Are Fiberglass Swimming Pools Easy To Maintain?

When building a pool, there are a lot of options to choose from including concrete, plastered and fiberglass pools. Your choice amongst these options will be advised by factors such as the size of your budget, climate of the area in which you live, ease of installation, aesthetic appeal, and ease of maintenance. When it comes down to the ease of maintenance, fiberglass boasts an edge over other types. Even though maintaining a fiberglass pool is quite easy and takes much less of your time, it will still need some spruce up and checkups to keep its functionality in top notch. This article gives a breakdown of the critical aspects of maintaining a fiberglass pool.

Maintaining Chemical Balance

Maintaining a healthy chemical balance in a fiberglass pool is critical to a long lasting service of the pool as well as the health of the swimmers. High acidity, alkalinity, chlorine or calcium levels may lead to the untimely wear of the pool. At the same time, high chemical concentration may be uncomfortable to the skin. Moreover, maintaining a healthy chemical balance will help prevent the growth of algae and mosses, which are detrimental to the integrity of the pool

To achieve a healthy chemical balance, you will need to adjust these levels, from time to time. The optimum pH levels should be somewhere between 7.2 and 7.6. Chlorine levels should always be between 1 and 3 ppm, while alkalinity should be between 80 and 120 ppm.

Regular Cleaning

Even though the filter is designed to trap debris such as leaves, it may not entirely clean everything. Due to dust and other forms of dirt brought into the pool by elements such as wind, the pool will definitely catch some dirt and grime. If not cleaned regularly, dirt and grime may settle on the floor and support the growth of algae and mosses. Over time, dirt and grime will become slippery and cause accidents. 

To combat this challenge, use a hand skimmer to remove leaves, bugs and other debris. Although fiberglass material does not easily catch dirt and grime, it will eventually need some brushing. To do this, use a vacuum to remove debris from the floor then give it a gentle brushing by use of a soft brush. As you do that, do not forget to clean the filter itself whenever water flow becomes impeded.

Maintaining Water Levels

Even though you may not regularly use the pool, maintaining water levels above the filter can go a long way in guaranteeing the longevity of a fiberglass pool. Maintaining a higher water level can prevent the pool from damage by higher groundwater pressure. To prevent this scenario, you should ensure your yard and area around the pool has a proper drainage system.

Equipment Checks

Having ascertained that your water contents and levels are okay, you then need to inspect all other components such as the pump, filters, heaters and lighting to ensure that they are in their top-notch functionality. When doing that, remember to lubricate the O-rings and seals. This helps in ensuring that fittings are snug enough to allow leaks. You should also consider putting a reminder in your smartphone so that you never skip on performing maintenance on your fiberglass pool.

Winterizing and Opening

If you live in areas that experience heavy snowfall, wintering will come in handy in protecting the integrity of a fiberglass pool. This is because snow can ablate the fiberglass pool material and contribute to its untimely wear. To prevent this scenario, consider installing a pool cover. A pool cover can also help prevent debris and grime from finding its way into the pool during the winter months. 

With a pool cover, all you will need to do is sweep the snow on the surface and return it while the fiberglass pool underneath stays intact throughout the winter. However, before you get to protect the pool, ensure to lower the water level and balance its chemicals. As the winter season ends in spring, undo the process by raising the water level, chemical balance and removing the cover. 

With just a few tune-ups like winterizing and opening, regular checks on equipment, maintaining a healthy chemical balance, regular cleaning, and maintaining water levels, maintenance of fiberglass pool should be easy. However, it is always prudent to hire pool professionals to perform the maintenance occasionally. Professionals such as the ones we have at Artificial Rock Works will do an effective maintenance, clean and protect your fiberglass pool from unforeseen issues.