A pool is an excellent focus for summer fun, but it will require some preparation before jumping in. It’s essential that pools be prepared correctly to provide a safe environment for swimmers. While you may be familiar with the tasks that must be accomplished to ensure a safe opening, if you don’t have time or are new to pool ownership, it’s a process best left to the professionals.

Don’t Drain

Never drain the water from your pool in the expectation of changing out the water or cleaning it for the new season. You risk damaging the pool or having it lift out of the ground in areas with a high water table.

Cleaning

Ensure all of your filtration and water circulation systems are in working order. Clean out the skimmer baskets, remove any plugs from when the pool was closed, but don’t remove the pool cover yet. It will provide protection against early-season storms and pollen.

Water  Levels

Your pool has an optimal water level at which it operates. If water levels have dipped over the winter, add water to bring levels up where they should be.

Chemicals

You’ll need to add some chemicals to ensure the pH is balanced, calcium and chlorine levels are accurate, and to adjust alkalinity. Your pool may have developed an algae growth over the winter and it’s essential that the pool be shocked. It’s imperative that the filtration system be operated until the water is clear before anyone attempts to swim.

Hire a Professional

Preparing a pool for summer fun is a task that you may not want to tackle on your own and that’s understandable. Performing regular maintenance throughout the season can be difficult enough. The easiest and most effective solution is to hire a pool professional. The highly-trained experts are experienced in traditional chlorine pools and saline pools to prepare and maintain them while you reap the benefits.

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When people think of wearable tech, they automatically envision products like smartwatches and fitness trackers. The wearable technology industry has expanded significantly and one of the most popular products on the market is UV clothing. The biggest question for most people is “Does UV clothing really work?”

The short answer is yes, but there are variables that can affect effectiveness. The majority of UV fabrics are designed to provide a protective factor of 50 or more against UVB rays and the protective ability lasts for 2-3 years. UV clothing is available in pants, shirts, and hats that more closely resembles high-end fitness or leisurewear for a stylish look.

UV clothing is created by treating the cloth with substances that either absorb or reflect UVB rays to minimize the amount that reaches the skin, combined with a very tight weave. To qualify for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, UV clothing must provide an ultra-violet factor (UPF) of at least 49.

A rating of 30-49 is considered good, while a rating of 50 or more is excellent. Clothing with a rating of 15 or below isn’t considered UV protective. Tightness of the weave or knit also affects the protective power of the clothing. The protective factor diminishes if the clothing is worn while wet.

UV clothing does minimize the amount of ultraviolet rays from the sun that reach the skin. Sunscreen will still need to be used on exposed areas of skin. The following are tips when choosing UV garments.

• Always look for a UPF rating
• Choose garments with the most dense weave
• Red and blue colors work best at blocking UVB rays
• Nylon and polyester materials are better at disrupting rays
• UV clothing that fits tightly reduces its effectiveness
• The tighter fabric weave increases heat, so check for items with ventilation options

UV clothing can be especially beneficial for children and people that burn easily. The garments are equally advantageous for individuals that work outside, are on the water or snow where light reflects, in equatorial regions, or at high elevations. The clothing is also helpful for individuals taking some types of medications that increase sensitivity to the sun.

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Pool maintenance is a must in the summer and the watery oasis may need more frequent attention depending on its usage and weather conditions. In very hot weather, a pool’s chemical balance can change quickly and it will be affected by a number of variables.

Increased Usage

For those that have large families or entertain frequently, summer pool maintenance is especially important. Each time someone gets in the pool, they bring along with the dead skin cells, sunscreen, and a myriad of normally occurring bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The levels of all those elements increase as more people use the pool or people use it more often.

More Debris

Trees, bushes, flowers and grass shed leaves and pollen throughout the summer that will find its way into the pool. It’s important to skim any large debris from the pool to help the filter work more efficiently and ensure it doesn’t get blocked. A weekly check is critical. The task may need to be performed even more often if there are a lot of plantings very near the pool. It can help to remember that the pool’s filter works much like the kidneys in the human body to filter waste.

More Algae

No one wants to swim in an algae laden pool and it’s more than just an aesthetic concern – it’s also a health issue. There are a number of factors that will have a bearing on algae growth including warm temperatures, pH balance, and sunlight, all of which cause algae to flourish. Poor water circulation and incorrect pool sanitation measures also have the ability to contribute to algae growth.

More Chemicals

Inexperienced pool owners often try to compensate for problems by adding more chlorine. That chemical and others have specific uses within the pool environment and should only be used for the issues for which they were intended. Too many chemicals or in the incorrect amount will cause an imbalance in pH levels, causing swimmers’ eyes to burn, irritation of the nose and throat, and even a burning rash.

Pool Guys of Palm Beach | Lake Worth, FL

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