Summer brings with it the much-awaited pool season.
Swimming offers a break from the Arizona heat and one of the year’s most refreshing recreational activities.
It’s time to get started with the cleaning and refilling of outdoor swimming pools.
Apart from the mud, grime and mold that may have gathered at the bottom of the swimming pools, there’s also the regular cleaning of the pool’s surface to consider.
Dust, bugs and debris can collect over the water regularly. However, one nuisance that most people do not take into account is pollen.
Spring and summer time causes flowers to blossom and bloom. With their annual blooming also comes pollen season. Small spores of pollen are scattered from flowers, plants and trees and can make their way to your swimming pool via birds, insects or the wind.
Why is Pollen Harmful?
Pollen is a huge nuisance for your pool’s cleanliness. Due to its small size it can:
- Clog your swimming pool’s filters permanently and accumulate
- Use up your swimming pool’s sanitizer (chlorine)
- Lead to growth of algae in the swimming pool
- Cause severe allergic reactions in people with hypersensitivity to pollen
Once your pool’s filters stop working, the pollen starts accumulating in the pool water, decreasing its chlorine levels. This leads to growth of algae which turns the water green in a few hours.
Pollen Allergy
If someone in the house has an allergy to pollen, they should be prevented from swimming at all costs. They might not even need to approach the pollen in the swimming pool water to exhibit symptoms such as:
- Red, watery eyes
- Itchy skin
- Uncontrollable sneezing
- Coughing
- Chest congestion
Therefore, it becomes crucial to remove the pollen from your swimming pool as soon as possible.
Removing Pollen from Swimming Pools
Prevention
Prevention is truly better than cure. To prevent pollen from reaching your swimming pool, make sure to keep the surface netted at all times. Invest in pool safety covers to keep the water clean when not swimming.
Another way to prevent pollen from reaching your pool is to get rid of pollen sources before summer begins. Prune trees, bushes and branches nearby. Make sure you plant flowers well away from the vicinity of the swimming pool.
Cleaning Pool Equipment
You will need to clean the pool’s basket and filters immediately. The filter might even need to be replaced or serviced by professionals. Replace any broken baskets or broken skimmers. Inspect everything else including pump lids, drain covers and pressure gauges.
Shocking the Pool
As pollen decreases the level of chlorine in the water, you will have to chlorinate the pool more regularly. Keep chlorinating compounds handy. Remember to inspect the water on a daily basis to make sure it doesn’t start developing algae.
It is also a good idea to invest in a high quality pool fence that would keep any small children with pollen allergies away from the swimming pool.
Summary:
Summer and spring time bring pollen season along with swimming pool season. Pollen can clog up your pool’s cleaning systems and turn the water dirty very fast. It can also cause severe problems for people with pollen allergies. To protect your pool from pollen, invest in safety nets, pool fences and cleaning equipment.
