Everything a New Pool Owner Needs to Know
Your beautiful pool is finally complete—now what? Even if your pool isn’t new, but you’ve moved into a house with an existing pool, the question remains: what do you need to know to keep it going? The good news is it’s not as hard as you think. Here we’ve compiled a short list of tasks you’ll need to do and resources to help you.
Understanding Water Chemistry
The first thing you’ll need to learn how to manage is your pool’s water chemistry. If science wasn’t your forte in school, this may seem overwhelming, but it’s not as complicated as it sounds. To start, get a reliable water test kit. Test strips are convenient, but the test kits that use drops tend to be more accurate. Use your kit to test the water at least once a week, and make adjustments as needed. Here are the levels you should be aiming for:
pH: 7.4 -7.6
Alkalinity: 100-150 ppm
Chlorine: 2-3 ppm
Calcium Hardness: 150-400 ppm
Cyanuric Acid: 30-50 ppm
If you have a question about any one of these levels, click on the link to go more in-depth on that particular topic.
Understanding Your System
The next thing you have to learn is how your pool equipment works. Your pool pump is the heart of your pool, moving water where it needs to go. As your pump runs, it pushes water from your pool through the filter, making sure dirt and debris are removed in the process. To understand your system even better, read this previous article or view a diagram here.
Unfortunately, however, your pool system won’t do everything for you. Here’s a list of tasks to help you keep everything clean and orderly:
Daily
Check your pool’s water and equipment to make sure everything looks good and is working properly.
Weekly
Test your water chemistry and add needed chemicals.
Clean out all skimmer baskets.
Brush tile and floor clean.
Monthly
If applicable, backwash your filter around two times a month.
In addition to these tasks, it’s a good idea to have a professional inspect your pool and filtration equipment at least once a year to prevent any major issues. Deep clean your pool and filter as well on a seasonal basis, especially before closing for the winter.
Hopefully, you’ve found this article helpful as you embark on your journey of pool ownership. If you know someone who is looking to join you on that journey by building a new pool, have them contact us today for a free estimate. Building quality pools for families like yours is what we love to do.
