A pool or spa is not some big puddle of water that can be forgotten about in between dips. It requires regular maintenance if it’s going to retain its value as an investment – not to mention provide a healthy experience whenever the time for a dip does arrive. And since 46% of people who shop for a pool or spa are primarily concerned with the price, regular maintenance is going to help you avoid preventable issues which would have ultimately made your investment cost more money in the long run!
Regular Maintenance Will Lengthen Your Pool or Spa’s Lifespan
The filter in your pool or spa becomes ineffective once it has clogged up with debris. Whereas the average filter cartridge should provide about two to four years of service, its lifespan can easily become halved if it regularly intakes dirty water. Worse yet, an obstructed filter will force the connected pump to work harder, which will in turn significantly reduce its lifespan as well.
You should never expect your pool or spa’s filter to do all the work of keeping your water clean on its own. Help your aquatic refuge’s mechanical elements remain efficient and last longer by performing these important weekly maintenance tasks, each of which will reduce the amount of free-floating debris in your water:
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Skim leaves and debris from the surface of the water
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Brush algae and other sediments off the walls
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Vacuum away any sediment that accumulates at the bottom
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Clean out the skimmer
Regular Maintenance Will Save You Money
While it is easy to regard it as a unified whole, your pool or spa is actually a complex system of interconnected parts. The skimmer, suction line, pump, filter, and return lines and jets all operate independently of one another, but each makes the others’ jobs just a little bit easier.
When one part fails to perform its job correctly, the other parts suffer for it. Allowing just one component of your pool or spa to become damaged or otherwise inefficient will have a profound impact on the functionality of every other piece within the system.
Needless to say, all of these parts cost money. By maintaining your pool or spa to keep all of its parts in proper working order, you’ll avoid having to pay more for frequent replacements!
Regular Maintenance Will Reduce Health Risks
When you fail to add the correct concentrations of sanitizing and oxidizing chemicals to your water, you increase the likelihood that microorganisms will colonize your pool or spa. Such organisms can present health risks – recreational water illnesses affected over 2,000 people in the years 1999 and 2000 alone. The most common of these illnesses were diarrhea, although four deaths also occurred during the same time span.
Maintaining the optimal pH level in your water will also help to prevent discomfort and even injuries. The pH of the pool and spa water should ideally fall between 7.2 and 7.4. Numbers just outside of this range are generally not considered harmful, although extremely acidic water can cause irritation of the eyes and skin. On the flip side, when your water becomes too alkaline, its sanitizing chemicals may become ineffective at killing harmful microbes.
It is important to look outside the water as you maintain your pool or spa. Keep the deck surrounding your pool clear of toys that could create tripping or entanglement hazards. Ensure that no nearby electrical systems are at risk of becoming defective and running a current through the water. Keep small objects away from the pool, as these may become lodged inside sensitive equipment!
With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, giving your pool or spa the amount of attention it needs to last a long time, avoiding requiring repairs and creating a healthy environment can be complicated. If you would like the greater Sioux Falls area’s foremost authority on pools and spas to take care of so important a domestic task for you, then we welcome you to reach out to Paradise Patio, Pool & Spa today!
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