Have you ever really sat and wondered how a pool works? The basic idea of a pool is really simple. You have a big basin of some sort, and fill it with water. Now, how do you keep that water clean and make that basin safe to use day in and day out? That is a bit more complicated. It involves making sure you have the right pumps, filters, and chemicals working with the water. If you want to understand how a pool works, then read on. We will teach you the basics behind how this source of entertainment keeps working.
The Basics of How a Pool Works
When you break down and look at how a pool works, you will notice a few similarities. All pools, no matter their size, involve the basin, the water, and the agents to clean that water. That typically results in the same basic setup of components. You can expect to see the basin to hold the water, and some type of a pump. Plus, there will be a way to feed chemicals to the water and a filter to catch anything that should not be floating in the pool. There will be drain pipes and return pipes that are often connected to the pump. Finally, you will also have the tubes that connect each of these components to each other.
The entire point of this setup is to help bring the water out of the pool, clean it, and then put it back. That is the only way you can keep that large of a volume of water clean. What you want is water that does not have dirt floating in it, debris moving around in it, and bacteria that could make you sick. All of these are the same, no matter if you have an in-ground pool or an above-ground pool. The actual components may differ in size and power, but each pool needs them.
How a Pool Works with Pumps and Filters
The pumps are connected to drains placed around the pool. This helps the water come out with enough pressure to get to the pump and then get pumped back into the pool. When you look at how a pool works, you have to see pressure before the pump, and again after it. This is what helps create circulation for the water. Ideally, you want to make sure the entirety of your pool water is filtered out every couple of hours. This all depends on how large your pool is, but it is the goal.
There are different filters around the pool as well. Some are internal, such as the side skimmers. They filter out debris that floats at or near the surface. This keeps the surface of the water much cleaner. There are also filters that connect to the pump. This filters out the water as it goes through the pump and back into the pool. That way, the water going back into the pool is cleaner than when it came out. During this filtration, there should also be a feed of chemicals to keep the water clean.
How a Pool Works with Chemicals
When considering how a pool works with chemicals, you have to think of the different chemicals the pool needs. You will need some type of cleansing agent. Many use chlorine to help keep the pool cleaner. This keeps bacteria down in the pool and it helps kill off anything that could make you sick. You also need to make sure that you have things like alkalinity and calcium in the pool water. The only way to know where you are with all of your chemicals is to continuously test the water. You should be doing this test weekly, at the very least.
Knowing what levels your chemicals are at makes keeping up with your pool a lot easier. What you want is a pH level that is between 7.4 and 7.6. Then, you want to have an alkalinity between 80 and 140 parts per million (PPM). Your chlorine should be between 1 and 3 PPM. Then your calcium hardness should be between 200 and 400 PPM. Your cyanuric acid levels should be between 25 and 50 PPM. Finally, you want no more than 5000 PPM and no less than 500 PPM of dissolved solids. If you do not know how to test for these, it is important you find help from someone who knows how a pool works. They can help you keep your pool safe, year in and year out.
Professionals Know How a Pool Works
It is not imperative that you know how a pool works if you hire someone who does. What you need is a professional team of pool maintenance personnel that you can hire to come out and help you. Let them keep up with all of the chemicals, filters, and water testing. It saves you time, frustration, and worry. You no longer have to worry about if you read the water test properly, or if you did the chemicals the right way. Leave it to people who know how to not only care for your pool, but also how to recognize problems at their earliest stages.
Hiring a pool maintenance company saves you a lot. It is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that your pool is safe for you and your family to use. Plus, when you hire someone that installs and repairs pools at the same time, they can point out any issues you have before they become major problems in most cases. Take the time to research the company that is going to do the best job. Your results will lead you here, to Flower Mound Pool Care & Maintenance.