Now that summer is finally here, it’s time to enjoy swimming pool season! Let’s face it, swimming is probably one of the top ten best things about summer! For those of you who own a pool, we have a few tips on how to get your pool ready and maintain it throughout the summer. For those of you who don’t have a pool, we will list some great swimming pools in the area!

While most of you have already prepared your swimming pool for the summer and it’s all ready to swim in, for those of you who have not done so yet due to weather related issues or just no time, here are a few tips.

Get Everything Ready

Create a checklist of all the materials you will need to get your pool up and running.
-Spring Opening Kit or Chemicals to open with; shock, chlorine, PH alkalinity, chlorine stabilizer, etc.
-telescopic pole
-skimmer head
-vacuum head
-vacuum hose
-pool brush
-a test kit or test strips

Inspect and Run Your Pump and Filter

Once you’ve cleaned up your pool; drained pool cover, removed, cleaned and stored, it’s best to inspect your pump and run it. The earlier you get to do this, the better of course, because doing so gives you plenty of time to address any problems that may come up, which ensures that your pool is running at maximum efficiency come swim season. Even if your pool pump works as it should, your filter might still be dirty. Especially if you haven’t cleaned it in a while. So start by opening up the filter. From there, remove the inner filter media and rinse it off. But based on what kind of filter you have, the cleaning process may be a little different for each filter. Sometimes when you open up your pool, you can be in for a surprise; the water could be green, cloudy, you never know. Once you’ve got the filter and pump running, make sure to keep it running until your pool is clear. After that, you can start running your filter system between 8-12 hours a day.

Test Your Water

It’s recommended to have the water professionally tested. Take a water sample to a swimming pool store, and they’ll test the water for you – usually for free. One thing you can do first is also to shock your pool. Shocking your pool is typically the first step in solving the majority of water-related problems. From algae infestations to cloudy water, pool shock is the super-powered dose of sanitizer you need to get things started. It increases the chlorine level which helps the bacteria and gets rid of dead chlorine that has done its job and needs to be eliminated.

After a 10-12 hour run time, check the pH level, total alkalinity, the hardness of water due to calcium, and so forth. Fill the test tube from your pH kit with water retrieved from at least 18 inches below the surface. Collect your sample away from the pump inlet. Once you’ve measured each of the levels, it’s easy to determine what chemicals are needed to achieve the perfect balance.

Maintain Pool Cleanliness

Once your pool is tested and ready to swim in, it’s great to maintain it on a regular basis. You should observe certain timelines in order for your pool to function well, and for the water to stay clean. Each element, like the pH, has to be tested at a specific point. Some professionals advise daily testing, which can be difficult for many people. It’s good to keep some timeframes in mind to ensure proper pool functions.
pH should be tested 2x a week
total alkalinity should be tested once a week
chlorine should be tested 2x a week
cyanuric acid should be tested 2x a season
calcium hardness should be tested 2x a season
total dissolved solids should be tested 1x a week

Clean Your Pool Filter

Maintenance will vary depending on which type of filter you have, but each one requires periodic cleaning. If your filter isn’t cleaned regularly, it won’t trap the debris – and that means your pool water may start to look discoloured and not clear. The flow of your water will also change due to the increase in the pressure gauge and flow meter. Turn the valve to backwash, for a DE filter empty the filter bag every other week and for the cartridge just remove and hose it down.

Maintaining and cleaning your pool regularly has its obvious perks! Now, the next thing on the list is to hop into your swim gear and enjoy the water!

If you don’t own a pool, then here are some great swimming pools to try out in the area!

High Park Pool
1873 Bloor St W
Monday – Sunday 12–3:45PM, 5–6:45PM

Sunnyside – Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool
1755 Lake Shore Blvd W
Monday-Sunday 10AM–3:45PM, 5–8PM

Rotary Park Pool
25 Eleventh St
Monday-Sunday 12:15–8:30PM

Alex Duff Memorial Pool
779 Crawford St
Monday-Friday 4–8PM
Saturday/Sunday 12–4:30PM, 5:15–8PM

Park Lawn Park Pool
330 Park Lawn Rd.
For Hours and details: 416-394-8491.

Amos Waites Outdoor Pool
2445 Lake Shore Boulevard West
For Hours and details: 416-394-8484

Lambton-Kingsway Outdoor Pool
37 Marquis Avenue
For Hours and details: 416-394-8489

Alexandra Park Outdoor Pool
275 Bathurst St
Monday-Sunday 12-7:45PM

Enjoy the summer and stay cool!