Pool maintenance can be meditation. And yes we can do it ourselves!
Here’s what I’ve learned about the art of pool maintenance - plus a surprising discovery about this weekly ritual: mental self-care and valuing my best life.
Inspiring quotes throughout from Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values
"It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow.” - Robert Pirsig
When I bought my Med Home, I inherited a lovely guy who took care of my pool.
I didn’t know that at first, until each week I noticed someone at my pool. No-one had told him that ownership of the house had changed hands.
I was grateful he was there, as I knew nothing about taking care of a pool. I had never had a pool. In fact the pool was a bonus with the house. A house with a pool was not part of my original dream home criteria. I was rather more focused on a beautiful property with a view of the sea.
After experiencing my first scorching hot summer in the Med, I was thanking the gods of cool water for the pool! Plus, the pool has become a beautiful focal point of my Med Gardens and outdoor living space.
In my first few years in the Med this arrangement of bringing in outside expertise to take care of all things pool worked very well. As I focused on home renovations, guest house renovations, and the gardens.
This January, my lovely pool expert announced that he would be moving away from the area. He offered to recommend a replacement. As winter is not an active time at the pool, I decided not to bring someone else in, and instead to learn the art of pool maintenance myself. How hard could it be?
Carlos, the friendly pool expert, kindly offered to give me a masterclass on the pool before he left.
So since January this year, every Saturday, I have been refining my art of pool maintenance - which has become a welcome meditative ritual. The mesmerising sounds of tranquil water flowing as I equalise the levels of the water in the pool; the gentle swaying back and forth as I scoop the leaves from the pool’s surface and floor; and watching the sun sparkle on top of a freshly cleaned pool…focusing my attention, and pondering the values of life!
Here’s what I’ve learned about the art of pool maintenance - we can do it ourselves! Plus how I’ve worked a weekly wellness meditation into this simple chore - the Zen.
“The past exists only in our memories, the future only in our plans. The present is our only reality. “ - Robert Pirsig
The Zen and the Art of Pool Maintenance
If you are new to pool maintenance as I was, here is a simple check-list to follow - not only the what to do, but also the why - and if you desire, one step further to the meaning of life!
“Take the essence of the instruction and going ahead with it on your own” - Robert Pirsig
PART 1: The Pool
Above ground, I’ve learned that there are 5 key areas of the pool to pay attention to:
1. The Skimmer Baskets
2. The Drain
3. The Water Line
4. The Jets
5. The pH
Pool maintenance, I’ve learned, is not just the cosmetic removal of unsightly leaves. It is ensuring the best quality of the water, both for your safety and swimming pleasure, but also to prevent algae blooms and bacteria - public enemy #1 for pools. Enemy #2 is calcium build up at the water line in my pool, I’ll get to that later.
Leaves, dirt and other organic matter in the pool is feeding ground for algae and bacteria. So, even if you don’t have anyone swimming in the pool for a time, keeping that organic matter out is a must.
Still water is also breeding ground for algae and bacteria. Keeping those jets working frequently keeps the water moving to prevent algae blooms - and the sound of the moving water is positively hypnotic :)
Take care with the timing that the jets are running. I’ve learned that the electricity needed to run those jets is the biggest hit to my electricity bill.
Weekly Pool Maintenance Checklist - Above Ground:
Skim any leaves or floating debris from the top of the pool
Brush the walls of the pool
Vacuum the bottom of the pool
Check the drain for any obstructions
Clean out the skimmer baskets of debris and wash with the hose
Check the water level and top it up if need be
Check the jets for any irregularities
Check the pH levels and adjust the water balance with product (Chlorine)
The products are inexpensive and can be found on Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Associate - I only share products that I use and love!
Water balance products: tablet, granular chlorine
Balancing the pH
The key to that crystal clear, plunge inviting water is the pH.
pH is the scale of acidity and alkaline, ranging from 0 to 14 where the middle point of the scale at 7.0 is neutral. Anything above 7 is alkaline and anything below 7 is acidic. The ideal pH rating of swimming pool water is between 7.0 and 7.6. Anything lower than 7.0 and metals and pool finishes can start to corrode, while anything above 7.8 and there can be issues with scaling due to calcium salts in the water and chlorine becoming ineffective.
PART 2: The Engineering
So, above ground pool maintenance is about monitoring the water quality and quantity. However, underground there are some machines doing the important work to maintain the pool:
The first time I attempted the cleaning of the filter I have to admit I was a little scared - what if I break it?? In Spanish and Portuguese the pump is called the “Bomba” - could it explode??
"You are never dedicated to something you have complete confidence in.” - Robert Pirsig
1. The Brain - Control Panel
The Control Panel is where you set the timing of the jets - to keep your water moving the appropriate amount, by time of year / air temperature, to prevent algae and bacteria.
In the hot season the recommended amount to run those jets is about 8-10 hours a day - so every 3 hours for an hour. Algae grows in warm water, so when the temperatures are below 25-30° C you can adjust the jets and movement of water to much less - and save that electricity! I reduce to 2 hours per day in the cooler weather and monitor closely for needed adjustments as the temperature fluctuates.
2. The Heart - Pump
The brain controls the heart. The pump is what fuels those jets. The pump pushes clean water, cleaned by the filter, back into the pool via the jets.
