes and skin. If higher than 7.6, the water is considered basic and would encourage the formation of algae by the sides of the pool. Hence, you should check the pH value of your pool regularly using test strips and correct the pH using chemicals when necessary.
Tip 3: Cover Intex Pool When Not in Use
This is as important as keeping your pool clean at all times. By covering your pool when it is not in use, you can prevent leaves from trees and nylon wastes from getting into the water. You can use a foldable tent to cover it when it is not in use.
Tip 4: Shock Water by Chlorination
While you regularly test your water and chlorinate it, it’s also equally important that you shock it at least once a week. There are so many reasons why you should. Firstly, it helps you to keep proper chlorine levels. Also, it helps to slow down or completely eradicate the buildup of fungi and algae. Finally, it puts in check the effects of heavy rainstorms. It is highly recommended that you shock your water after pool parties or big swim sessions. This is because your chlorine works the hardest during these periods, yet are at their lowest levels.
Tip 5: Circulate Your Intex Pool Water
Vacuuming, cleaning and testing of your Intex pool aren’t the only “must’s” in maintaining a pool. Circulating the water in your pool is equally as important. It is in fact what distinguishes your clearwater pool from a backyard swamp. Run your Intex pool pump overnight to ensure that your pool water is well circulated, filtered and balanced chemically.
Tip 6: Take Out Dead Algae
Dead algae are one of the greatest contaminants of pool water. They are difficult to eradicate using a filter since they are too small and do not float on the surface where they could be easily picked up by a filter. To solve this problem, you could make use of a flocculant. A flocculant amongst other things binds together all loose particles to form a larger mass which can then be easily filtered off or removed through any other means.
Conclusion:
If you own a swimming pool, you should be quite acquainted with the fact that it needs regular cleaning and proper maintenance to ensure clean, clear and safe water. We have compiled a host of Intex pool maintenance tips that would help you tackle the most worrisome sources of pollutants.