How to look after a private pool through a Dubai summer

What does a Dubai summer do to a pool?

From June to September an uncovered pool in Dubai behaves differently from the same pool in winter, and a winter routine will not hold it.

• Heat. Without a chiller the water can climb well above 30 degrees Celsius. Warm water burns through chlorine quickly and is ideal for algae and bacteria.
• Sun. Strong ultraviolet light destroys unprotected chlorine within hours, which is why outdoor pools use a stabiliser.
• Evaporation. The level can fall by several centimetres in a week. If it drops below the skimmer mouth, the pump draws air and can run dry.
• Minerals. Every top up adds hard water and evaporation leaves the minerals behind, so calcium and dissolved salts climb through the season and scale forms along the tile line.
• Dust. Sand storms and daily fine dust carry nutrients that feed algae and load the filter.
• Use. School holidays bring more swimmers, sunscreen and body oils.

What is a good weekly pool routine in summer?

• Test free chlorine and pH two or three times a week and adjust in small steps. Test alkalinity, calcium and stabiliser once or twice a month.
• Skim the surface and empty the skimmer and pump baskets every day or two.
• Brush the walls, steps, corners and tile line once a week. Algae start where water moves least.
• Vacuum the floor weekly, or run the automatic cleaner and empty its bag or canister.
• Check the water level and top up so that it sits about halfway up the skimmer opening.
• Read the filter pressure gauge. Backwash a sand filter or wash a cartridge when the reading rises noticeably above its clean level.
• Run the pump long enough to pass the whole volume through the filter at least once a day, which in summer means longer hours than in winter.
• Look over the plant room for drips, unusual noise and hot smells.

The target ranges in the table are those commonly used for home pools. Follow the figures given by your pool builder or equipment maker where they differ.

How do I stop algae in hot weather?

Algae give a warning before the water turns green. The walls feel slippery, the water loses its sparkle, and a faint green or mustard tint appears in shaded corners and on the steps. At that stage a firm brushing, a corrected pH, a raised chlorine level and a day of continuous filtration usually clear it.

A pool that is already green needs a shock treatment and a filter clean, and often a second visit. Keep swimmers out until the water is clear enough to see the main drain and the chlorine reading has come back into range. If algae return every few weeks, look for the underlying cause: poor circulation, a tired filter, stabiliser that has built up too high, or phosphates from dust and garden runoff.

What should I do after a sand storm?

• Wait until the wind has dropped, then skim off leaves and floating debris.
• Empty the skimmer and pump baskets, which fill quickly.
• Leave the pump off for a few hours so that fine dust settles to the floor.
• Vacuum slowly. If your system has a waste setting, send the heaviest dirt to waste and not through the filter.
• Backwash or wash the filter afterwards, because a storm can load it in one afternoon.
• Top up the water lost, then test and rebalance.
• Hose down the deck and coping away from the pool, so the same dust is not walked or blown back in.

Pool chemical safety: what should I not do?

Pool chemicals are concentrated, and most accidents happen in the store room, not in the water.

• Never mix chemicals, including two different types of chlorine. Chlorine and acid together release toxic gas.
• Always add the chemical to water. Never pour water onto a chemical.
• Do not store chemicals in the sun, in a hot car or in an unventilated plant room, and keep acids apart from chlorine.
• Do not dose by guesswork or add more because the water looks dull. Test first.
• Do not add chemicals while people are swimming, and wait the stated time before the pool is used.
• Wear gloves and eye protection, and keep children and pets away from open containers.
• Do not open the pump, the chlorinator or the electrical panel. Pool equipment combines water and mains power.

A pool technician from The MELLS logs the readings at every visit, so a drift in chlorine demand or water level is caught early, and the supervisor sends photographs with the report. Book a site visit to have the pool and plant room assessed before the hottest months.