If you’re new to swimming pools, you might not know how important it is to thoroughly clean your pool after every use. Washing down the pool walls and filter are just the beginning – you also need to clean the water in the pool, and it’s best to do this process whenever you’re changing the pool’s water. Doing this a few days after cleaning will help restore the pool’s natural balance and ensure that it stays healthy and clear of any debris or soap scums that might have accumulated during use. Below we’ll discuss when you should backwash above ground pools (also known as chlorinated pools), and how often you should do it depending on the weather and how dirty the pool is when you start the process.
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Always
It’s important to always backwash your pool, whether it’s above or below ground. Swimming pools are not indestructible and can be damaged by improper use or neglect. The cleaner the pool is, the more enjoyable it will be to use, and the longer it will last. Swimming pools that aren’t cleaned properly can become havens for bacteria and other organisms that cause diseases.
Even if you think that your pool is clean at the moment, it’s still vital to do some cleaning before the season starts just to ensure that it stays that way. One of the simplest ways to do this is to simply backwash it once a week, on the same day each week. Doing this prevents any buildup of bacteria or other organisms that could cause an infection or make your pool unpleasant to use. This process should be done with a gentle flow of water to avoid causing harm to your pool’s plaster or vinyl liner.
Weekly
If you live in a warm, humid climate, you might want to do a bit of research into how often you should backwash your pool before setting a firm schedule. In areas where it gets a lot of sun exposure, you might need to do this process more often, especially if the water isn’t very clean when you start off. If you have a very large pool, you might want to do this process more often than once a week to ensure that all the gunk at the bottom gets washed away before you use the pool again. If you notice that the algae is building up quickly at the bottom of your pool, this is a sign that you need to do a quick cleanup and then wash down the pool walls and filter more often than usual.
Every Other Week
If you live in a cooler climate and don’t have to worry about the water being too warm, you can set your schedule a bit more loosely and do this process once every other week. Doing this ensures that your pool stays clean for longer and allows for some accumulation of dirt and debris at the bottom of the pool that can be easily removed with some water cleaning before you use the pool again.
When To Backwash Above Ground Pool?
Whether you choose to backwash your pool every week, every other week, or once a month, it’s important to understand when is the best time to do this process. Below we’ll discuss some general rules to follow when preparing for backwashing, as well as some exceptions based on the current circumstances.
Immediately After Use
The first thing you should do after using any pool is to backwash it immediately. Trying to clean a pool that’s already been used is a surefire way to make things worse – if there are any leaves or other floating material in the water, they’ll just clog up the filtration system faster than you can wash them down. Even if you use a professional pool service, there’s always the chance that something could go wrong and the pool could be damaged during use. When these situations happen, it’s best to simply replace the damaged pool items as soon as possible.
When The Weather Is Cool
In areas where it gets a lot of sun exposure, you should probably be doing this process more often than once a week. When the weather is cool, water tends to stay static for longer and can be more easily disturbed by swimming and other activities. In areas where it gets very cold, you might need to do a bit of research into how often you should backwash your pool depending on the season – in the summer, you might only need to do this process once every two weeks, while in the winter it might be once a week or more. Keeping your pool clean in the winter is essential as ice can form on top of the water which will cause it to become thick and harder to wash down.
When The Weather Is Hot
In areas where it gets a lot of sun exposure and doesn’t get particularly cold, it’s best to do this process less often than once every other week. When the weather is hot, water tends to evaporate quickly which makes it harder for bacteria and other organisms to multiply. In areas where it gets very hot, you might need to do this process once or twice a month to ensure that all the moisture is washed away before you use the pool again. If the weather is particularly humid, you might want to do this process every other week or once a month to avoid any pool liner damage due to excess moisture.
When The Pool Has Been In Use For A While
If you live in a cooler climate and use your pool regularly throughout the year, it’s best to do this process less often. Once the pool has been in use for a while, the water at the bottom will have built up and stabilized which makes it easier for you to clean it once a month or once every other month. Doing this process more often could cause harm as the chemicals in the water will break down the pool’s vinyl or plaster coating and cause it to become chipped or cracked. The best course of action in these situations is to simply clean the pool as soon as possible.
As you can see, there are several circumstances where it’s best to do a backwash above ground pool. Not all of them apply in every case, but if you want your pool to stay healthy, you should be washing it at least once a week in the summer and every other week in the winter. If you choose to do this process less often, make sure that you clean it thoroughly whenever you do – if there are any leaves or other floating debris in the water, it will clog up the filtration system and possibly damage your pool’s liner. Always remember that the process of backwashing your pool is meant to be a gentle one and shouldn’t hurt your pool or its contents in any way.