Swimming Pool Maintenance Troubleshooting

Clear water in swimming pools require maintenance of the pool.

To achieve a clean swimming pool you must maintain it. Above ground and in-ground swimming pools require regular maintenance to prevent problems from arising. Swimming pools that don’t work properly or if the water becomes dark and murky, it will require you to troubleshoot the cause. When troubleshooting the water in your swimming pool, you may need to purchase supplies ahead of time from your local home-improvement store or pool store.

Things You'll Need

• Pool filter Stainless steel brush Algaecide Water test kit

Instructions

Filter Won’t Run

1. Verify the pool motor is plugged in and the time operates properly. Set the time on the motor for a minute ahead of your current time when you test it. Notice if your swimming pool motor turns on in your presence.

2. Locate the electrical panel and verify the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped. If you notice a tripped breaker, reset it by pushing it to the “on” position. If the circuit breaker to your pool constantly trips, you may wish to call a professional.

3. Check the pool filter for possible debris that may be clogging it. If you notice debris clogging the filter, clean the filter or replace it with a new one according to the manufacturer's directions.

Brown Spots

1. Scrub the brown and black algae spots with a stainless steel brush until you loosen or remove them.

2. Apply an algaecide to your pool according to the manufacturer's directions. This prevents the spores from reattaching to your pool's sides or bottom after you have removed them.

3. Increase the chlorine level in your pool's water to remove brown or black spots (algae) on the sides or bottom of the pool. Typically algae spots come from a lack of proper chlorine levels.

4. Monitor the levels of chlorine carefully to avoid adding too much chlorine, causing unsafe concentration levels according the manufacturer's directions.

Murky Water

1. Check your pool's filter tank pressure by reading it on the control to verify it has a normal reading.

2. Replace the pool's filter with a new one according to the manufacturer's directions, if you find your pool's tank pressure reads higher than normal.

3. Test the pool's water with a test kit according to the manufacturer's directions. Adjust the chemicals in your pool according to the instructions obtained on your test kit.

References

• Ortho’s: Home Repair Problem Solver; Robert J. Beckstrom, Sally W. Smith; 1995: Troubleshooting a Swimming Pool