While a swimming pool is a wonderful retreat in the summer months, maintenance is an all-year affair.
To keep your pool pristine and a great place to swim, you need to maintain it and keep it clean.
Proper maintenance can be a daunting task. The key issue is WHAT you do and WHEN you do it. That’s why we have compiled this guide to help you better understand all that seasonal pool maintenance entails.
During the Season
- Be sure to check the ph levels every two weeks, adding chlorine and/or algaecide when needed.
- Clean out the filter as often as you check the chemicals.
- Skim and vacuum your pool on a weekly basis to keep debris out.
Closing
- At the end of the season, it’s important that you close your pool correctly so it’s primed and ready to open back up for the next season.
- Start by draining the pool below the marked “freeze line” (which is below the inlets) and drain all water lines.
- Check the ph level and make the needed adjustments to keep your pool between 7.0 and 7.4
- Add the recommended amount of anti-freeze to the water lines to prevent water in those lines from freezing and cracking the pipes during the winter months.
- Place a cover on top to keep leaves and other debris out during the cold months you’re not using it.
Opening
- To open up for another swimming season, remove the cover and clean it before storing.
- Remove anti-freeze from the water lines and fill back up to normal water levels.
- Sanitize and check to make sure all filtration systems are working and water is circulating properly. Once everything is in working order, you are now ready for another summer.
Maintaining a pool is a year-round job, but the benefits far outweigh the labor. By maintaining it properly in all seasons, you’ll keep it as a spectacular accent to your backyard and your life.
For more about waterproofing and protecting your pool year-round, check out our DIY repairing and resurfacing swimming pool guide.