Having a pool just a few steps from your doorway is one of the best privileges you can enjoy whenever you want to. But as fun as pool ownership may sound, it can also harm your health. Wrong temperature and dirty water are two reasons why a pool can hurt your body. For better enjoyment of your pool, consider these safety tips:
The Right Pool Temperature
Jumping in clean pool water on a super-hot day is one of the best ways to cool off your body. A safe pool temperature gives a refreshing shock to your system. However, if the water is either too warm or cold, your body might react negatively to it.
The right pool temperature must be anywhere between 78°F and 82°F (26°C and 28°C). People with special conditions might need to adjust this temperature depending on the risk factors involved.
For instance, senior citizens need warmer water to help them manage their arthritis, relieve joint pain, and relax the muscles. Therefore, a temperature between 86°F and 88°F (30°C and 31°C) is ideal for the elderlies.
On the other hand, kids as young as four years old can have their swimming lessons in a pool with a temperature of at least 84°F (29°C). This will acclimatize their body to the new environment. Slightly warm water can also help loosen up their tight muscles and avoid difficulty breathing, associated more with cold water.
Athletes also have specific pool temperature requirements for healthy exercise. It really depends on who uses it and for what purpose. But for family use, the said temperature is perfect.
To get the right temperature, you just need to set up the heat pump and use the thermostat as a guide to monitor the temperature of the pool. It’s great if your pump has an auto-detect sensor that automatically shuts down whenever the pool reaches the desired temperature, then turns back on when it drops by more than two degrees.
For a more cost-effective heating option, you can use a solar pool cover during the day. A solar blanket can effectively trap the heat from the sun. You can remove it at night if you’re going to use the pool. Otherwise, just leave the pool covered so that you can still have some warm water the following day. With a solar pool cover, you don’t have to use the heater often. This helps you save more on the electric bill.
Keep Your Pool Clean
Another way to make a pool healthy for you is by keeping it clean before taking the plunge. It’s essential to remove dirt and algae to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms that can cause illnesses like diarrhea and allergies.
Pool cleaning has three processes. They are:
Skimming: Using a long-handled leaf skimmer, take out all the leaves, twigs, insects, and other visible debris. To avoid skimming every day, cut out the branches of trees with leaves that fall directly into the pool.
Brushing: Brush the sides of the pool with a pool brush to loosen up dirt and algae before vacuuming. You can also brush the floor and the stairs just to make sure that dirt is stirred so that the vacuum can suck them out quickly.
Vacuuming: As the last step, the vacuum must take as much dirt as possible. This is the stage where the sediment and algae were loosened in step #2.
Since pool cleaning is time-consuming and tiring, it’s important to find a way to make the task easier and faster. The best way to do pool cleaning is by using an automatic (or robotic) pool cleaner.
Just by its name alone, a robotic pool vacuum cleaner is a machine that does most of the cleaning tasks for you. It has an electric motor that creates suction to take out dirt and debris from the pool. If you haven’t seen a pool cleaner yet, there are many tech review sites online. Please check on them to see which one of these machines is great for your pool.
The robot isn’t just a vacuum but an all-in-one cleaning machine. It comes with a rotating brush that helps dislodge dirt and stir the water. This process makes it easier for the vacuum to suck up the dirt and leave the water visibly cleaner.
Depending on the pool cleaner you have, most automatic pool cleaners have a built-in filter that effectively traps dirt and debris. You can remove the cartridge and clean the filter using a pressurized water jet once you’re done cleaning the pool. Since the device uses its own filter, it prevents dirt from going to your pool’s filter system, keeping it in good condition for years.
A robotic pool cleaner uses the pressure from the water jets and wheels to maneuver around the pool, including the edges and inclined surfaces such as walls and stairs. A powerful cleaner can brush walls steadily and efficiently.
Another factor that makes a robotic pool cleaner superior to other pool cleaners is its use of modern technology for efficiency and convenience. Quality robots allow you to set up a cleaning schedule, choose cleaning mode, and execute basic commands to the robot using an app. This feature allows you to have complete control of the machine right at your fingertips whenever and wherever you are.