Maintenance Monday: How to Maintain a Swimming Pool?

How to Maintain a Swimming Pool

It’s Maintenance Monday again here at Poolinfloor.com. Today we are going to discuss Swimming Pool Maintenance and the best practices when it comes to the upkeep of your pool. Owning a swimming pool can be a wonderful experience however, without the required maintenance it can turn into quite a costly endeavor. In this article we will break down the basic weekly steps to properly take care of your pool and extend the life for many summers to come. Lets dive in! 

1. Brush

Your pool walls cover the majority of the pool surface, which means that dirt and algae is more likely to linger and form there. Brushing the walls and steps weekly will prevent bacterial buildup and force the majority of the debris to the center of the pool to be easily vacuumed away and trapped in the filter. 

2. Skim/Net

While the dirt is settling on the pool floor, use the opportunity to clean the water surface. A net attached to a pool pole makes easy work of removing leaves, bugs, and other unsightly debris. Your pool also has it's own deck skimmer as well that is there to trap leaves and store them in an easy-to-empty basket (We'll come back to this shortly)

3. Vacuum

After you've given the dirt a chance to settle on the bottom you can now hook up your vacuum and begin to clean the pool floor. Hand-held pool vacuums come in all shapes and sizes however, we recommend one with a sturdy metal handle to easily fit your pool pole, a high profile to guarantee it doesn't get stuck to the bottom, and also one with many weights and good wheels to help keep the dirt and debris from stirring up and clouding the water.

4. Empty Baskets

This one is pretty self explanatory; once you've finished vacuuming the pool the debris will end up in either the pump basket or a leaf-catcher of some sort. While the system is off, remove the basket and empty into an appropriate trash receptacle. DO NOT FORGET THE SKIMMER BASKET!!!

5. Backwash

If you have a sand filter or a diatomaceous earth filter it may require a backwash periodically. Typically you should perform a backwash when the system has gained ten or more pounds of pressure from a previously recorded clean filter pressure. If you have just vacuumed the pool, backwashing will remove all the dirt from the filter and cause the system to perform at its best.

6. Check Chemicals

Typically you should be checking your chemicals weekly, paying close attention to pH and chlorine levels. Other measurements such as calcium hardness and alkalinity should be tested monthly. Follow dealers instructions when making adjustments to your pool chemical balance. 

7. Circulate Pool 

Making sure the water is moving consistently is probably the most important part of owning a pool. General rule of thumb is to run the pool on high speed for 1 hour per 10 degrees in the high temperature. That means if (on average) it's 80 degrees outside for the high, you should be running the pool at least 8 hours on high speed.

Overall, maintaining a swimming pool can be difficult at times without the proper procedures. By following this simple 7-step guide you can be confident in knowing you will always have a peaceful place to relax and get away in the comfort of your own backyard. If you have any questions regarding any of the steps in this helpful guide, do not hesitate to contact us. Our wonderful team of pool professionals is here to assist you each step of the way. Click below to reach us directly!

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