4 Ways To Maintain Your Outdoor Water Features

Water features can add a soothing touch to your outdoor spaces. They provide the relaxing sound of a babbling brook and a lovely aesthetic for a patio or yard. It’s important to care for your outdoor pond or fountains to keep them functioning properly and looking good. Here are four ways you can keep up your outdoor water features.

1. Clear Out Debris

Outdoor water features are likely exposed to debris. Leaves, branches, dirt, and algae may get into your pond, fountain, or waterfall. Clearing out debris helps ensure that the water pumps stay free of clogs and blockages. Otherwise, the feature could be damaged and require replacement or repair. Use a skimmer to remove leaves and branches weekly and a bristle brush to clear away algae. Likewise, don’t forget to change and clean out the filters for your pond aerators and fountains regularly. 

2. Test the Water

Testing your feature’s water weekly can help lessen the buildup of rust and algae. Tap water is used often for a fountain, but the minerals in tap water can increase the appearance of rust and algae. This buildup is why you should test your water’s mineral levels weekly, especially if you’re using tap water. Using distilled water, instead, could cut back on the number of minerals found in the water and slow the growth of algae. Regardless, testing the water regularly can help maintain the water feature over time.

3. Do a Deep Clean

Every six months, your water feature should be deep cleaned. Start by turning off the pump. Then, drain the feature completely. Draining should be done with care, especially if you have any plants in your water garden. You can transfer the plants to pots. For floating plants, like water lilies, place them in a bucket filled with distilled water until they can be returned to the feature. Next, rinse out the rocks, curves, and fissures of the feature with a hose. Every now and then, switch on the cleaning pump to clear out dirty water. Use a cleaning solution of your choice to make it shine like new.

4. Check for Leaks

If there’s a leak in your fountain or pond, you want to know about it. Leaks can cause serious damage to not only the feature itself but also your home’s exterior and interior. Plus, they keep the feature from performing properly, which could stress the pump or water circulation system. Also, consider winterizing your outdoor fountain or pond before it gets cold to prevent future leaks or cracks. 

Skipping regular maintenance on your outdoor water feature could be disastrous. Don’t overlook your fountain or pond. Using these simple cleaning strategies can save you time, effort, and money.