3 Tips to Keep Your Pool Clear While Your on Vacation

July 29, 2013

Below are some great tips from Matt Giovanisci of Swim University.
If I had to make a guess, I would say about 80% of the populations likes to take summer vacations (or if you’re European, holidays) instead of winter vacations.
Beach Vacation – Personally, I like taking my vacations in the winter. I do a lot more winter activities than summer activities, but enough about me.
Being that most of our readers take summer vacations and own swimming pools, I figured I would share a few tips on how to take care of your pool while you’re away. I use to get asked this question a lot when I worked at the pool store. It’s not as hard as you might imagine.

1. Find a Neighbor or a Friend

This is the key to success when it comes to keeping your swimming pool clear while you’re away.  The ideal candidate is someone who owns a pool themselves. They should already know what to do. Tell your friend or neighbor to check on the pool once a day and provide them with a simple checklist, including:

  •     Empty the skimmer basket(s)
  •     Skim the surface of the pool
  •     Check the filter pressure (backwash if needed)
  •     Test the water with a test kit or test strips
  •     Add any necessary chemicals (only if they know what they’re doing)

2. Get A Timer

Pool Timer – Hopefully, your pump already has a timer. If not, I would invest in one. They are a crucial part of proper pool care. Set the timer to run the pool at least 8 to 12 hours a day. If you can split up the times, great! If not, it won’t be a problem for it to run 24 hours a day. Running your pump and filter is very important to keep your pool clear and it’s better to leave a timer in charge rather than a human.

3. Get Your Water Checked Before You Go

Take a sample of your pool water to your local pool store and get it professionally checked. Make sure when you get it checked that you correct any issues before you go. You want to make sure that your pH and alkalinity are properly balanced and your sanitizers levels are correct.

  •     pH: 7.4 to 7.6
  •     Alkalinity: 100 to 150 ppm
  •     Calcium Hardness: 175 to 225 ppm and 225 to 275 ppm for plaster pools
  •     For Chlorine or Salt Water Pools: 1 to 3 ppm (I recommend you keep it at 3 ppm)
  •     For Bromine Pools: 3 to 5 ppm
  •     For Biguanide Pools: 30 to 50 ppm
  •     For Mineral System Pools: 0.5 ppm of chlorine

Also, make sure your pool is clean and crystal clear before you leave.
Happy Swimming!

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