Inground Swimming Pool Selection and Maintenance

The year 1982 was lucky for us, as we found the perfect contractor, a nice Christian man, no less, to install an inground swimming pool. He had built a neighbor’s pool and was a member of their church. The contractor worked out of his home, subcontracting the labor.There is a good selection of companies to choose from, with much information spread by word of mouth.

The first task is to telephone the utility companies to mark their lines in the yard. This information will determine the space available for the swimming pool.l. We suggest the following tips for selecting a company.

1. Check out the company with the Better Business Bureau.

2. Ask the company for information about several customers so that you can contact them and view their pools before making a decision. We found the small company to be excellent.

3. Draw up a contract. You will select your liner or other material, the shape and size of pool, the filter, the concrete design around the swimming pooll, and other choices. You will put down a deposit and pay the balance at completion. Our pool has a vinyl liner, but you may be interested in concrete, gunnite, or fiberglass material. You may inquire about a heater.

4. Make yourself available for monitoring part of the construction. The contractor may stop by every day to inspect the site.

5. The contractor will furnish you with information about filling the pool, opening and cleaning.

Hail damage caused a liner replacement once between 1982 and 2010, which is good mileage for a liner, especially with a heavily trafficked pool. Amenities include a diving board at one end of the 16 ft by 32 ft. pool. The concrete area extends from the sidewalk and patio around the pool.

By following the above steps in selecting a contractor and pool, you will avoid the pitfall of some customers who hire someone who takes the money and leaves a hole in the ground. You will own a pool that should give years of pleasure and fun for everyone.

When the pool was finished, the water sparkled in the warmth of the golden sunshine. Years of fun and laughter with relatives, friends, children and grandchildren occurred in that peaceful blue water with a vibrant pool background liner of blue and white. Errant ducks enjoyed the water at times and appear in our pictures. Even dogs, some no longer here, played and chased balls and even accidently fell in, sometimes on purpose. Everyone needs a pool. We have had our pool since 1982. Wow!

1. Purchase a pool opening kit from your pool supply store or distributor. Kit contains all chemicals and supplies required.

2. Clean debris from pool cover before removing it.

3. Remove all water bags or other weights from the perimeter of the pool cover. Empty water from bags, dry and store.

4. Grasp the corners of the cover, using someone to help. Lift and pull cover over the surface until it clears the pool and concrete apron.

5. Fold cover, move it to an area for hosing and drying and storing.

6. Check water level of pool. There probably was some evaporation over the fall/winter months.

7. Fill pool to appropriate level with garden hose.

8. Start pool pump, check for leaks at the pump, and filter.During preparation for opening, run the pump twelve hours on and twelve hours off..Use vacuum brush to clean the pool.

9. Add chemicals per instructions of pool opening kit, which will also contain a testing kit. This procedure should take 2-3 days.

10. Backwash the filter after chemical addition and recharge if filter is diatomaceous earth filter. If not, follow instructions on alternate filter.

11 Monitor the Ph, alkalinity, and chlorine, and any other chemicals shown on the test instrument every other day and adjust accordingly. The test kit will show the ideal levels...

12. Test water, and take sample to pool supply store to verify water chemistry is correct. Pool is now ready for use.but will need ongoing maintenance. Happy swimming!.

A pool requires maintenance on a variable time schedule dependent on the weather conditions – wind, rain, degree of sunshine.

*Keep the pool surface clean of debris, such as leaves, and residue from shrubs and grass. The pool skimmer helps as part of the daily routine along with running the pump and using the vacuum brush.

*Clean pool on a weekly basis by brushing the sides and bottom of the liner with the vacuum brush connected to the pool pump. Clean more frequently during rainy or windy weather.

*Pool chemistry should be checked at a minimum of every other day. This entails use of chemical kit from pool supply house, which measures water pH, chlorine and alkalinity.

.Maintain water circulation in the pool with pump and filter. Circulation time varies, but the pump should be on for a minimum of twelve hours per day. Adjust according to weather conditions. Always keep the pumps running twelve to eighteen hours after adding any chemicals to the pool to ensure proper water chemistry..

These instructions are for the Southwest area, Oklahoma included. The pool season ends in early October.Modify instructions for other areas. These instructions are for a 16 x 32 inground pool

1. Clean pool thoroughly.
2. Balance pool chemistry to correct level – ph, chlorine, and alkalinity
3. Purchase pool closing chemicals
4. Add a phosphate remover through the skimmer with the pump. quantity per kit instructions. Run pump for one week, then have water tested
5. Add quantity of "metal free" to pool to remove active metals, by sprinkling it around the pool perimeter
6. Increase total alkalinity to 100-120 for plaster pools, 120-140 for vinyl, fiberglass, and painted pools
7. Adjust ph to 7.4-7.6 with calcium hardness to 200-400 ppm
8. Add 1-quart algae control per 20 thousand gallons or 1 pint per 10 thousand. Dilute material with water and pour over pool surface. Wait 1 hour, then start pumps
9. Shock pool with a chlorine agent at 2 pounds per 10 thousand gallons of water. Disperse over surface of pool with pump running
10. Bring chlorine level to 1.5 ppm. Do not over chlorinate.
11. Install pool cover, anchoring with water bags. Prevent water bags from rolling due to apron grade by installing patio blocks and 2 x 4s behind the bags.
12. Set timer to operate the filter system 2-4 hours a day.
13. Check water balance and chlorine level every two weeks by taking samples from under the cover.
14. Inspect monthly by removing cover at corner for change in water color. If stains or scale develop, have water tested