Having a pool seems to be a dream for so many of us, the endless amount of fun and relaxation who wouldn’t want that?! In order to keep that fun, dream from turning into a nasty, smelly, expensive nightmare your pool needs regular routine maintenance. Each pool is one of a kind and therefore needs a one of a kind maintenance routine, however, there are some basic things that can be done to keep your pool crystal clean and beautiful. Regular care for just a little bit of time each week will be enough to help keep you enjoying your pool for many years to come.

Keeping a regular cleaning schedule for your pool will not only ensure that you are able to enjoy it for the immediate, it will also prolong the life of your pool. The first thing is to check the water using water test strips, this will tell you what the chlorine level of your pool is. A healthy pool free of; viruses, bacteria, and germs, is kept at one to four parts per million (ppm) of chlorine. Based on the test strip you will know how many chlorine tablets to add, or if very low then you might need to add a shock treatment. A shock treatment is a higher concentration of chlorine, five to ten parts per million, this isn’t part of your weekly care but only if needed. Sometimes chlorine levels can be lowered after a lot of use, or heavy rains, and when you test your water the chlorine is very low.

Chlorine is directly affected by ultraviolet rays so when adding a shock treatment it is better done when there is little sunlight. After adding a shock treatment, you must wait to use your pool until the chlorine levels are safe, which is to say they are between one and four parts per million. Testing the water and keeping chlorine levels balanced are only the first steps in maintaining your pool.

Cleaning your pool weekly will ensure that you will have a worry-free environment for friends and family to enjoy each time you get into your pool water. Check the sides of your pool, are they slick or slimy? If they are then it is probably from algae, using an algaecide will kill algae and prevent future build-up. Make sure to use a skimmer net to clean off debris from the surface of your pool at least once a week, but more so if it needs it. The pool walls need to brushed off with a pool brush once a week, as well. The floor of the pool also needs to be cleaned in order to do this you will need a pool vacuum. This little bit of cleaning will help to make sure that you are able to enjoy your pool for a long time.

Pools have their own cleaning system with skimmers and filters, but they also need regular upkeep.

Cleaning out the skimmers once a week is a necessity. The filters also have special needs in order to do their job efficiently.

• Scale is a type of calcium deposit that can build up in filters and cause them to not work, in order to prevent this, a scale, metal, and stain control needs to be added to the water. To help the filters do any even better job, water clarifier needs to be added, in order to help the filter, pick up tiny bits of debris. With proper safeguarding of your pool’s cleaning system, it will help you to remain worry-free.

Pools are a luxury that so many homeowners want to have, and when they are clean and balanced are very enjoyable.

Pools do not keep themselves clean though, so in order to keep them functioning properly regular weekly maintenance routines need to be adhered to. This weekly cleaning doesn’t have to be time consuming or strenuous, but is an indispensable part of owning a pool, if you want to keep enjoying.

So simply take care of your pool and it will return the favor by giving you years of enjoyment.