| For many people and you may be one of them, | | | | So after you've covered all these basics, it's time |
| the amount of work that comes with a pool can | | | | to move on to the pool itself, as well as the |
| be surprising. However one of the keys to easy | | | | pump and filter. Treat your pool well and it will |
| pool maintenance is preparation. If you practice | | | | treat you well. Neglect it and you'll be sorry with |
| proactive pool maintenance you can really learn to | | | | all the added extra work you have to put in. |
| make things easy on yourself. | | | | Make sure you're running your pump long enough. |
| 1. Do Some Backyard Pruning | | | | Run your pump around 1 hour for each 10 |
| Start by pruning back or eliminating altogether any | | | | degrees in temperature. Hopefully the circulation in |
| heavy foliage that's growing in your backyard. | | | | your pool is good, circulation is key if you want a |
| Also if you have overhanging trees that shed | | | | pool with low maintenance. |
| leaves, you really should consider a mesh pool | | | | 4. