Pool Maintenance for Beginners: 5 Tips for Lower Pool Care Cost

Swimming pools are a symbol of summer. Whether in the ground or inflatable, pools are a place to relax and have fun when the temperatures get hot. However, they can get dirty quickly, especially with trees near your pool. If this is your first time cleaning a pool, don’t worry. It’s not as hard as you think if you follow these five tips for pool maintenance for beginners.

1. Clear the Leaves

One of your daily tasks should be to clean the pool area of debris like leaves or dead insects. This task is easy for pool maintenance for beginners. If your yard has nearby trees, they can quickly shed leaves that will end up in your pool. 

To clean the debris, you could use a leaf skimmer, preferably a long one, to make the job easier. Cleaning the leaves and other debris early and often is essential because they later could be challenging to clean or even leave stains.

2. Clean the Skimmers

Keeping a pool clean isn’t entirely up to you. It’ll help do the work for you with the skimmers. Pool skimmers, not to be confused with leaf skimmers, are openings that look like vents built into the side of the structure. Skimmers only apply to in-ground pools. They filter the water for you and push the clean water back into the pool.  

The skimmers will work by themselves to clean your water, but you’ll need to clean them. You don’t need to do it every day but aim to clean at least once weekly. Cleaning the skimmers helps them catch debris more effectively and leads to a cleaner pool.

3. Use a Vacuum

Another practical tip for pool maintenance for beginners is using a vacuum. Even if you regularly clean debris and the skimmers, sometimes it’ll end up on the bottom of the pool, where it’s difficult to clean effectively. A vacuum will clean the floor and eliminate algae that stick to your walls.

If you want a pool vacuum, there are a couple of ways you can go. One is a manual vacuum, requiring you to handle the device as you clean. The other choice is an automated pool vacuum, which requires no effort. The handheld manual vacuum will be more affordable, but it’s up to your preference. Either way, you’ll want the pool to look clean when you have company coming over for game nights.

4. Check the Pump

Your pool’s pump is among the most critical parts of the structure. Imagine your pool and compare it to the circulatory system of your body. In this instance, the pump is the heart because it ensures clean water. It’s why water goes through the skimmers and comes out clean.

You should check the pump daily to see if it’s running. The pool pump is important enough to let run for 24 hours a day. If you don’t want continuous running, you could get a timer and set specific times for your pump to run. Aim for at least 12 hours a day to keep it clean, especially when you think you’ll use it the most. Automating this task makes pool maintenance for beginners much more manageable.

5. Test and Treat the Water

Another daily task for pool maintenance is testing and treating the water. Do you remember the pH scale from grade school? That will be handy for ensuring your pool is at a proper level. Your pool’s pH level should lean to the base side with a level between 7.0 and 7.6. If the pH exceeds 8.0, you and others in the pool risk rashes on your skin. A pH lower than 7.0 puts you at risk of stinging eyes if you go underwater.

You can make pool maintenance for beginners easier with chemicals. The term chemicals may seem odd, but they’re perfectly safe to swim in. These chemicals will help disinfect your pool and keep it looking clean and beautiful all summer. Adding chemicals helps prevent algae, bacteria and other unwanted things from making your pool gross.

Pool Maintenance for Beginners Made Easy

Once you have a pool in the backyard, you may treat it like it’s your child. During the summer, the pool is a terrific place for summer hangouts. Kids and adults alike love playing games or lounging in a chair. Follow these five tips for pool maintenance for beginners.