TIP: Check with your electricity company for times of day when rates are lowest, and try to run the jets in these times as much as possible. The pool pump is the biggest electricity user for my entire house!
3. The Liver - Filtration System
The filtration system is truly like our liver. If you don’t keep it clean it will prevent all other core organs of the pool from doing their job - and will be the source of the enemies arriving to your pool.
The filter removes dirt and debris from the water. The more you use your pool, and the more dirt, suntan lotion, spilled beverages (or other oopses) that goes in, the more you have to clean your filters.
The recommended frequency for cleaning the filter is once per month for regular pool use. Plus, directly after a storm, or heavier use times such as just after entertaining guests.
Monthly Pool Maintenance Checklist - Below Ground:
Adjust control panel for the timing of the jets, based on outside temperature, and electricity rates
Backwash the filtration system
Check the pool filter pressure gauge
Backwashing the Filtration System
"Is it hard?" "Not if you have the right attitudes. It's having the right attitudes that's hard.” - Robert Pirsig
This is where the engineering side of your brain comes in handy. There are a lot of pipes, and knobs underground that can be overwhelming at first.
The most important thing I found to remember at the start, is to set all buttons on the control panel to OFF while you adjust the flows of the water, and then to MANUAL for the backwash. (From their usual automatic settings). It is my understanding that if you don’t do this the “BOMBA” explosion could happen.
Step 1: Turn off pool equipment on the Control Panel
Step 2: Rotate the valve to the “Backwash” position.
Step 3: Turn equipment back on (on Control Panel) and run the first cycle.
- This turns the pump “in reverse”. Run it for 1-3 minutes to strip the impurities off the filter grids.
Step 4: Turn the equipment off again.
Step 5: Rotate the valve to the "Rinse" position.
Step 6: Turn equipment back on and run the second cycle.
- Keep the pump back on for about 30 seconds to rinse the grids from the “normal” filter side. The water will flow in the same as in “Filter” mode, except the water and any remaining impurities are purged out the waste line.
Step 7: Repeat steps 1-6 two more times.
- Decrease the amount of backwash time to 30 seconds, then to 15 seconds.
Step 8: Turn the equipment off again.
Step 9: Rotate the valve back to the “Filter” position.
Step 10: Turn equipment back on
I now love the filter cleaning time of the month as the “dirty” water gets redirected out to different points on my garden and waters my plants!
Checking the Pool Filter Gauge
Finally, I’ve learned that it is good practice to check the pool filter pressure gauge at least once a month. I check it weekly, for my fear of “BOMBA”!
The pool filter pressure gauge is the gadget that reads the amount of pressure building up inside your filter. A typical pressure gauge is round, with an indicator needle and a maximum reading of 60 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch). Pounds per square inch – sometimes called “PSI” for short -- is a unit of measurement that is used to read air, gas, or liquid pressure.
For pool owners, the normal range is around 10 PSI. But check your owner’s manual for more information. As long as the water pressure is in the “normal” range, your pool filter is in good working condition.
Otherwise:
Pressure Too High? It’s Time to Clean the Filter.
Generally, if your pool filter water pressure rises more than 10 PSI over the normal range, it’s time to clean – or possibly even replace -- your filter. For most filters, 20 or 30 PSI is considered too high.
Pressure Too Low? Look for Blockage
If your pressure gauge indicates that the PSI is lower than normal, you may have a blockage: Check your skimmer baskets and all the lines in your filter, clear out any large debris or clogs. Other common causes of low pressure: Your pool’s water level might be too low or your pump might be too small. And don’t forget to check for leaks. Depending on where they’re located, holes or leaks can cause low pressure, too.
The Air Relief Valve
The air relief valve works hand-in-hand with your pressure gauge to keep your filter running smoothly. The air relief valve provides a much-needed outlet for releasing air that gets into your filter system, causing pressure to rise. It is considered good practice to release air through this valve after any maintenance activities that could introduce air to your system, such as cleaning or backwashing your filter.
PART 3: The Meditation
"On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.” - Robert Pirsig
Meditation is described as a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state
To my surprise, my weekly pool maintenance ritual has become my time for meditation. By focusing my mind on this activity, I have been training my attention, and have started to transcend into self-awareness. I have started laying down, in the Shavasana yoga pose, beside the pool after completing my pool maintenance, to induce my relaxed and calm state.
As I discovered what was happening during my pool maintenance ritual, I was reminded of a book I read in high school, which I have quoted throughout this blog post: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values, by Robert Pirsig.
This prompted me to download the book via Kindle and read it again. As an adult reading the book, I was more mindful of Pirsig’s Inquiry into Values.
It struck me that the Mediterranean Lifestyle, that I am exploring in my new journey, brings me back full circle to the values I started out with. My slow living lifestyle in the Med is enabling me to cut through the unimportant complexities that became part of my journey through adulthood. To rediscover Zen.
“Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV” - Robert Pirsig
“Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed.” - Robert Pirsig
With this new discovery of the art of pool maintenance, I am finding my Med Style, and my Zen.
If you are intrigued by taking on pool maintenance yourself, I hope that this blog post provides useful starter tips.
If you are intrigued by the Inquiry into Values, pick up a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig.
Direct links here: I am an Amazon Associate - I only share products that I use and love!
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on Amazon.com
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on Amazon.co.uk
Oommmm,
Jade
Lewon
Med
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