Pool Maintenance
· Maintain proper chemical balance – test water 3 times per week and follow instructions for control of total alkalinity, pH, chlorination, Superchlorination, water hardness.
· Maintain pump and skimmer – clean out debris from skimmer basket and pump basket to maximize flow rate. To clean the pump basket, turn off pump, remove pump lid, take out basket and clean. After cleaning, put basket into pump. Lubricate O-ring under pump lid, if needed, before putting pump lid back on. After pump lid is in place, turn pump back on to be sure the pump picks up “prime”. To pick up prime means that the pump begins to pump water. The filter will also gradually build up pressure. This should take under a minute or two. If pump does not prime, turn off pump, take off pump lid and fill pump up with a bucket of water. Turn pump back on after lid is secured in place. NEVER RUN THE PUMP IF IT DOES NOT PICK UP PRIME!!
· Brush plaster – brush plaster on walls, floors, steps and benches as required. Two times per week is usually enough under normal weather conditions.
· Maintain filter – clean or backwash filter as required to maintain proper filtration and water flow through the system. See the owner’s manual supplied with the filter for proper procedure to take care of your filter.
· Maintain water level – the water level should should be kept 1/2 way up the skimmer. Most pools have an automatic water leveler to keep pool water from getting too low. If the water level should get too high, remove water from pool by hooking up a garden hose to supplied hose bib located somewhere in the piping at the equipment. Direct garden hose where you want water to drain to and while pump is running, open the hose bib and water will begin to drain out of the pool. The water level should NEVER be so high that it is touching the kool deck.
· Maintain cleaning systems – most cleaning systems require little or no maintenance. Consult the cleaning system’s manual for more information.
· Lubricate valves and O-rings – if any valves begin to get difficult to move, this means they need to be lubricated, do not force them. Most valves are taken apart and lubri-cated quite easily. We recommend using a silicone based lubricant for valves. Lubricate the pump lid O-ring with salad oil or something similar when it appears dry. This will keep a tight seal between the pump lid and the pump and prevent air leaks from occurring.
· Time clocks and hour of operation – the most common type of time clock is the mechanical type that is located at the equipment. While looking at the clock, the time of day should be under the arrow that is pointing down. If it needs to be adjusted, take hold of the round clock, pull it toward you and turn it until the proper time is under the arrow and release. This should only need adjusting if there is power failure. To set hours of operation, move the “on” clip to the time of day you want the pump to turn on and the “off” clip at the time you want the pump to turn off. This shouldn’t need to be adjusted very often. We recommend running the pump 6-8 hours in the cooler months and 10-12 hours in the hot summer months.
