Cloudy Swimming Pool?

What is the best way to keep my swimming pool spotlessly clean?

Have you ever noticed, and maybe even been a bit bothered, that your swimming pool sometimes looks a little cloudy after your swimming pool tech leaves?

It's important to understand why this might be happening so that you can decide whether it's normal or whether you might have a problem with either your pool or your pool tech.

When your pool tech arrives to clean your pool, he may vacuum it with a large portable vacuum, then he will brush the walls of your swimming pool.

The vacuum that your pool tech uses to clean the pool, does not connect to your pool filter.  It has its own filter, which removes particles larger than 50 microns (.002").  This is true regardless of what swimming pool service company you hire to clean your pool, as we all use similar equipment. Anything smaller than 50 microns will need to be filtered out by your pool filter.

As a point of reference, 50 microns is about the diameter of a human hair. The limit of human visibility is about 40 microns.  Pollen can range from about 15 microns to 200 microns.

You may notice more cloudiness during pollen season and/or if your pool's surface is getting older and might be starting to wear.

If you have your own swimming pool vacuum (or an automatic "crawler" type vacuum), these use your pool filter to remove particles.  Most pool filters remove particles in the 10-20 micron range (depending on the type of filter you have).

Your swimming pool may look a little cloudy after your pool tech leaves because brushing and vacuuming will unsettle fine debris that was clinging to the pool surface.  Your pool filter should remove particles that remain suspended, but some will inevitably settle back onto the bottom of the pool.

It's important to remember that your pool service tech is only at your home one day per week.  Five minutes after he leaves, something can fall into your pool and unless you (or an automatic pool cleaner) removes it, it will stay there until the pool tech comes a week later to clean your pool again.  This can be especially problematic for unscreened pools, or those that have plants on the pool deck, and on windy days.

If you are noticing cloudiness or fine sediment on your pool surface, you have a couple of options.

1. You could pay an additional fee to have your pool service tech use a different kind of vacuum on your pool – one that hooks up to your swimming pool filter.  Pool service companies charge extra for this service as it takes more time and effort to "flat vac" a swimming pool. This vacuuming must be done before brushing (or anything else that disrupts debris that has settled).  Flat vacuuming will remove most of the fine "dust" at the bottom of the pool. Subsequent brushing of the pool will loosen particles that were clinging to the walls and this debris will either be filtered out through normal circulation or will settle to the bottom where it can be removed the next time your pool is vacuumed.

2. The other option is to buy or rent an automatic pool vacuum which will keep your pool clean at all times while your pump is running.  These "crawlers" as they are known, are the only way to keep your pool clean and free of debris at all times. PPH Pool Services has economical options for purchase or rental of automatic pool vacuums if that's something you're considering.

Give us a call if you"re interested in discussing any of these options.