Don't let your pool turn green As we move into the warmer months, First National Real Estate reminds homeowners and tenants that longer daylight hours and stronger sunlight can wreak havoc with chlorine levels in your pool.

Strong sunlight strips chlorine and this increases the risk of your pool turning green as algae levels build up.

If your pool is salt water chlorinated, you’re at increased risk as the amount of chlorine in your pool relates directly to the length of time for which your pool filter runs each day (and the percentage of salt in the water).

If your pool requires you to add chlorine liquid or granules, make sure you maintain adequate levels of chlorine otherwise your filter will struggle to work efficiently and that’s just more power wasted.

Naturally, like refrigerators, hot water services and air conditioners, pool pumps are amongst the larger consumers of electricity in your home. This makes it tempting to cut back on the number of hours your pump runs each day.

However, while it’s quite acceptable, in fact recommended to reduce your pump’s running hours during winter, the opposite is true in the warmer months.

So, speak to your property manager about the recommended number of hours your pump should be running each day in your climate. If your pool is salt water chlorinated, running the pump at night can help you save on energy consumption as the chlorine produced is not immediately affected by sunlight and you may be able to reduce your running hours slightly.

The best advise is to check chlorine levels regularly with your test kit and make sure Ph levels are kept in balance. That way, your pool will stay clear, healthy, and require no more than the minimum number of pump running hours to stay crystal clear.

If you are a tenant in a home managed by First National and you feel you need advice, don’t hesitate to call your property manager and we’ll gladly assist. After all, once your pool has turned green, any savings you’ve made in energy consumption will be more than offset by the cost of chemicals needed to return the pool to normal.

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DISCLAIMER

The following advice is of a general nature only and intended as a broad guide. The advice should not be regarded as legal, financial or real estate advice. You should make your own inquiries and obtain independent professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances before making any legal, financial or real estate decisions.