Spring is so fun! The birds start chirping, the flowers bloom and pools open for the season. But what is not fun about Spring is the pollen! It gets everywhere. In our sinuses, on our cars, in our homes and all over the recently opened pool. All that hard work getting your pool ready for the season can be ruined (or so it seems) in mere seconds on a high pollen count day. What can be done about getting that pollen out of your pool? We found a great article to share with you to help solve this issue!
You wake up in the morning, stretch and then look out at your beautiful, crystal clear water pool. Uh Oh. What is that yellowish tinge floating in the water? You guessed it. That’s pollen.
Pollen is just a part of life, and like anyone who has to deal with allergies, pool owners must take a few extra steps to fight off pollen in their pools, especially during those heavier pollen times during the spring and summer months.
Luckily, getting rid of that pollen is actually quite easy and won’t take that long, either. Just follow the steps below and you can rid your pool of that unsightly pollen so you can enjoy a swim that is clear and blue and now dusty and yellowy.
When Is Pollen Heaviest
This is something that every pool owner should know. While it differs everywhere, you can get an idea of when it is heaviest in your area if you simply watch the pollen counts. Now, if you are allergic to pollen, you already know this. But it is something every pool owner should be aware of, as well. Watch the pollen counts closely and when they rise be prepared to do a little extra work on your pool to make sure it stays clean and clear.
Pollen or Algae
Before you begin your cleaning process, you need to first make sure that what you are dealing with is, in fact, pollen. There are some algae out there that look a whole lot like pollen. For example, yellow mustard algae has that light yellowish/green look just like pollen. The difference, you will find, is where it collects.
Remember, pollen will float on the top of the pool. Algae, on the other hand, will often stick to the sides and even the bottom of the pool and won’t be easily filtered by your pool’s filtration system. If it is floating at the top of the pool, and you notice that some is picked up by your pool’s filtration system, then chances are you have a pollen problem.
Remove Pollen From Your Pool
Now that we have established that you indeed have a pollen issue in your pool, let’s take a look at what you need to do to get rid of it. First, just let me tell you that getting rid of the pollen isn’t too difficult, but it something that you will have to work on every day, especially during the heavy pollen times of the year.
1. Run Your Filtration System
Most pool owners don’t keep their pool’s filtration system running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, if you have a pollen problem, then your pool’s filtration system is your best defense against pollen accumulating at the top of your pool. While this may not be enough, this is the perfect first step that you should take in battling your pollen problems.
At the very least it will reduce the amount of manually labor you have to perform to get rid of that pollen in your pool every day. While it will cause your energy bills to rise, in the end having a clean pool with less pollen that you have to get rid of yourself makes it well worth it.
2. Skim the Water Regularly
Every morning (and maybe in the afternoon, too) take a skimmer with a very fine mesh head attached to it and run it through the water to pick up any pollen that has collected there overnight. You may have to repeat this process more than once a day during the heavy pollen times in your area. Remember, a regular skimmer net won’t do the trick, you need a special attachment with very fine mesh in order to trap the pollen.
3. Aluminum Sulfate
Some pollen in your pool is simply too small for you to be able to pick it up and it will even pass through your filtration system like it wasn’t even there. To get rid of this pollen, add aluminum sulfate to your water. This will bind with the pollen causing it to clump together making it easier for either your pool’s filtration system to remove it. At the same time it will make it easier for you to remove it with your skimmer as well, keeping it out of the filter completely.
4. Shock the Pool
When you are battling pollen, it is a good idea to give the pool a shock before you go to bed one evening. This will kill anything that has decided your pool is a good place to call home simply because of the pollen that is floating around in the water. The next morning, filter the water using your pool’s filtration system and give it another good skim to get rid of anything left over in the water.
5. Vacuum As Necessary
Sometimes a simple skimming won’t do the trick. If the pollen is especially heavy in your area, you may have to actually vacuum that pollen out of the pool. Use this as a last resort as this will cause both your electric and water bills to go up as you use more electricity to vacuum and remove more water during that process that will have to be replaced.
Conclusion
There is nothing worse than looking out at your pool in the morning only to find it covered in a yellowy, floating substance. Pollen, unfortunately, is unavoidable. However, as a pool owner, you want to make sure your pool stays clean and clear.
While most of these recommendations won’t take you too long, you will have to do them regularly. So get ready for pollen season and take a few minutes every day to clean your pool so it remains pollen free. Your swimmers, and perhaps your allergies, will thank you.
Happy Swimming!
This article was originally published at swimuniversity.com. If you find yourself in need of assistance with your pool needs please don’t hesitate to contact us!
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