HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1980-04-17, Page 47Poios
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The two most common: anin-
vtted guests at ,any swimming
,pool are dirt and bacteria.. Add to
these a sprinkling of twigs,
leaves, animal fur and other air
and human borne contaminants'
and ycu haaVe the reasons behind
a regular, program of pool
maintenance. , n
Pool maintenance is relatively
easy, according et, the National
Swimming Pool Institute, and
txtost pool owners prefer the do.it-
yoursel f approach. Self servicing
requires from one and a 'half to
four hours a. week and keeps costs
down to an average of around $20
per month, including parts and
chemicals, for the average
unheated pool.
The main requirements , are
vacuuming for debris, daily
chemical treatment and weekly
or bi-weekly brushdowns of pool
walls. The owner's major allies in
skimmer, the filtration system
and chemical additives. In ad-
dition, new innovations are ap-
pearing all the time to make the
job easier.
The skimmer, built into almost
all pools, takes leaves and other
floating debris off the top of the
water. A pool ;vacuum cleaner,
operated by the owner, is used to
pick up debris off the bottom.
Filtration systems are of two
main types, the sand filter
through which water passes
leaving dirt particles behind; and
the diatomaceous earth (DE)
filter. which uses minute
diatomes (microscopic sea
creatures) spread over a
membrane to entrap the equally
microscopic dirt particles.
Care of the filter is relatively
simple. Both types of filter must
be backwashed approximately
every two weeks to remove dirt
clogging. Although the. DE filter
requires much less water -to
backwash, after each back -
washing it must b *repacked: with,
mere
dirt. » (Ae
as
on
s suonlY o
about 50 pounds costs around. $8) .
Most poolcontractors
recommend. that the filtration
'system be in operation at least 12
hours out of every 24 to insure
best results:
Chemical additives are usually'
a daily, requirement, depending
upon the traffic in the pool and
also upon such factors as hot
weather and high winds which
create conditions calling for
more chemical purifiers. •
•
3. Clean the skimmer's basket
and hair -lint strainer;
4, Vacuum the pool bottom;
5. Clean the filter (when suf.
ficient dirt has accumulated and
the recirculation - flow has
decreased) ; and
5. dose clean the pool: deck,
Aa�ly.a4ditio'n of chemicals can
avoided 'purchase .o
be de by , pu has fan
automatic chemical dispenser for
under • $50. The atitornatic
dispenser eliminates the
necessity of daily testing, for pH.
balance and can be set to operate
ata time when the pool is not in
use.
Other automatic maintenance
devices s
e .. axe also available t
make the pool cleaning job.
simpler. Among these are the
automatic cleaning systems
which operate on the principle
that agitation of the waterkeeps
dirt and algae from adhering to
pool walls and. bottom thus
(Torg to page 27)
Chlorine is the most widely
used disinfectant, although
bromine and iodine are also used.
Less than one drop of chlorine in
every 1,000,,000 drops -of pool
water is enough, providing the
chemical is 100 percent active.
Pool owners •should carefully
follow the manufacturer's
directions in both using and
s oring c ernicals.
The amount of chemical to, add
can be determined by testing pool
water for chlorine residue and pH
or acid -alkaline balance. Simple
testing kits are widely available.
Alkaline salts, used in liquid
chlorine to help it maintain its
limited stability, eventually build
up in pool water and upset the pH
balance. Periodically an alkali -
neutralizer such as muriatic acid
or sodium bisulfate may be added
to neutralize increasing
alkalinity.
Proper pH balance is
necessary to insure •that the
chemical additives react
properly, that the proper bac-
teria -killing "residual" is
maintained. The ideal pH range
for pool water is 7.2 to 7.6.
A simples set of rules to follow
when manually cleaning the pool
are:
1. Skim the pool's surface with
a standard leaf skimmer;
2. Brushdown walls and tile
with stiff -bristled tile brush;
EVERYBODY INTO THE POOL: Backyard pools
provide' fun for all ages. An above -ground pool
suitable for splashing costs as little as a few hun-
• --gatnriir
1.. P' ,,'iii•:: ti•' �e'a`.%:i••�.
Riding Mowers
dred dollars. Whatever its cost., -though, your pool
will pay for itself in. no time in terms of pleasure,
says the National Swimming Pool Institute.
•
Wehave a Good Selection of
GAS and ELECTRIC
GRASS TRIMMERS
WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL!
And we also maintain a
COMPLETE PARTS and SERVICE DEPARTMENT
• for small engines.
Whether you have a small lawn or
several acres, we will be pleased to
look after ALL'YOUR NEEDS.
HOMEurE
and
H usqvarna
CHAINSAWS
kax4.ntrx,L-T vv..
110'1-r».,w-
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To keep your lawn
looking its best...
Come in and see us for
THE FULL LINE
MAPLE
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LAWN MOWERS
MALL -ENGINE
ALES &
SERVICE
286 HURON ST. ACROSS FROM ELM HAVEN
PHONE
482-3722