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Seasonal Check Ups
O-Rings...
There are many items worth checking
through out the season. Simple
checks are as common as making sure the
pump lid o-ring is properly lubricated.
Products like
Jack's Lube,
Liberty Lube and
Magic
Lube
can give the proper lubrication to
o-rings to help maintain longer life of
the o-rings.
Pump Baskets...
Another thing that should be checked is your
pump
basket for cracks, and splits. A cracked pump basket can allow debris to clog your
impeller. This can cause loss of flow, that can lead to poor filtration, and other
water clarity problems.
D.E. Filters...
For D.E. filter owners, it is a good practice for you
to clean the filter grids thoroughly mid season. Opening the filter and removing the
entire grid assembly and hosing off all the D.E. from the grids is a wise move.
During regular backwashing you get about 80% of the D.E. out, so if 20% is left that can
add up to a lot of extra D.E. in your filter. With too much D.E. in the filter, the
grids can bridge together and cause high filter pressure and poor filtration.
Ladders and Diving Boards...
It is
VERY important to check your ladder, handrail,
and diving board bolts and hardware. When the bolts are not tightened properly it
can be dangerous, and cause injuries. If you have a diving board, always check it for
cracks and rusty bolts. Also check your ladder and handrail bolts. It is
important that they are tight. Make sure the ladder or handrail
do not rock. If this
happens, it is wise to replace the hardware to prevent injury.
Equipment Area...
You may want to check your equipment area for
leaves, grass and mulch. It may look nice, but heavily landscaped equipment areas
cause problems. If equipment is covered with various types of debris it can cause
the pump to over heat and wear out or burn up.
Electric...
Check to make sure all wire connections and
conduits
are intact. If it is split or cracked,
electrical
tape is not the proper repair, have
them
replaced. Unsafe electrical conditions can cause injury, or
even death. Almost all
electrical work should be done by a licensed professional.
Skimmer Baskets...
Another area you will want to check is the
skimmer
baskets. Check for cracks and splits. This can cause unwanted debris in the
pump basket. Also check the skimmer housing for cracks. Most small cracks can
be repaired before they crack completely and need to be replaced. This is a VERY
costly repair.
Safety Covers...
For those of you that have safety covers, such as
Loop-Loc safety covers, you should check your anchors to make sure they thread out, or pop-up properly. Also check to see if they are still secure in the concrete or wood
deck. If the anchors are not anchored properly have them re-secured as soon as
possible.
In-Floor Cleaning Systems...
On in-floor cleaning systems, at the distribution
system, there is an in-line filter. It is located at the union going to the unit.
This filter should be checked and cleaned regularly. If it is clogged, it can
cause the in-floor system to not work properly.
Heaters...
Pool owners with heaters should test the heater from
time to time if it is not being used. Not only to make sure it is working, but to
prevent rodent infestation. These pesky critters can do a lot of damage to heaters.
Some desert regions even go as far as doing rodent proofing around the pool area.
Auto Fills...
It is wise to check your auto fills from time to
time. Make sure the float operates properly, and shuts off at the appropriate level.
When these floats malfunction they will over flow your pool, and raise your water
bill. Better safe than sorry! |
