Common Water Fountain Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
Backyard fountains can be great fun for children and adults alike. They really add to the atmosphere of a yard. However, it's common to forget to do certain things with backyard fountains in order to make sure they continue to function optimally. Here are some common mistakes people make with fountains including how to avoid making the same mistakes.
Leaf Trouble
If you have your fountain anywhere near trees in your backyard, chances are good that eventually you're going to get leaves in the fountain. If you let the leaves stay in there, you're going to get a clog. This also applies to anything else that can muck up the fountain such as droppings from birds and other animals.
Failing to Clean Regularly
The recommended approach is to clean out the water at least every other day. The fountain will tend to get dark otherwise. Algae can grow and eventually become a contaminant. You need to fully replace all of the water and wipe down the surface every other day in order to prevent unsafe or at least suboptimal conditions from occurring in your fountain.
Winter Protection
It's also rather easy to completely forget to clean out your fountain properly to prepare it for winter as well. Obviously, this doesn't apply as much if you live in a warmer climate where you don't have freezing temperatures, but it's still often worth doing if there is really any doubt. The best approach is to take the fountain apart completely and just bring the whole thing inside.
Even if you don't, however, it's a good idea to at least take all of the water outside of the pump and then put a tarp or other covering over it so that no new precipitation builds up in it. This will ensure it's good to go when you uncover it next.
Dependence on Chlorine
Many people think that a fountain is essentially like a pool, so why not just fill it up like you would a pool? The problem is, most fountains just don't work the way pools do and chlorine can damage the device. If you absolutely can't get rid of algae, then it's recommended to use no more than one-quarter of a cup of chlorine per 5 gallons of water in the pump.
Then, you'll want to make sure that you don't let it run for more than 24 hours. It should be just enough to get through the whole system thoroughly and kill the algae there.
If you avoid these mistakes, your fountain should work well. Just a bit of caution will make your fountain run smoothly for years. If your fountain does break, contact a business that offers backyard water fountains for sale.
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