The Ins And Outs Of Maintaining Older Pools

As children, we grow up dreaming of the day when we can buy a house with a swimming pool. But until owning your own pool becomes a reality, we don’t understand the amount of work that goes into pool maintenance, and in particular into maintaining older pools. 

Older pools, and especially cement pools require a bit more looking after than their newer counterparts. But due to the design flexibility of concrete, it is still a popular choice and if maintained properly can last you many happy years and create countless memories.

On The Surface

One of the main areas to keep an eye on in a concrete pool is the surface. Over time, surfaces wear, become rough and sometimes even crack. This can be due to any number of reasons from shifting soil to erosion from a salt chlorinator. 

You may find that you need to resurface your pool if you are maintaining older pools, or maybe you took on a badly maintained pool when you bought a house. As this can be a huge undertaking and is recommended every 7-8 years, it may not be a bad idea to check the condition of the pool and ask about a lifetime surface warranty – some companies put this in place when installing the pool. 

Maintaining A Balance

When maintaining older pools, always keep a close eye on the pH balance of the water – an excess of any one chemical can cause the surface to roughen sooner than expected if left too long. 

As the surface of a concrete pool is not as smooth as that of its fibreglass or vinyl cousins, chemicals play a vital role in keeping algae and bacteria from finding its way into the uneven surfaces. 

Always make sure that your pool is brushed and vacuumed properly on a regular basis. This will help keep the algae to a minimum. Should you find your pool is starting to look a bit grimy, you may want to consider calling in a professional to do an acid wash. 

If you have any questions about maintaining older pools, give Pool Spa a shout on 011 793 1381 for advice.