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Maintaining a swimming pool certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of time, effort, and money to keep the pool in picture-worthy shape.
If you’re considering placing a pool in your backyard or have just installed one for the first time, then you’ll want to learn all you can about the basics of pool maintenance.
Doing so can put you ahead of the curve in terms of making rookie mistakes with your pool care.
Be sure to see below for several tips on how to maintain a pool all summer long, and get the best pool accessories. Consider them all as you prepare for the lengthy, yet rewarding road ahead.
In This Post:
1. Battle Debris Every Day
Debris in your pool can spell disaster. It can clog your pool and, quite frankly, just makes it look bad. However, don’t allow yourself to get frustrated. Debris is something that all pool owners battle daily.
The trick is to rid your pool of the debris each day, rather than letting it pile up in between weekly pool cleaning sessions.
For those of you that don’t have a pool yet, be sure to place your pool out from under any trees. Doing so will help you control the number of leaves, twigs, and branches that fall in the water.
Be sure to dispose of your debris properly so that it doesn’t find its way back into your pool once more.
2. Open Your Pool Correctly
There’s a strict process that you should follow for how to open a pool each spring to ensure a safe and successful reopening.
It involves things like cleaning the pool deck, safely removing the pool cover, and finding the right water level for your family to enjoy. Then, of course, there’s the task of shocking the pool, achieving the right chlorine levels, etc.
The most important thing is making sure to have an extra set of hands while you reopen the pool. Things like removing the pool cover become much easier when there are several people to help out.
3. Wash the Interior Often
It doesn’t matter whether you have an inground pool or an above-ground pool, you must put an emphasis on maintaining the integrity of your pool interior. If you ignore it, there can be black algae growth that will make your pool unsafe for swimming.
Every week or so, be sure to commit yourself to get inside the pool and scrubbing away at the walls. If you have an in-ground pool, then be sure to get into the tiny crevices between your tile walls.
The more active you are about maintaining the health of your interior, the less chance there will be for black algae growth. Once it starts, you’ll need to contact a professional to rid your pool of it.
4. Constantly Check Pool Chemistry Levels
One of the most tedious parts of owning a pool is making sure that the chemistry levels stay where they need to be. Lucky for you, there are test strips that allow you to quickly test the chemistry levels.
After the strip gives you results, you can make adjustments and pour in more or less chlorine into your pool as needed.
The test will show you the results of your pH levels, which you should aim to keep somewhere between 7.2 and 7.8. The higher your pH levels rise, the more chlorine you’ll need in your pool. The lower they are, the less chlorine you’ll need.
Chlorine is the main solution in your pool that’s responsible for killing away the bacteria that likes to congregate in bodies of water. If it’s too high, then your water is less safe for people to swim in.
5. Vacuum the Pool Yourself
Yes, there are vacuuming tools that you can purchase that will clean the pool without you having to control it. No, this does not take the place of you having to clean it for yourself.
To do an effective pool cleaning, you need to dedicate 30-minutes or more (depending on the size of your pool) to vacuuming by hand. You simply wash the pool in straight lines, going back and forth as you work your way down.
It’s important to remember that your hose should always stay below the water. If it rises to the top and starts to float, it means that there’s air trapped inside due to a hole or the filter needing to be cleaned.
6. Don’t Forget the Skimmer Basket
The skimmer basket is used to collect all the debris that floats on the surface of your water and collect it. However, for it to work as effectively as possible, you need to clean it out often.
Start by taking it out and removing all of the contents that you see inside via a trash can. This will ensure the debris doesn’t find its way back in.
Anytime that you open it and see that there are a few items inside, clean it. You want the skimmer to be almost completely void of debris for it to work effectively.
How to Maintain a Pool: Diligence and Effort
Now that you’ve seen several tips on how to maintain a pool, be sure to use these maintenance tips to your advantage.
Make sure to consider which areas you haven’t been giving as much attention to, and start there.
Also be sure to browse our website for more articles on pool care, as well as many other helpful topics.
