For those who live in warmer climes, who endure long hot and sticky summers, having a pool in your garden is a virtual life-saver. From pool parties and barbecues to a simple soak after a long day, swimming pools improve your quality of life, serve as stress relievers, and add value to your home. They do, however, involve constant and specialised maintenance.

Photo, Thom Milkovic.

Keeping the water fresh, clean and free of smells can be a full time job, which is counter productive to a lifestyle choice. The solution? A top system for filtration, cleaning and purification; as well as a maintenance advisor it keeps running smoothly. Offering clear and simple advise on the types of plumbing systems that are necessary to keep your pride and joy hotel-standard clean, swimming pool maintenance specialists Stagshead reveal a series of tips for the proper maintenance of your pool…

Filtration system: Despite the correct maintenance of outdoor or indoor swimming pools by experienced plumbers, it can still be the case that water that appears to be clean and crystalline can change colour and the walls show stains and alkalinity. These problems are much more common than you think, but they have an easy solution if you know how to act. It’s important that the pipes installed in the pools are PVC pipes; they’re light and have a great resistance to different pressure variables, chemicals and currents (PVC is not a conductor of electricity).

Every swimming pool should have a selector valve as part of its filtering system; these can be manual or automatic valves that direct the purification system efficiently through six possible positions:

1. Emptying position, a pump capable of sucking up water and transferring it through the drain, facilitating the emptying of only a part or all of it.
2. Filtration, collecting water to pass it through a filter and returns it to the swimming pool.
3. Washing position, that cleans the sand and dust filter and also removes dirty water down the drain.
4. Rinse position to prevent dirt from returning to the pool.
5. Recirculation function.
6. Closed function, necessary when the pool is inactive for a long time or to prevent water leaks.

The swimming pool experts advise on the installation of a high quality purification system, choosing the perfect purifier to allow the pool to keep the water clean for a long time, in order to avoid being emptied and filled continuously; ensuring a significant saving on your water bill.

Following the recommendations of professional plumbers in the industry, especially pertinent with the rise of Covid-19, it’s advised that every treatment plant must consist of:

— A good quality pump.
— A filter that retains bacteria and the sand.
— A sink where the water is absorbed.
— Impulsion nozzles to return the water into the pool.

When choosing the treatment plant, you need to know the volume of the pool where it will be installed. It’s very important to establish a filtering schedule; ideally eight hours a day.

Photo, Natasha Reddy.

Hiring a Swimming Pool Maintenance Company.

As you can see, even establishing the correct filtration system is a minefield of options and solutions, and that’s before you think implementing schedules or emergency clean-ups after a particularly extravagant pool party. Having a swimming pool at home is a luxury, and shouldn’t be a headache. Hiring a professional to keep on top of things is the way forward, but there are important things to consider when choosing a swimming pool maintenance company…

Photo, Fernando Torres.

Responsible and Legal Company: Ask for documentation from the candidate companies; a certificate of being up to date with Social Security and Treasury payments, since they can make you subsidiary responsible for credits that happen at the time of the setting up of the service or the conclusion of the repair or reform. You must also hire ‘legal’ companies that give you all the correct guarantees, and that contribute to the progress of the environment and country by paying taxes in a responsible and legal way.

Civil Liability Insurance: All professional companies have civil liability insurance to cover possible damage to client’s property or your neighbours property too; if during the working process the contractor or the company has damaged something through negligence. Be wary of those who do not have insurance or seek excuses for not showing you the insurance documents; in case of accident or damage to third parties you may end up being the one to pay.

Recommendations and References: It’s easy for a company like Stagshead to have good recommendations and positive reviews from clients, as they have a huge experience in the field and a many years working as a maintenance company in this sector. Word of mouth is essential, and many times it’s much better than the paid advertising; especially so in an age of online reviews. A company that has that much time working in this field is already a trusted one in this increasingly competitive market, and there are no doubts that the work will be done right on time, with no issues and positive reviews only.

Study Other Alternatives and Budgets: You must compare budgets, but don’t just stop at the price. Check the qualities, the details of the materials and services, the specialised treatment, and the reputation of the company that provides you the offer. Budgets for your swimming pool maintenance must be as in-depth as imaginable, and always in hardcopy. Do not hesitate to ask for written clarifications from potential suppliers. Make all the enquiries you consider appropriate so that you’re not left with a nasty surprise later. Be wary of the cheapest budget you have if there is a lot of difference with respect to market prices. As the old adage goes ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’; it may end up being more expensive in the long run.

Client Communication: It’s essential that as a client you worry about the service they are providing, so you can control first-hand the people that will work for you. You will be able to see their behaviour at work, the means available to them, the attention that the company provides them through the different means of communication. You can and should have meetings with the coordinators of the work to check qualities, deadlines, etc.; avoid misunderstandings or mistakes that are not easy to correct later and can harm you in the future.