Filling the Pool
Whether you just bought a brand new pool, or you’re refilling your existing pool after contamination or repair, you will need to choose an effective and affordable method of water delivery. The option you choose will vary with your location, water quality and what’s available near you.
Here are the most common options:
- City water
- Well water
- Pool water delivery service
City Water
Simply hook your garden hose to the outdoor tap, put the other end in the pool and fill ‘er up! This is the easiest option, but does have some challenges. You can’t really do this if your area has been going through a drought and there’s potable water rationing orders. You may have to pay an excess usage fee during times of drought or natural disasters. You could even be charged a sewage fee if your home is connected to municipal sewage.
Think about the time it will take to fill your pool, too, and how much your time is worth. It could take a day or two.
Well Water
This is the cheapest option because you own the well and the water in it. This option, however, also poses challenges.
Due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide and other minerals, your well water may have a rotten egg odor to it. Those excess minerals also make it hard to sanitize and balance your water, while sulfur can hinder shock from working correctly. Iron and copper can actually stain the liner and damage hardware. Test your water beforehand to see if this will become an issue.
You’ll also have to make sure your well can handle the necessary volume required. You don’t want to run the risk of your well going dry, only to have to drill a new well which is extremely costly. Also, think about whether or not your well pump can handle the task.
Pool Water Delivery Service
This is certainly the most convenient, as a transport truck just shows up at your house, drops some hoses in and fills up the pool. Sometimes the water comes pre-chlorinated for even more convenience. In many cases, you don’t even have to be home! However, this is the most expensive option, and you may get sticker shock when you see how much you will have to shell out for this convenience.
When Do You Need Refilling?
You may need to add fresh water to your pool if you:
- Are filling the pool for the very first time.
- Are topping off the pool at the beginning of the season, or after you have experienced water loss from splashout or evaporation.
- Have recently drained the pool to make a repair or replace the liner.
- Are converting to a salt water pool.
Have water that is unbalanced or contaminated and that doesn’t respond to chemical treatment. - Notice it’s been between three and five years since you last did a refill.
How Much Water Do You Need?
Follow these easy formulas by pool size if you’re doing this for the first time:
Oval:
Length × Width × Depth × 6.7
Round:
Diameter2 × Depth × 5.9
Rectangle:
Length × Width × Depth × 7.5
Kidney:
Length × Width × Depth × 7.0
Reduce Pool Water Loss
You can slash your water expenses by reducing these four pool water wasters:
- Evaporation
- Leaks
- Excessive splashing
- Filter backwashing
Reduce Evaporation
If you leave your pool uncovered, you could lose a ¼ to ½ inch of water every day just to evaporation, equaling thousands of gallons of water per year. Use a solar pool cover in summer, and a liquid solar cover in spring and fall. Keep your pool heater as low as you can. Add fencing, landscaping, and decorative barriers to prevent the wind from speeding up the evaporation process.
Fix Leaks
Are you losing an inch or more of water each day? You may have a leak. Call a professional to find and repair the leak.
Don’t Splash
This is easier said than done, but try not to splash excessively in the pool. If you have a fountain or waterfall, keep them off when no one is using them.
Backwash Carefully
Don’t be too aggressive when backwashing the filter. As soon as you see the water is running clear, stop the backwashing process.
For more tips on filling your pool, get in touch with Central Jersey Pools!