Six ThingsTo Do For Your Pool When Bushfire Strikes
Smoke and ash fill the bushfire sky
Bushfires don't need to be next door to affect your pool water. Many kilometres away from the fire, ash, soot, and spent embers are filling your sky. Although we can't stop all these product of combustion falling, and making their way into your pool, we can put measures in place so that the deposits do no further harm to the pool, or its usability.
We have put together these six helpful tips to help you.
1. Maintain the correct water level.
Even during in water restriction periods, we can all help prevent water loss:
- Stop jumping and diving.
- Make sure swimmers use the bathroom before entering the pool.
- Refrain from running water features and slides.
- Use a pool cover to stop water loss by evaporation
2. Use chemical Aids
Lo-Chlor Solar Shield
The use of chemical aids can be very helpful. Some reduce evaporation, while chlorine stabilizers can be very useful in helping prevent water loss.
'Solar Shield' by Lo Chlor is a 'Climate Care Certified' product that conserves water and pool chemicals. it is a liquid formula that's added to the water at the rate of 250mls per month for very 50,000litres of pool volume. It is added over the summer season.
The product is available in both 1litre and 500ml packages.
3. Use Filtration Aids
Filtration aids, such as filter socks placed inside the skimmer basket, can help collect finer debris that would otherwise be too small for filter to pick up. The filter bags trap the debris.
When using filter socks always check the skimmer baskets frequently, and empty them when required.
The use of clarifiers can help the filtration pick up smaller particles that would otherwise circulate back into the pool.
4. Maintain Higher Sanitizer Levels.
When foreign particles enter your pool water, available chlorine is used to kill the additional bacteria. This often leaves little or no available chlorine in the water.
Even salt water pools can struggle. Make sure the filtration is running at least for the recommended time over summer, and that the sanitation is adequate for the climate conditions.
Automatic Suction Cleaner
5. Use An Automatic Pool Cleaner
The use of automatic cleaners help as they are continuously cleaning the bottom of the pool whenever the filtration is running. Robotic cleaners are even better, for two reasons:
- Robotic cleaners have a far superior cleaning ability, when compared with all other classes of pool cleaner
- Most robotic cleaners work from an independent power source, thus leaving the pool skimmer and filtration equipment to work at its peak level.
6. Maintain Regular Water Testing and Correct Water Balance
Often, when the drought breaks, the result is heavy rain. This first rain is lovely, and can be a very welcome relief. Remember, though, that with the first downpour of heavy rain, more debris will come flooding in.
Maintaining regular water testing can prevent pool water from turning nasty very quickly.
The bushfire season creates problems for many people - and almost all pool owners. As a careful pool owner, you can take proactive steps to keep your pool safe and usable in these trying periods.
For further information about keeping your pool safe from the effects of bushfire, seek advice from your pool professional. We hope this information has been useful.
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