Thinking of purchasing a home that has a pool? Just moved into a house with a pool and have no idea how to even begin taking care of it Trying to help someone else take care of their pool?
Here are the questions you will want to have answered:
- What type of pool is it? Different types of pools require different things from you:
- for example, ask is it a vinyl lined inground pool, fiberglass, or a concrete inground pool?
- How old is the pool – when was it installed?
- Who installed the pool – are they still in business/accessible for gathering information about the pool itself?
- Has the liner ever been replaced?
- If yes; when? If not; is the liner in good shape?
- Has the pool been covered for a prolonged amount of time?
- When was the last time the pool was open and clear?
- Was the pool maintained before covering it for the winter?
- Is it winterized properly?Sand, cartridge or DE filter?
- What type of chemicals were used in the pool?
- for example: chlorine tabs, sustain, or pristine?
It can be incredibly daunting to arrive at a home with a pool that you have no history on, especially if the pool is covered. Who knows what might be under that cover? Or what unexpected charges may incur depending on the previous homeowner’s dedication to the upkeep required of having a pool.
If you are looking at your covered pool and unsure of where to even begin:
- Look for the equipment: is it in a shed or pool house or in the basement?
- Are there any handrails or ladders anywhere that may need to be reinstalled?
- Clear the cover of any debris, leaves, or water that may fall into the pool when you take it off.
Depending on the time of the season, it may be difficult to have a pool opening scheduled in a preferred timeframe; we typically book out very quickly during the spring.
However, our parts department can walk you through hooking up your filter. If you bring in pictures of your filter system or equipment, we can provide you with instructions and information to set it all up, depending on the type of filter and brand.
Once your filter is up and running for 24 hours, our water test department can test the water and give you direction on how to balance it! Balancing the water is incredibly important at the beginning of the season because it will set you up for success throughout the Summer.
We are always available on the phone and through email to provide support with pool troubleshooting as well!
Things to keep in mind: if the pool was not properly maintained, used cheap/harmful chemicals, online purchased equipment, winterized incorrectly: you may end up spending money resolving all the issues that come with improper care.
You get out what you put into your pool: Unbalanced water chemistry and generic chemicals can lead to overstabilization, liner fading and staining, and uncomfortable and harmful swimming, for example, blonde hair turning green, red eyes and itchy skin.
Think of it this way: your whole body is being submerged into your pool water. Utilizing chemicals that have questionable contents, low-cost, and from a non-reputable source specializing in pools is equal to eating fast food and soda every day of the week and not having any fruit, water, or vegetables. It may be quicker, cheaper, and more convenient, but it comes at a price to your health and wellness.
Hunter’s Pool Center
