An indoor water feature is a beautiful and tranquil addition to any luxury home, however they can be difficult to properly maintain and cause irreversible damage if the water goes awry! Imagine the damage that can be done with a leak to flooring, wall coverings, furniture and even structural damage, in additional to the fountain itself suffering harm. It is imperative that this type of addition to a professionally managed home be maintained to the highest standards to ensure these disasters are avoided.
Here are some general fountain and water feature troubleshooting tips and overall best practices to help the indoor water features last for years to come:
White Scale and Lime Deposits:
When a white film forms on the surface of the fountain, this is usually caused by the chemicals in hard or tap water. Assuming there are no live plants or aquatic life in the fountain, it is generally safe to use CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust Remover) or a mixture of vinegar and water and a non-scratch pad to scrub away at these deposits. This is only if the finish of the fountain can withstand a chemical cleaner, and should not be attempted on a more porous surface that is delicate such as marble. To prevent this in the future, use a scale remover that is formulated for your specific type of fountain or water feature.
Odor:
The most common reason for odor associated with the water feature is algae formation or lack of a fresh water source. Small fountains without a refill source should be drained and refilled every quarter, even with purifying chemicals. Larger water features that have a drain/fill feature will not encounter this problem as often, although may have odor due to the chemicals associated with cleaning agents in the chemicals. Manually scrubbing the holding tank and having a skimmer will reduce the amount of algae that forms in larger fountains.
Inconsistent Flow/Pump Problems:
The most likely reason for flow and pump problems is not enough water to cover the mechanism that pumps the water. All components must be completely covered with at least two inches of water for the pumping system to fully operate. Depending on the humidity level in the air the water feature may need to be filled as often as every day or as little as once a week. If this doesn’t help and the pump is still performing poorly the pump should be cleaned as it may Also, keep in mind that fountain pumps are meant to run 24/7 so turning them on and off is hard on the pump and will decrease the life of your pump. If the pup is loud on a small fountain, the fountain’s pump may not be positioned properly causing it to vibrate. Using suction cups and affixing the pump to the fountain securely will prevent vibration when it is operating. Also using something to buffer the noise such as a sponge or foam will help lessen the noise.
Water Splashing Issues:
Depending on the type of fountain you purchased, this may or may not be normal. Most fountains that are made for outdoors can have some splashing but fountains that are indoor fountains are made not to splash. If you experience splashing a couple things you can check are the water level, pump speed and the positioning of any rocks or splash guards. If the water level of your fountain is too low and the pump is exposed the pump will take in air and cause a spitting effect, thus causing splashing. Most fountain pumps have an adjustable flow control. Check this as you may have yours set too high for your particular fountain, thus causing the water flow to come out too quickly and cause splashing. If you have rocks in the basin of your fountain the water could be bouncing off the rocks. Try to rearrange the rocks for a better flow into the base of your fountain. One other tip, if you are using a outdoor style waterfall indoors, you may want to cut a screen to place in the basin so that once the water falls into the basin it will not bounce back out and onto the floor.
Outdoor Fountain Care for Colder Months:
If you live in a freezing climate where the temperature gets below freezing you will either need to bring your outdoor fountain in or completely drain and cover it. Water can not stay in your fountains and be allowed to freeze. The freezing and thawing of water inside your water feature could cause the fountain to crack. If the fountain pump is allowed to sit in the fountain in ice this could cause pump damage as well. Fountain covers work exceptionally well and will protect your fountain. No matter what you plan to do with your fountain in the winter months it must be drained completely and dried out.
All of this and more should be consider when choosing which type of water feature to add to an indoor our outdoor space. Any routine maintenance or seasonal support should be scheduled in advance and can be addd to the maintenance calendar for yearly upkeep. To have Luxury Lifestyle Logistics assist you in setting up a proper maintenance plan for your residence and discuss specialty care features such as water fountains, please contact us today to schedule a complementary consultation.