There’s no doubt that a swimming pool makes your backyard the place to be on a hot summer day. You and your friends and family will enjoy hours of fun and relaxation in your own little oasis. But, all of that enjoyment does not come without some work. Whether you have an inground or above ground pool, keeping it clean and clear all season long requires planning, the right tools, and an understanding of how your pool works.

How a Swimming Pool Works

Before you can understand how to maintain your pool, you need to understand how it functions. All pools require proper circulation, filtration, and balanced chemicals.

First, let’s talk about circulation. Your pool pump circulates the water in your pool by drawing it out of the pool through the skimmers. The water travels through the pipes and is pushed through the filter, where dirt and contaminants are removed. Once the water is clean, it is pushed back into the pool through the returns.

Filtration happens when the water passes through the pool filter. There are three common types of pool filters: cartridge, sand, and D.E. (diatomaceous earth) filters. When pool water is not filtered properly, it quickly becomes cloudy and dirty.

Finally, the right balance of pool chemicals is super important in maintaining water clarity and preventing algae growth, mineral buildup, and corrosion. Pool chemical levels including pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer should be checked at least once a week.

How To Maintain Pool Equipment

Just like a car, your pool equipment needs to be maintained in order to ensure that it is functioning properly and lasts for many years to come.

Pool Pump Maintenance

During the swim season, we recommend running your pool pump for at least 10-12 hours per day in order to keep your water clean and clear. That’s a lot to ask of one machine, so you will need to keep the pump basket clean and check your pump regularly to be sure that it has not lost prime (priming is when the pump is ridding the plumbing system of air to create a vacuum effect to pull water from the pool into the filter) due to air leaks. Keep an eye on the water level in your pool to make sure that it doesn’t drop too low, and add water as needed.

Pool Filter Maintenance

When the pressure gauge on your pool filter reads 8-10 psi higher than normal, it’s time to clean the filter. For a D.E. or sand filter, this is done by “backwashing” the filter, or reversing the flow of the water through the filter to remove contaminants and dirty water through a waste hose. Cartridge filters are not backwashed. Instead, the cartridges are removed and sprayed off with a garden hose. Once or twice a year, it is important to perform a more thorough cleaning on your pool filter. If you aren’t sure how to clean a pool filter, check out our comprehensive guide.

How To Clean Your Swimming Pool

From body oils and hair products to leaves, sticks, and bugs, there are a lot of different elements that are making your pool dirty. The best way to keep your pool clean and safe for swimmers is to set a cleaning schedule and stick to it. Check skimmer baskets daily and remove any debris. At least once per week, brush your pool walls, skim debris off the surface of the pool water, and clean the pool floor using a pool vacuum. Consider purchasing an automatic pool cleaner to significantly cut back on your time spent cleaning.

How To Balance Pool Chemicals

For most new pool owners, the most intimidating part of pool care and maintenance is pool chemistry. However, it is actually pretty simple if you are willing to learn the basics.

  • Start by testing your pool water with a pool water testing kit at least twice per week, so that you know what chemicals you need to adjust.
  • Maintain proper sanitizer levels using chlorine tabs or sticks. The amount of chlorine you need will depend on the size of your pool. Chlorine alternatives, such as bromine, are also available.
  • Shock your pool with granular chlorine after heavy usage or rainstorms in order to kill algae and bacteria and eliminate combined chlorine molecules. For best results, shock your pool at night.
  • To prevent chlorine from dissipating quickly in the sun, use a chlorine stabilizer like cyanuric acid in the water, keeping the level between 40-60 ppm.
  • Keep pH levels between 7.2-7.6. Use a pH increaser or pH decreaser to adjust the levels as needed.
  • Alkalinity should be kept at 100-150 ppm. Use Alkalinity Up to raise alkalinity levels.
  • Maintain proper calcium hardness levels, which vary depending on the type of pool you have. Use calcium hardness boosters or reducers to adjust the levels.

When you understand how your pool works and what it takes to keep it clean and balanced, you can spend more time swimming and less time worrying. Check out our extensive collection of high quality pool supplies, pool chemicals, and equipment at doheny.com to keep your pool beautiful and clean all year long.