Having a pool can be one of the best ways to beat the heat in the summer and spend time with the people you love.
However, the last thing you want is to jump into the pool just to see skin cells, murky water, algae, and other nasty stuff.
So in this article, we’ll talk about how often pool water should be changed and how to keep it maintained and cleaned. Whether you run a commercial pool or simply own a home pool, here’s what you need to know:
How Often Should You Change Pool Water?
This question is not as straightforward as it might seem. For instance, if you’re talking about a public community pool and ask “how often do swimming pools change the water” then the answer could be “daily.”
That said, let’s talk about the short answer and the long answer:
The Short Answer
Typically, you should aim to change your pool water anywhere between two months to two years. Public pools should change it even more often.
The Detailed Answer
The true answer to this question varies depending on the size and nature of your pool as well as the area of the country that you live in.
Of course, this timeline has a few extra factors to consider, such as:
How many swimmers are using the pool daily
The climate you live in
Whether you have hard or soft water
The frequency of the pool maintenance you have
Whether or not pets or animals have also been in the water
The More Public The Pool, The More Often You Should Change The Water
You’ll need to change the water more often if people are using your pool more often. It’s that simple. When people go into the pool, they bring whatever was outside or in the yard along with them.
In addition, when considering “how often should pool water be changed?”, your climate makes a huge difference. Bacteria, algae spores, rain and other debris can be carried into your pool from winds, rainfall, and other natural effects.
Apart from that, UV rays from the sun can reduce the chlorine in your pool. As you may have heard, chlorine is very important for killing germs and keeping your pool clean and safe for all swimmers. If there’s no chlorine, or the chlorine amount has been reduced too much algae can begin to grow.
Understand Your Pool Water Type
Hard water can actually protect your pool structure from corroding. But if it’s too hard, it can start to break down the fixtures. Soft water typically creates a cleaner pool.
However, pools need a certain amount of calcium and soft water may soak up the calcium from the tiles or concrete of a pool.
For this reason, you should always have a pool cleaning routine that involves maintenance and keeping the proper pH level. You can get a water testing kit to check for unbalanced pH.
If there’s too much pH or not enough, it can cause skin issues. You want a pH of around 7.4 to promote a safe swimming environment.
How To Change Your Pool Water
You might be wondering how do I change the water in my pool? Well, hiring professionals is usually the best bet.
If you are insisting on doing it yourself, you should know a few things about changing the water in your pool:
Tips For Changing Pool Water
First of all, how often you do it depends on the type of pool you have as well as the usage and environment of your pool.
You should change your pool in the mild season. That means that it’s not too hot or too cold.
Draining the pool in the spring or fall are the perfect times of the year. This keeps the filtration and the systems and surfaces of the pool from getting heat, sun, or moisture damage.
And despite what you might believe, pool cleaning is actually done underwater typically. That means you don’t want to drain the pool just for cleaning.
Furthermore, if you drain your pool after a heavy rainstorm, it could create extra pressure on the pool. This creates a water table that damages the floor of the pool.
Therefore you want to use a drainer or skimmer when it rains. However, it’s always a good bet to clean debris from the pool manually because a filter won’t capture everything.
How Should You Drain Pool Water?
First, determine if a professional should do it for you. Pool maintenance can still be maintained and performed when the pool has some water in it.
A professional contractor can come out and tell you if it needs to be drained. Plus, letting a pro do it in the first place is a lot less costly than having to fix a botched draining job.
DIY – Risky, But Possible
If you are going to do it on your own there’s something called a submersible pump that you should use. A filter pump is another option but it’s not as appealing because it can be quite expensive to replace if it breaks or stops working.
To drain the pool, drain your water into the sewer line. Don’t drain more than 12 gallons a minute. This process will take a few days.
So if you’re not experienced, you don’t have the patience for that, it’s highly recommended that you get someone to do it for you.
Final Thoughts
Changing your pool water is relatively fast and straightforward for companies with the right equipment and training. Instead of risking pool damage with DIY methods, contact your friendly experts in commercial pool maintenance in Atlanta. Then enjoy your pool again as soon as a few hours.
