Everyone enjoys a swimming pool, especially when the weather is warm outside. However, not everyone enjoys the maintenance and repairs that come along with owning one, and this aspect of ownership is one that frequently goes overlooked when people are in the shopping phases and talking to a designer or builder. As a pool owner, this is something you simply do not want to ignore because undoing the damage from negligence is much more time consuming and expensive than the little bit of time it takes to complete these tasks. Here is quick guide to keeping a basic maintenance schedule that will help keep disruptions and costly repairs to a minimum:

Daily Duties

There is only one task that must be done each day: skim off any debris that has collected. Depending on where you live and the type of foliage in your yard, this may actually be done every few days, depending on the weather or any storms that have occurred. If too much debris builds up, it can cause problems with the filtration system, so skimming regularly helps avoid these problems.

Weekly Duties

Other tasks must be done every week and include testing water and checking your water quality as well as monitoring equipment. Keeping a close eye on your water quality is critical to making sure your pool is safe and enjoyable to use. Remember, just because your filter or pumps work automatically doesn’t mean they won’t need regular checkups to keep working in optimal condition:

-Test the pH of the water and adjust as needed
-Check water levels for losses due to evaporation and splashing
-Empty the pump strainer basket and skimmer basket
-Vacuum and brush the pool and tile-line

Monthly Duties

There are three things that should be done on a monthly schedule to ensure that your pool is sanitary and operating correctly. Again, a maintenance package from a local service provider generally includes these:

-Stabilize the water with salt or stabilizer
-Clean the salt cell or chlorinator
-Backwash the filter or clean the filter components, depending on the type of filter

Keeping your swimming pool in top shape is like most home maintenance responsibilities – a little bit of daily effort goes a long way. If you ignore these basics for even a few days, you can wind up with problems that may at worst cost you money to fix or at best aggravate you while they are resolved. This is one of the primary reasons that many people choose to hire a local pool professional and take advantage of some level of maintenance service to prevent chemical imbalances, malfunctioning equipment or being frustrated by algae or discoloration.

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James Matthews

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