How to Keep Your Pool in Swim-Ready Condition

Whether your pool is used mostly in summer or you can enjoy it year-round, keeping it in swim-ready condition is an important part of pool ownership. While we all love the glitz and glamour of having a custom pool, they do require regular upkeep to keep the water clean, clear, and healthy. Read on for our top pool service tips to keep your pool swim-ready at all times. 

Clean the Pool

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but keeping your pool clean is one of the simplest things you can do to keep it in good working order. 

You should skim your pool regularly (at least once a week) to keep any debris out. This includes leaves and any other stray items that have made their way into the pool. If you have skimmer baskets, make sure to empty those weekly as well. A pool cover can help reduce the amount of debris if you’re not using it every day.

It’s also important to regularly brush and vacuum the walls and floor to prevent sediment algae build-up. If you have trouble keeping up with manual vacuuming, you can always purchase an automatic pool vacuum. These are excellent options for busy homeowners looking to streamline the pool cleaning process. 

Keep Your Water Chemistry in Balance

Most pools require chemicals to be added daily or weekly. The chemicals you need depend on your water levels and pool type. Use test strips to check the pH balance of your pool water regularly. Having the right chemicals readily available helps disinfect and sanitize the pool while keeping your water levels safe and clear for swimming.

Always check your water levels after a storm or a very windy day, as this can affect how things are balanced. By staying on top of your pool water chemistry, you can keep your pool water healthy and manageable. 

Maintain Your Pool Equipment

Your pool equipment is integral to keeping your pool running efficiently and your water clean. Don’t forget to check it regularly to ensure it works as designed. Also, keep your eye open for any leaks, cracks, etc. Over time, pool equipment can wear down or suffer malfunctions that will compromise the integrity of its function. Finding issues before they cause serious damage is important. 

You must run your equipment regularly even if you’re not using your pool consistently (think the fall and winter months). You should run the pump and filter at least 8 hours a day so the water is constantly filtered and circulated.

Check Your Filter

The filter helps keep a lot of the gunk out of the pool. Its sole purpose is to filter dirt particles out of the circulation system to keep the pool water of even the smallest particles clean. When you don’t regularly clean your filter or recognize a filter needing maintenance, you put other equipment at risk, which can lead to costly repairs. 

Your pool filter’s cleaning schedule depends on the filter type you have. That said, cartridge filters must be cleaned every 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the pool usage. A D.E. filter needs to be back washed once it reaches 5 to 10 PSI of pressure, which is usually between 1 to 3 months, depending on pool usage. And a sand filter needs to be back washed once it reaches 5 to 10 PSI of pressure, which is between 1 to 3 weeks, depending on pool usage. 

Your Virginia Beach Pool Care Experts

While pool ownership does require work, it doesn’t have to be filled with stress and worry. Sure, instances may come here and there that will cause a bit more time and care, but regular maintenance upkeep will save you money and make it easier to maintain in the long run. By keeping up with basic pool care, you’re sure to always keep your pool swim-ready.

Give the Virginia Beach pool care experts at Aqua Leisure Pools a call today to set up a regular pool maintenance schedule. Let us help take the guesswork out of pool maintenance so you can spend your time where it matters most – in the water.