How to Maintain a Pool: 6 Easy Steps for Year-Round Care

Pool owners understand how much value, convenience and comfort a swimming pool provides. However, just like the rest of the home, a pool also requires proper care and maintenance for it to always be in good working order. 

So, if you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing the right thing in terms of pool maintenance, help is at hand. Here, we’ve put together easy-to-follow steps and tips on how to maintain a pool, including essential seasonal care.

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Step-by-Step Guide on How to Maintain a Pool

Ready to embark on outdoor pool maintenance in earnest?

Follow these simple steps:

1. Clean the surrounding area.

Remember to clean the area around your pool, whether it’s your deck, tiles or a garden. A lot of dust, leaves, twigs and dirt can collect in the area around your pool and end up adding to the mess.

2. Inspect your pool equipment.

When it comes to pool upkeep, it’s crucial to pay attention to pool water quality. However, you shouldn’t forget to assess the performance of your pool equipment, such as your pump and filtration system, and what is happening to the water outside your pool. Make sure you check your pool equipment and the pipes to know their condition for certain.

3. Empty the skimmer baskets.

Full skimmer baskets have a big impact on pool equipment performance. An overflowing basket can limit the circulation of water flow through the filtering system. Even if your pool appears to be clean, dirt and debris could be accumulating in the skimmer basket. This can produce a large biological load, thereby promoting algal growth and hazy water.

When cleaning out the skimmer basket, make sure it is not cracked or damaged. You can also install a skimmer basket ‘sock’ to facilitate the removal of fine surface particles that cloud the pool water.

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4. Clean the pool.

Cleaning your swimming pool involves a number of steps, too.

• Remove dirt and debris. After cleaning the skimmer basket, use a leaf rake to remove any large leaves, twigs or debris. Allowing leaves to decay in your pool (including ones caught in the skimmer basket) can change the water pH level and lead to algal growth.
• Brush the pool walls and floor. Brush the pool and steps to remove minute particles that have accumulated on the walls and floor. While you’re doing this, make sure the pool pump is running so the skimmer can catch dirt before it settles. You can perform this step in tandem with vacuuming your pool, particularly if you have an automatic pool cleaner.
• Vacuum the pool. Vacuum the pool or use your automatic pool cleaner to ensure all minute particles in the water are removed. If your pool cleaner comes with a bag, empty it after cleaning your pool to ensure that it is ready to use for next time.

5. Remove and clean the filter.

The filter pressure may have increased as a result of the extra work generated by vacuuming. When cleaning your pool, backwash or clean the filter when the pressure gauge rises to 50 kPa over the ‘clean filter’ pressure. If your pool is particularly filthy, you may have to do this step during pool cleaning. However, it may not be necessary to backwash the filter if there is no increase in pressure.

6. Conduct regular pool water testing.

Check the pH, alkalinity and chlorine levels in the water to make sure they’re all within safe limits. If necessary, adjust the water using supplements to achieve the following results:

• pH Levels of 7.2 to 7.8
• Alkalinity ranging from 80 to 120 parts per million (PPM)
• Chlorine levels of 2 to 3 PPM

Seasonal Reminders

Staying on top of outdoor pool maintenance is crucial year-round. However, there are specific steps you need to take note of depending on the season:

Summer

• Ensure water chemistry balance, as people are using the pool more frequently.
• Daily debris removal is necessary, and vacuum the pool as often as needed.
• Wash and replace the skimmer sock periodically, as leaves, petals and pollen are plentiful and can be carried everywhere by the breeze.
• Keep your pool filtration system running for a minimum of 12 hours per day to have crystal-clear water.

Autumn

• Keep to your summer pool maintenance routine.
• Increase the frequency of skimming and cleaning, as more leaves are going to wind up in your pool.
• As you use the pool less, you can reduce the operating time of your pump and filtration system to somewhere between 4 and 8 hours a day.

Winter

• Winterize your pool by cleaning and vacuuming it, and checking the water chemistry.
• Stop using chlorine tablets and clean out the auto chlorinator (if you have this).
• Add the recommended winter chemicals and keep the pool filter running for 12 hours.
• Fill the pool with water up to the maximum level.
• Perform routine chemical maintenance on a monthly basis.
• Keep the pump running for 1-2 hours every day to protect and clean your pipes. Run it continuously during freezing temperatures to prevent your pipes from getting frozen.
• Use a winter cover to protect your in-ground pool (optional step).

Spring

• Clean and drain the pool cover.
• Treat the water and rebalance it.
• Test the pump and filtration system.
• Add pool shock to sanitize the pool water.
• Resume regular treatment and filtration.

Wrapping Up

Knowing how to maintain a pool is crucial if you want to maximize the use of your swimming pool. By implementing these steps, you know your pool is safe for you and your family to enjoy, especially during summer.

Of course, rather than doing everything yourself, you can always depend on professional pool maintenance services to do the job right—especially when it comes to more complicated processes like winterizing your pool.

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