A swimming pool is an excellent addition to any backyard, providing a wide variety of relaxation and entertainment for the whole family. However, taking care of your pool can be an intensive operation. There are many pieces and factors that make up your custom pool and keep it crystal clear all year long.
Even the most can-do family members would still benefit from knowing which tasks are best left up to the professionals, and that’s where we come in. Our expert team is knowledgeable and skilled in taking care of your pool, but there are still plenty of things you can do yourself. To learn about which ones are which, read on.
The Filter
First up is the filter. The filter is one of the most important elements of your custom pool, as it keeps the entire system and water clean and safe. Without a properly functioning pool filter, your water can become murky and potentially dangerous. Your pool’s filter removes debris and contaminants from the water including bacteria, and without it you could be at risk.
More than anything else on this list, the filter is a part of your pool that we recommend you partner with a professional to take care of. While cleaning out the filter and pumps is something anyone can do, when issues arise, it’s best to let the experts take care of it.
Basic Cleaning
For this section, we are referring specifically to keeping the water and surfaces clean and clear of debris and marks. If you don’t have someone maintaining your pool (and even if you do, considering the high winds and debris in your region) you’ll want to make sure to at least skim the water using your pool pole once a week.
However, most skimming only works on the surface. For deeper debris, many pool owners opt for automatic vacuums, often powered by water, which eat up dirt, debris, and even algae. While this is another task your professional team can manage, a pool vacuum is a great DIY solution for cleaning debris. In fact, even if you are partnered with a pool company like Spartan Pool & Patio, a pool vacuum is still helpful.
Chemical Management
Swimming pools require some sort of chemical or cleaning system to keep their waters safe for people to use. For many owners that means chlorine, and for others it’s a combination of salt and chlorination. Regardless, this means your pool requires chemical testing and adjustments. Whether it’s altering the pH to lower or raise the levels, it can be difficult – but not impossible – to do this on your own all the time.
When it comes to your filter, we recommend partnering with professionals, and for debris and surface-level issues, you can do most of it yourself; the chemical adjustment falls somewhere in the middle. It can be daunting and somewhat complex, but as long as you do your research and educate yourself, it’s not impossible.
If you truly don’t want to get on a weekly maintenance plan, which we absolutely recommend (as you might have seen in previous blog posts), you should at least talk to a professional from your pool company about how to balance your chemicals. The last thing you’d want is to jump in the pool the first day of summer only to have to get out because the water balance is off.
Problems and Repairs
There are a number of issues that can happen to your custom pool, no matter how well built it was. Because it's outdoors and exposed to the elements, there’s virtually no way to prevent all problems. Unless you’ve got some kind of pool experience, most repairs will need to be done by your trusted pool company to make sure it gets done properly.
But this doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. Routine checks on the pool equipment and the pool itself can lead to catching issues early on before they turn into larger problems. The earlier you find these issues, the easier (and cheaper) it will be to fix them.
Weekly Maintenance
When it comes to your weekly maintenance, much of the necessary work can absolutely be done yourself. However, we recommend getting a professional to do routine maintenance. Even if you don’t want someone to do service every week, it’s still a good idea to sign up for bi-weekly or at least monthly service, to provide you with peace of mind.
Truly making sure your pool is in top condition requires a lot of time and attention. We’re not saying you don’t have the time or the attention – we’re sure you do – but it’s often worth it to partner with a trusted pool company so you can leave your pool’s care to the pros.
Ready to sign up for weekly maintenance? Contact us today, or, if you’re still wondering what the benefits are in getting maintenance performed on your pool, download our free guide.
