6 Steps For Easy Pool Maintenance
- Written by Bob Jamieson
The thought of cleaning and maintaining your pool can be frustrating and seem time consuming. But it doesn’t have to be.
When you get home from work, nothing sounds worse than heading outside to clean your pool if you want it ready for the weekend. Many people assume that pool maintenance will take up too much of their time. But it’s not true!
The key to pool maintenance is consistency. Keeping your pool clean year-round with the right equipment should take no more than 10 minutes a week.
In these 10 minutes, you should follow these 6 simple steps.
1. Skim Large Leaves Off The Pool Surface
Of all the things in this list, skimming the leaves is probably going to take up a large chunk of the 10 minutes. But if you keep at it every week, it shouldn’t take long at all.
Just by removing the main leaf matter from the surface of your pool, you can help keep the pump basket cleaner and last longer. Any smaller debris will sink and be picked up with a robotic vacuum manual pool vacuum.
2. Drop The Robotic Pool Cleaner In The Pool
Again, with the right equipment, cleaning and maintaining your pool can be quick and simple. Once the bulky leaves have been scooped from the surface, all you need to do is drop the robotic vacuum in the pool and let it do it’s thing.
This greatly reduces the amount of cleaning effort, especially having to clean it all by hand!
Note: Most premium pools come with a robotic pool cleaner.
3. Empty & Check The Skimmer & Pump Baskets
Now that your pool is looking a bit cleaner and your robot vacuum is doing it’s job, take this time to check out your skimmer and pump baskets. Empty out any debris and make sure it is functioning correctly. The better condition these are in, the less work you need to do in the future.
4. Check Dosing Equipment
Take a minute to make sure your dosing equipment is functional. Look for leaks and check the pressure gauge. This is a pretty quick check that will ensure everything is working smoothly.
5. Add Salt/Chlorine
Now is the time to fix up the salt or chlorine content in your pool. These days more and more pools are salt based. Use a salt water testing stip to measure the pool’s current salt level. To go the extra mile to make sure the levels are correct, consider occasionally taking a sample to a nearby pool store.
6. Back-Wash The Filter
Finally, back-wash your pool filter. This is achieved in a few easy steps. Remember to turn off your pool pump beforehand.
From there, set the filter valve handle to the BACKWASH position and ensure the handle locks in place. Turn it on for 2 minutes or until the water in the sight glass is running clear. Turn it off and set the handle to the RINSE position.
Reset the Filter Valve to FILTER and ensure it locks into place. Turn the pump back on. And that’s it!
Once You Start The Routine, Don’t Break It!
The key to all of these steps is consistency. As long as you put in 10 minutes every week, you should not have to worry about whether your pool is in prime condition. Once you have started, maintenance gets easier as your pool is cleaner.
Photo: The Garden Company
