Central Florida Pool Owners: A Few Fall Care Tips

You can hardly skim the leaves fast enough? And with the weather turning in, is it time to put down the maintenance gear? Then again, with the swimmers being fewer and further between you may be at a loss as to how to maintain the water balance.

We can relate. For over 20 years PoolTek Pool Services has been tending to pools all over Central Florida and we have found fall to be the most misconstrued of seasons for pool owners. The following are some tips worth heeding, but if you prefer to leave it to a pro, pick up the phone at (407) 553-9429.

A Different Kind of Fall in Central Florida

Elsewhere in the country this is the season to put the pool to rest. We do not have that option in Central Florida, nor the trouble of it. An autumn here is mild and the water seldom gets cold enough to put an end to things; one will find the pool in use well into October.

Yet it is no occasion to let up on upkeep. The cooler temperatures and less traffic put a different strain on your pool and the leaves that come with it. Left unattended these matters can become something more substantial when the holidays come.

Dealing With Leaves and What Not

There is no such thing as the kind of leaf drop one sees in the north in our part of Florida, but trees will still put out their share of debris in the fall. Let it lie about and you will have issues.

It is important to keep after the debris for a number of reasons:

• Your pool surface will be stained by leaves that make it to the bottom
• Water chemistry is upset by organic matter breaking down
• You put undue stress on the pump and filter with clogged skimmers
• Even in cooler weather algae will be fed by debris
• Once a pool is dirty it is much more of an undertaking to put it right

Make a habit of emptying baskets several times a week and do your skimming each day. If you have any trees overhanging the pool, you will want to be more assiduous about it.

The Chemistry of the Water

With the water cooling and there being less swimming the chemistry will be altered. There are fewer contaminants from swimmers, true, but without care the water is apt to stagnate.

Put in the time to test regularly. Temperature changes can throw off your pH, alkalinity and chlorine levels so be sure to check them. Our service calls include the standard chemicals so our clients never have to run to the store or make an educated guess. Should you be doing it on your own, have a kit available and test once weekly at the very least.

Some Equipment Checks Are in Order

Your heater, filter and pump have seen hard work of the long Florida summer, so before the busy time of year is upon us again it is wise to see to them.

Take a moment to:

• Backwash or clean the filter
• Put your ear to the pump for any odd sounds
• See if there are leaks at the seals or fittings
• Verify the heater is in working order for those cooler days you intend to be in the water
• Run a check on any automated systems for glitches

Too often small things are overlooked and become costly breakdowns. We have an equipment repair department in house at PoolTek so we can deal with it ourselves instead of pointing you in another direction. Give us a ring at (407) 553-9429 and we will discuss what you are seeing.

Modify How You Clean

You might trim the pump run time a bit as it gets cooler, but do not go overboard; you need the circulation to clear the water and get the chemicals where they should be. Consistency is key and that is what our 10-Step Cleaning Process is all about on every visit we make.

Or you can let us worry about it. Trey and the rest of our staff are background checked and verified, so you can be comfortable with who is on your property. We do not tie you down with long term contracts either.

Let Us Do the Work This Fall

One can manage a pool in Central Florida in the fall with some attention to detail. But why not enjoy it this autumn and let PoolTek Pool Services handle the rest? We put in free estimates and cover Orlando, Kissimmee, Winter Garden, Clermont, Oviedo, Lake Mary and other communities in the area. Call (407) 553-9429 and we will have your pool in good shape through the year.