I felt like I had won the lottery the first time we were able to buy a house which had an inground pool. However, I quickly learned that I knew nothing about pool care. Several years later, I know how to care for our pool year round thanks to advice and help from my local pool contractor. I wanted to start this blog so that I could help other first-time pool owners with what to watch out for regarding their swimming pool. From signs of water leakage to how to winterize your pool, my blog posts are aimed to be educational and informative for pool care newbies.
3 Pool Maintenance Tips For New Pool Owners
Having an inground pool installed in your backyard can be a great investment that can provide many hours of fun for you and your family. But, if you're planning on having an inground pool installed, it is also important to note that owning a pool comes with responsibility, and you will need to properly maintain your pool if you want it to stay in good condition so everyone can enjoy it. Luckily, pool maintenance is not overly difficult or time consuming once you know what you are doing. In addition, properly maintaining a pool will help prevent major problems that can be costly to repair. If you will be a new inground pool owner in the near future, use the following pool maintenance tips:
Test the Water Regularly
One of the most important aspects of pool maintenance is ensuring that the water is always clean. When you have an inground pool, you should test the water regularly to ensure that it is clean and has proper chemical levels. Testing pool water is very easy and only takes a couple of minutes-- just buy a testing kit at your local pool supply store. If you test your pool water and find that there is something wrong, you will need to adjust the amount of chemicals that you are adding to the water.
Take the Time to Skim and Scrub
It is much easier to spend a little bit of time several days a week to keep your pool clean than it is to restore a pool with dirty water and algae growth. As a pool owner, you should include time in your schedule to skim the surface of your pool with a net a few times a week to remove leaves, branches, and other debris that may blow into your pool. After skimming the surface of the water, then use a stiff pool brush to scrub down the sides of your pool to help prevent algae from growing.
Schedule an Annual Inspection
While pool owners can take care of a lot of pool maintenance on their own, it is still a good idea to turn to pool maintenance professionals at least once a year. During an annual pool inspection, a pool professional will carefully look over and check all of your pool's components to make sure that they are operating properly. If any issues are identified, you can make arrangements to have repairs made before major problems develop. It is a good idea to schedule your pool inspection in the late spring before you begin using your pool regularly during the summer months.