POOL SERVICE FAQs

Frequently Asked Pool Care & Pool Maintenance Questions

Have questions about maintaining your personal pool paradise? Find answers to some of our frequently asked questions (FAQs) below!

Is a pool service worth it?

A pool service saves you time and money while reducing your stress. Maintaining a pool can be tedious work. Unless you enjoy the science behind maintaining your pool, or due to financial reasons, having a professional pool service could very well be the best decision you can make in regards to your pool. Your time is way more valuable than the cost of service.  Think of the extra quality time to spend with family. Less stress, fewer headaches, fewer details, more fun.

Do I Need Cleaning & Maintenance When My Pool Stays Clean?

Many pools appear to stay clean, but you may not know what is lurking below the surface. Swimming pools see their chlorine levels reduced quickly, especially during warmer weather with more swimmers. Regular pool cleaning and maintenance are essential if you want your pool to last the whole swimming season. Routine cleaning and maintenance include brushing and vacuuming the pool to keep algae at bay. Just because your pool looks clear does not necessarily mean that it’s clean and fit for swimming. Our team provides weekly and biweekly maintenance so you can be sure that your pool is ready for your family or customers all summer.

Why Is My Pool Green?

There are many reasons why your swimming pool water may have a green appearance to it. Some of these reasons include algae growth from phosphates or having metals in the water. Algae has the ability to grow rapidly, especially during the warm summer months. When it happens quickly, it’s likely due to an imbalance or a lack of chlorine in your pool water. Chlorine serves as a sanitizer, and if you let the chlorine levels drop for even one day, an algae outbreak can occur. Be sure to check your pool’s chlorine level often or have our professional team members do it for you.

What services do you offer?

How long should I run my pool equipment?

We suggest your filter system run 6 to 8 hours per day. When water temperatures start to climb above 80° run the system 8 to 12 hours per day.

Do I still need to brush my pool?

Even though most pools are equipped with an automatic pool cleaner, most won’t scrub, especially not thoroughly. Brushing your pool can help remove algae or any other small particles from the pool’s surface.

Pay special attention to spots where water circulation is a problem (behind ladders, loveseats and corners). Brush the walls, benches, floor, loveseats and all other pool surfaces once a week.

Do I need to drain my pool every year?

We recommend that you don’t drain your pool, especially during the winter. Keeping water in the pool during the winter can actually protect the bottom of the pool from cracking during freezing temperatures. We do, however, recommend a pool cover during the off-season to protect the pool from debris and cold temperatures. To extend your swimming season, consider a pool heater.

What do I do to maintain my pool lighting?

The best way to maintain pool lighting is by cleaning the light covers, replacing old bulbs and keeping leaves and other debris from touching the lights.

How often do I need to clean my skimmer and pump baskets?

A dirty or clogged skimmer basket restricts water flow. If water can’t flow through your skimmer, your pool can’t circulate properly and that could cause problems down the road. The same is true of your pump basket. If water is restricted the pump can overheat. Clean skimmer baskets daily and inspect for cracks, replacing if needed.

How often do I need to backwash my filter?

For swimming pools equipped with a D.E. filter, we recommended the filter be backwashed when the pressure reaches 10PSI above starting pressure or once a week.

Does my saltwater pool require any chlorine?

The nature of a saltwater system is that it actually converts ordinary salt into chlorine. There may be an occasion that you might need to super chlorinate the pool or “shock” the water. Saltwater pools are a great option for those who are sensitive to chlorine. Chlorine generated pools, or “saltwater pools” have softer water and can be gentler on eyes, skin and hair.

How long should I wait to use my pool after a chemical shock treatment?

To stay on the safe side with chemical water treatments, we recommend using your pool eight to 12 hours after administering a treatment. The best time to shock a pool is during the evening, to let the system run over night. If you use a non-chlorine shock you can swim within 30 minutes of the pool treatment.

If I have pool chemicals left over from last season, can I still use them?

Pool chemicals typically last if kept in the proper conditions. Dry chemicals have a 7 year shelf life before expiring. Liquid pool chemicals will last just as long, but if the chemicals freeze we recommend replacing them. Pool chemicals can separate if they freeze and thaw too many times, so make sure you keep your pool chemicals stored in a warmer place during the winter to ensure a safe and clean pool.

What is the proper pH and alkaline balance for my pool water?

The pH level should be between 7.4 and 7.6 and the total alkalinity should be between 100 -150 ppm. For gunite pools, the calcium hardness should be between 200-250 ppm.

Why is it important for my pool chemical and water levels to be correct?

Keeping the right levels in your pool allows for a safe and healthy swimming environment. Not enough chlorine or chemicals can create a haven for bacteria and create unsanitary conditions.

Too many chemicals can cause a harmful environment and dryness of skin, hair and eyes.

Why Did Chlorine Turn My Hair Green?

Chlorine should not turn your hair green or bleach your bathing suit. Each state has guidelines regarding chlorine levels. Residential swimming pools should have a chlorine level between 1.0 and 4.0 ppm. Chlorine will not start bleaching your bathing suit until the levels reach 30 to 40 ppm. Chlorine does not turn hair green. If someone has green hair after swimming, it means the minerals in the pool are being deposited into their hair.

What Does it Mean to Shock a Pool?

The word shock can be used as a noun or a verb when it comes to swimming pools. Buying shock describes a sanitizer to clean the pool. Shocking a pool means raising the sanitizer level to 10 ppm. If you do this yourself, be sure you follow all chemical precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment like gloves, goggles, and chemical masks. The best course of action is to leave the pool cleaning and sanitizing tasks to the expert team at Abita Pool Services.

My pool water is cloudy. What should I do?

There could be a few contributing factors that can lead to cloudy water. The most common causes are, inorganic contaminates, poor filtration, or possibly high pH and/or Alkalinity.

Inorganic contaminates can be anything from swimmers leaving behind sweat, shampoo, and sun screen to birds and debris.

What Causes Algae in a Swimming Pool?

Algae requires nutrients, sunlight, and somewhere to grow. The best way to prevent algae from growing in your swimming pool is by maintaining the proper sanitizer level and brushing. Algae needs to have a surface to cling onto and grow on, so brushing it will prevent it from hiding in crevices. Green algae is common in pools and most frequently occurs after a few days of high heat in the summertime. Black algae can show up in areas with poor circulation, such as deep end corners, step corners, or behind ladders. Yellow algae is resistant to chlorine, so be sure to call in our team of experts for assistance. Algae can be transferred from pool to pool, so be sure to wash your bathing suit after you take a vacation or swim somewhere besides your home pool.

How Long Do We Have to Wait to Swim After Chemicals Are Added?

It’s generally safe to use your swimming pool after the chemicals have dispersed throughout it. Industry standards recommend waiting about six to eight hours for commercial pools and eight to 12 hours for residential swimming pools. Chemical adjustments are typically performed at night so as not to disrupt the swimming pool availability.

Poor filtration is often caused by a dirty filter. You may need to backwash and replace the filter media, or remove and clean your cartridges. It is very beneficial to remove the grids or cartridges from the filter and degrease them with a cartridge/filter cleaner at least once mid-season. Just spray on the cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes before hosing it off. The cleaner acts as a degreaser, helping break down the coating of oils from sunscreen, shampoo and swimmer oils that can coat the grids/cartridges. The filter system may also need to run longer to make sure the pool water is completely turning over. The system should run between 6 and 12 hours at a time, depending on the time of year and water temperature.