Before you tackle a cleaning routine you should first familiarize yourself with your pool or spa equipment. Pool and spa are generally equipped with well-designed operational systems that include motors, pumps, heaters, filters and plumbing lines. Let's look briefly at the role each plays in the system - and what you need to know to keep them running smoothly. The following explanations are generic and can be applied to both pools and spas. Don't assume, however, that each brand of motor or pump or any other piece of equipment is the same. There are unique characteristics and design features to each make and model. You should always refer to your owner's manual, check with your retailer or service technician if you have any questions.

Pumps
The pump is probably the hardest-working piece of equipment on your pool or spa. Its job is to keep water moving throughout the entire circulation system. The pump draws the water from the pool or spa through the plumbing and on to the filter. It then pulls it through the heating process and pushes it back into the pool or spa. The pump also acts as a secondary sieve. Pumps of all varieties have a strainer basket or hair and lint trap that catches any small debris that make it through the skimmer, main drain or gutter. By trapping this debris the pump helps ease the burden placed on the filter, leaving it free to catch the smaller pollutants in the water. This is just one part of a multi-step process to rid the water of impurities before it's sent back into the pool or spa. Indeed, keeping the water circulating is one of the best ways to help keep your pool or spa clean. It also requires very little attention by you. You may have your system on a timer which, automatically kicks the pump on for a certain amount of time each day, so all of the water moves through the filter at least once a day. Generally, a pool pump should run at least six hours a day. A spa pump - which in portable spas is part-and-parcel of the spa pack - should run for at least two hours a day when the spa's not in use.

Motors
In the context of a pool or spa, the motor's function is to drive the circulation system. More specifically, the motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy that is used to operate the pump. Unless you are a mechanic, you should not get involved in any hands-on maintenance of the motor. However, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with it when it's set to run. Watch for any symptoms, such as grinding or other unusual noises, that may indicate trouble. If the motor fails to operate properly, contact your retailer or a professional service technician for more information and assistance. As with any complicated piece of electrical equipment, troubleshooting and repairs are best handled by an expert.

Filters
In effect, we've now traveled through the pump and we are on our way to the filter, which serves to remove dirt and other impurities from the water. There are three different types of filters available on the market today, each of which has its own unique advantages. Diatomaceous Earth filters are made of grids of extremely fine mesh that are coated with diatomaceous earth. The DE acts as an adhesive, trapping any small or microscopic dirt particles in the water. DE is made from crushed petrified bones that, if you were to look at it under a microscope, would look like a sponge with thousands of tiny pores. One of the advantages of DE is that it's organic and non-polluting. In other words, it's environmentally friendly. Sand filters use sand as a filter medium. Inside a sand filter there is a certain amount of sand with water passing through, pulling out dirt and impurities. Small microscopic particles can escape capture in a sand filter and can cause a dusty looking pool. To prevent this, you can use a flocculant to coagulate the particles into larger particles that the filter can catch before the water is sent back into the pool. Every few years you may also need to add new sand to the filter. These filters require a very specific type of grain. For more information on when and how to replace the sand, contact your pool/spa retailer or service technician. Cartridge filters, like DE filters, have a grid-like interior to catch pollutants. These types of filters can contain a number of grid cartridges. Spas usually require only one large cartridge while pools generally need either three large cartridges or up to 12 small ones. These cartridges are made with a fine, pleated mesh material - and the pleats are the key to the filter's operation. The tight pleats, or folds, allow a large amount of material to be used in a small container. The more material in use, the larger the surface area available to capture unwanted dirt or debris in the water.

Heaters
We won't go into great detail about heaters, but you should know that the filtered water passes over the heater before re-entering to the pool or spa. As is the case with motors, heaters don't need a lot of maintenance. You should, however, learn to recognize any unusual noises or other clues that may call for professional attention. The best thing you can do for your heater - and indeed for all of your equipment - is to keep the water properly balanced. Improper balanced water will dissolve metals from the equipment or cause a calcium build-up that can eventually cause heater failure.

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