Pool Maintenance for BEGINNERS – Easy step by step guide on pool care

So you just became an owner of a beautiful swimming pool. But as the season goes on, you run into problems such as cloudy water, algae growth, and frequent build-up of debris.

If you are trying to find the best way to keep your swimming pool crystal clear all season long, you have come to the right place. In this guide, we will give you actionable steps to create an effective pool maintenance plan.

Master these 3 simple pool maintenance concepts, and you will know the stem of any problem that your swimming pool runs into and how to prevent it in the future.

3 Concepts of Pool maintenance.

• Circulation: Stationary water is the number one reason for algae growth, cloudy water, and collections of debris. Having good circulation around your pool is the most important aspect of pool maintenance.
• Cleaning: Chemicals can’t pull ALL the weight of your pool. To have a clean pool, you must collect leaves and dirt from the surface and floors of your pool. Whether you hire someone, or do it yourself it is recommended to skim, collect, and vacuum at least 3-4 times a week.
• Water Chemistry: Understanding water Chemistry doesn’t have to be complicated, and in fact, once you start getting good at reading your pool water levels, you will know exactly how much pool chemicals you need at any given time.

Importance of Water Circulation.

Most problems that occur with residential swimming pools all start with poor circulation of water throughout the swimming pool.

This is why it’s necessary to have an up-to-date pool pump. It pumps hundreds of gallons of water throughout your pool system making sure bacteria doesn’t have a stable base to grow on the surfaces of the pool.

Run your pool pump at these settings for maximum effectiveness:

Summer Seasons: keep on for 8-12 hours per day.

Winter Seasons: keep on for only 4-6 hours per day.

If you have a Variable speed pump, you have the option to lower the speed level manually and maintain a steady circulation for longer periods of time. It allows you to keep you pool in constant circulation for a fraction of the cost.

Although they are much more expensive, this proves to be a very good investment. It dramatically lowers the amount of power the pump requires.

Pool Jets and Skimmer Baskets

Along with a pool pump, your circulation jets need to be angled in a way that points them to the bottom of your pool so the pool water can easily recirculate. Make sure to face the jets away from the skimmer to create currents that efficiently pick up and dispose of leaves and debris.

The Skimmer Baskets or basket in your pool is the first line of defense in a pool. This will frequently fill up, so make sure to check it a few times a week. it empty so your the other parts of your system don’t have to work as hard.

Pool Filter Maintenance

Pool Filters are the heart of your pool. They work to remove all harmful bacteria in the water that may get in through your skin. A good pool filter will collect, process, and remove any gunk that is in your pool.

What kind of pool filters are there?

There are three kinds of filters, DE (Diatomaceous earth) filters, Cartridge Filters, and Sand Filters.

DE Filters: Run on a combination of chlorine and a fine white powder called diatomaceous earth. Very powerful at cleaning pool, but needs to be backwashed the most frequently. You must also replace the DE after every-time you backwash. These are the most common filters in residential swimming pools.

Sand Filters: Filters water through a canister where sand is held, and once water passes through the canister it gets filtered. These are very beginner friendly and don’t tend to clog up as much as the DE Filters.

Cartridge filters: This is the only filter system that doesn’t have a backwash mechanic. It contains 4-6 filter cartridges that directly absorb all the dirt and gunk in your pool. To clean, you need to manually take these filters out and hose them down. Don’t forget to clean the rubber o-ring and the inside of the filter container.

How often should I clean my pool filters?

The best indication that your pool filter is clogged, is the readings on your pressure gauge. Normal readings should range from 10-15 psi, and if you see anything in the 20-30 psi range, shut off your system and clean your filter.

Pool Maintenance… you need to do it!

Testing, analyzing, and acting on your water chemistry is vital to keep a clean pool. Skimming the surface of the water with a net attached to a pole 3-4 days of the week will tremendously help your pool filtration.

When debris such as leaves settle on the pool floor, they will leave stains and damage your pool liner. Make sure to invest in a good vacuum set up and try and vacuum your pool once a week. The more frequently you skim, vacuum, and brush, the healthier the pool will be.

Brush walls, steps, ladders, make sure to get spots where most debris collects, try and make it a routine. Greatly prevents with stains and algae problems

Vacuuming, auto pool cleaner or conventional once a week.

Polaris robot pool cleaner – highly recommend. worth the investment.

CHEMISTRY – test water 1-2 times a week. home test kit, test stips, take them to a local pool shop. Don’t let your water chemistry tank. Ph and Alkalinity no matter what pool system.

ph between 7.2 – 7.6 alkalinity 100-150 ppm these are key 90% of the work is done by these chemicals, boosts the performance of other chemicals.

chlorine for saly and chlorine keep at 1-3 ppm. if not at this level, bacteria will collect, algae will grow, and your pool will start becoming murky/cloudy. much easier in salt water pool chlorine dispenser that floats.

Bromine levels keep 3-5 ppm

biguanide 30-50 ppm (soft swim)

Mineral system (uses chlorine as backup) nature 2 frog keep at 0.5 ppm.

pool shock – salt /chlorine /bromine /mineral/ shock weekly hotter temp the more. taking any sanitizer and wiping everything in your pool completely sanitizes your entire pool. Bi-weekly if chemicals are on track, to save some money.

In Conclusion:

Maintaining a swimming pool can be daunting, but once you master the concepts of circulation, cleaning, and water chemistry, it becomes second nature to you. If you need assistance on any of Pool Maintenance, call 610-574-8501 or email us at royalpoolsrv@gmail.com to work with a company that has expertise in the field of maintaining, repairing, performing installations, and more on inground residential pools in the Montgomery Coutny area.