The one big advantage of owning a pool is being able to use it 24/7, especially during the summer. But having your swimming pool ready to use requires carrying out basic maintenance tasks.
In this article, we’ll show you 10 swimming pool maintenance tips you can do to your pool to have it always ready, whether it is just for yourself or in the case of having unexpected guests wanting to join the pool fun.
Top 10 swimming pool maintenance tips
1. Don’t neglect your pool’s chemistry
Not paying attention to your pool chemistry can lead the way to cloudy pool water. It’s an unpleasant and dreadful situation caused by unbalanced water chemistry, environmental factors like rain or organic contaminants, inaccurate pump run time or a malfunctioning filter.
If you don’t know what chemicals to add to your pool water, Sutro pool monitor will tell through its app what chemicals your pool needs and when you should be adding them.
2. Keep your pool filters clean
Filters are the kidneys of your pool as they filter out bacteria, dirt particles, food particles, insects and pretty much every contaminant that lands in your pool. They also fight algae growth, so cleaning your pool filters every certain amount of time is necessary.
At the same time, backwashing daily or very frequently can be detrimental to your pool filter, so make sure to clean your filters only when needed.
Every type of filter requires more or less maintenance and cleaning, so how often you clean your pool filter depends on whether you have DE (Diatomaceous Earth) filters, cartridge or sand filters. Read more about filter types and other pool filter cleaning tips.
A dog swimming with a Sutro water monitor
3. Clean after your dog uses the pool
Roughly, more than 50% of Americans own a dog so chances are that many pool owners have at least one dog in their household, (and probably using the pool too). Compared to humans, dogs can introduce at least 3 times more contaminants in the pool.
Not only will they interfere with your water’s chemistry but dog’s hair can also clog your filters. Be mindful to use pool clarifier after your dog is done using the pool.
If you’re a pool and dog owner, keep in mind all the things you can do to keep your dogs safe around the pool.
4. Wear swim-friendly fabrics only
Unless you’re planning on skinny dipping, you should be sure that everyone swimming in your pool is wearing appropriate swimsuit attire. That means, swimsuits made out of spandex or nylon. Especially avoid swimming in clothes made of cotton.
Cotton clothes can hold all kinds of contaminants like detergents, oils and bacteria that can pollute your pool. Also, they represent a pool safety hazard since cotton absorbs water, making them heavier and increasing the risk of drowning.
5. Winterize and close your pool before winter
If you live in climates where temperatures drop close to or below the freezing point for an extended period of time, you must take the steps to winterize your pool. This procedure will help you prevent any possible damage to your pooland avoid costly repairs. See how you can winterize your pool in 10 easy steps.
6. Treat your pool water before and after a storm or a hurricane
Hurricanes, heavy rainfall or any atmospheric disturbance not only can cause havoc to your pool structure (worst case scenario), but can also mess up your water’s chemistry.
From an algae outbreak to having dead tree limbs and branches falling in your pool, there are many possible situations that can damage your pool somehow. Check how to prepare your inground pool for a hurricane.
7. Clean after a pool party
We’ve all been there. It’s summer, the sun is shining, summer holidays are in full swing and you’re taking out your pool floats for a party. You’ve had the time of your life, however it’s most likely that your pool has been polluted with contaminants such as oil, sweat, sunscreen, just to name a few! It can be a nuisance, but it's worth doing it to mainatin your pool in the best possible shape.
Proper swimming pool maintenance recommends to shock your pool 1 or 2 days before and after your pool party to raise chlorine levels.
8. Avoid staining at all costs
Prevention is the best approach to keep your pool free from staining
Staining can be a complete nightmare if left unattended for too long. Pool stains can originate from organic or inorganic contaminants. The first is caused by living organisms and the latter by metals such as copper and iron.
In any case, you don’t want any type of staining happening in your pool as it can be quite hard to remove, even using the best stain removers, so it’s best to always prevent it before it happens.
9. Running your filter and pump the appropriate time
Besides clearing dirt and all kinds of contaminants, your pool’s filter and pump also keeps pool chemicals mixed. The right time to keep running a pool water pump and filter depends primarily on 2 variables: water temperature and chlorine concentration. The warmer the water, the higher the chance for bacteria and algae growth for instance.
Keep in mind that when your filter and pump is running, it is pushing the water in and out of the filtration system and in order to keep the water clean and clear it will require a certain amount of hours, so check this pool pump calculator to see how long should you run your pump and filter.
10. Take the right steps to open your pool after hibernation
Last, but not least, every year comes the time when we can’t wait to start pool season after the long winter. Bear in mind that as much as it takes a few steps to close your pool, there is another set of tasks to be done before starting up your pool.
Besides the obvious step of removing the cover and preparing your water, you need to remove ice compensators, replace filter plugs and perform equipment checks. You might even be in need of using a pool water delivery service in case you lost a few inches of water during the winter.
But actually, performing the steps to open a pool is an exciting part of being a pool owner and the opportunity for a fresh start every new summer!
Always remember that no matter what pool maintenance task you’re performing, Sutro pool chemical monitor is your loyal companion when it comes to knowing how to maintain your pool and your water’s chemistry. It checks your water levels 3 times a day and keeps you posted via app so you can have constant knowledge of your pool’s demands.