Owning a pool in Florida seems ideal, right? Year-round sunshine, fast dips, and backyard barbecues that seem like getaways. However, maintaining a pool that is clean, balanced, and flowing properly is harder than it seems in glossy home publications.
If you’ve spent a Saturday picking leaves or fighting chlorine, you know. Pool upkeep involves time, effort, and occasionally professional aid. We asked Melbourne, FL, pool care specialists for real-world methods to make your pool gleam without driving you nuts.
Those who seek a “pool service company near me” are not alone. Many local residents choose to outsource maintenance to experts who understand local water conditions and seasonal changes.
But whether you do it yourself or hire help, here’s what every pool owner should know.
1. Keep the Water Chemistry in Check (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
This is the big one. Water chemistry is what keeps your pool from turning green, smelling weird, or irritating your skin.
The basics?
- Chlorine: kills bacteria and keeps the water sanitized.
- pH: should usually stay between 7.2 and 7.8.
- Alkalinity: helps stabilize pH levels.
- Calcium hardness: protects your pool surface and equipment from corrosion.
Here’s where most people mess up: they test the water once, get decent numbers, and then forget about it for two weeks. Big mistake.
Experts in pool service Melbourne, FL, recommend testing at least twice a week. Florida’s heat and rain can mess with your pool balance faster than you’d think. Too much rain? Your chlorine levels drop. Hot days with lots of swimmers? Same problem.
So make testing a habit, not an afterthought. You can grab a simple pool test kit online or at a local store. Takes five minutes tops.
2. Don’t Let Debris Build Up
Leaves, bugs, pollen, and sunscreen oils all they do is float in your pool. And, though it may not be a grandiose thing to stare at, that stuff adds up. It sweeps your skimmer, blackens your filter, and provides a snug little house for the algae to grow in.
Use a skimmer net and remove the junk on a daily basis, particularly on windy or rainy days. Take the skimmer basket out–empty it all; it is not doing any good with it stuffed to the chockers.
One of the technicians of the Melbourne pools told us they believe that the filter can do it all. Nope. Your filter does not work miracles. Take a scrape of that before it gets any farther.
One Melbourne pool tech told us, “People think the filter can handle everything. Nope. Your filter’s not a miracle worker. Skim that stuff off before it becomes a problem.”
Good advice.
3. Brush and Vacuum, Even if the Water Looks Fine
Visuals may deceive. Crystal-clear water may make you think, “Perfect, I’m done.” However, algae and filth may hide on pool walls and floors.
Weekly pool wall and step brushing. Check nooks and dark areas for sneaky algae blooms. Then vacuum the pool to eliminate bottom debris.
If you’ve got an automatic pool vacuum, great. Still, give the pool a good manual clean every now and then. Robots miss corners, and dirt loves corners.
4. Keep the Filter Clean (Your Pool Depends on It)
Clean circulation is maintained by your filter, the pool’s lungs. Getting filthy hurts the whole system.
Sand, cartridge, and DE filters exist. Clean anything you have per manufacturer’s instructions.
If your pool is heavily used or you live in Florida’s long pollen season, you may need to rinse more regularly. Most Melbourne residents clean once a month.
When water becomes hazy or the filter pressure indicator increases 8–10 psi, the filter is straining.
5. Watch Your Water Level
Water levels can drop due to rain, evaporation, and cannonballs. Water should reach halfway up the skimmer aperture. Too low, the pump may draw air (bad). Too high, the skimmer fails.
Florida headaches include checking and adjusting after major rainstorms. You may need to drain some water. Though fast and easy, many neglect it.
6. Run the Pump Long Enough (Don’t Try to Save Too Much Power)
There is the temptation to reduce the number of minutes you are pumping every day, as it will help you save on your electric bill, but that is one of the shortcuts you will regret in the future.
The pump that you have helps to circulate the chemicals, filter debris, and keep the water clean and safe.
Pump operation. Pool pros in Melbourne, FL, suggest running the pump 810 hours a day in summer and 68 hours a day in the cooler seasons.
Even better, should you have a variable-speed pump, you can run the pump longer and at a lower speed as well as save on energy.
7. Shock It, Yes, Even When It Looks Clean
Shocking is the increase of chlorine to a greater amount in the pool to kill bacteria, organic waste, and whatever other bacteria are hiding in the water.
This is not done by the majority of pool owners. Professionals recommend that a pool be shocked every two weeks, or not later than that, especially after it has been heavily used (such as after a weekend of partying).
Do it by night so the sun will not burn off the chlorine too quickly, and have your pump running at night so that everything spreads evenly.
8. Inspect Your Equipment Regularly
Your pool pump, heater, filter, and chlorinator are the heart of your pool system. Make a habit of checking them for leaks, strange noises, or anything that feels “off.”
A little maintenance now saves you big repair bills later.
If something looks weird or you hear a rattling sound, don’t ignore it. Call a pool service company near you (especially a local one in Melbourne, FL they know the common local issues like mineral-heavy water and salt buildup.
9. Know When to Call the Pros
Sometimes, you just need a professional touch.
Algae that won’t go away? A weird green tint that keeps coming back? Filters that clog every few days? These are signs it’s time to bring in experts who deal with this stuff daily.
Happy Pool and Spa in Melbourne, FL, offers weekly cleanings, equipment maintenance, and chemical balancing. The local climate, water conditions, and Florida pool oddities are best known to them.
Outsourcing the hard things lets you enjoy your pool instead of continuously working on it.
Final Thoughts
A pool should be fun, not a full-time job. Easy maintenance, water testing, cleaning, and filtering are essential.
If you become overwhelmed, search for “pool service company near me” and choose Melbourne experts. Your pool will be clean, healthy, and swimmable year-round.
Weekends should be spent floating, not fighting algae.
Check out Happy Pool and Spa for reliable, friendly, and expert pool service in Melbourne, FL.
We’ll handle the hard work; you just bring the swimsuit.
FAQs
1. How often should I clean my pool filter?
The pool filters will require cleaning every month, but during the months when Florida is experiencing a lot of pollen, they might require frequent rinsing or backwashing. When the water becomes opaque or the pressure increases, then it is time.
2. Will rainwater influence pool chemistry?
Absolutely. Chlorine level is diluted by rainwater, altering the pH balance. When it has rained heavily, test your water and put in the required chemicals to rebalance it.
3. Should I really shock my pool?
Yes, even clear water may carry bacteria in it. Shocking 2 times every fortnight (or once weekly with heavy usage) will keep your pool clean and disinfected.
4. How many hours will I leave my pool pump on each day?
In the warm climate of Melbourne, it should be run at least 8-10 hours a day in summer. It is best to keep the circulation constant in winter, but reduce it slightly.
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