Taking Care of a Brand New Pool

So you have a new pool! This is a very exciting time in the life of a homeowner. Similar to bringing home a new puppy, everyone in your family is likely very happy with your new addition, but it also comes with a little bit of work. Now, dogs aren’t that complicated, and neither are pools, but as with any change like this, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the learning curve. Let’s break down some of the basics you’ll need to know to keep your pool in tip-top shape.

Running Your Pump

First things first, you need to circulate your water. Running your pool pump keeps any sediment from settling at the bottom of your pool, distributes chemicals throughout your water, and of course, filters out any contaminants. As a general rule, you should run your pump at least eight consecutive hours a day during normal use. In the winter when you’re not using your pool, you can usually get away with dropping this number by a few hours.

Balancing Your Water Chemistry

When your pool finally full of fresh water, it is crucial to start the process of balancing your water chemistry. Start by checking your pH level with testing strips or a pool testing kit. Between 7.4 and 7.6 is an ideal level for pH. You can see other important levels here. When you’re first getting started, add each chemical a bit at a time, giving them the opportunity to mix before checking your levels again. Once everything is where it needs to be, follow up on a regular basis to keep it all in check.

Keeping It Clean

Obviously, you’ll want to establish a routine that helps you keep your pool clean. Make a point to remove any leaves as often as you can, and start brushing the floor from time to time as well. This is especially true if your pool is sealed with plaster because it will take a couple of weeks before all of the plaster dust is removed from the finish.

This is your starting point! If you keep up with these three things, you are starting off on the right foot. A clean pool is the best pool, so enjoy the fruits of your labor. We help all of our clients start right, coaching them through the process of caring for their pool, so if you have family or friends that are in the market for a new pool, send them our way. Anyone can sign up for a free, in-home estimate by scheduling an appointment on our website. We look forward to hearing from you!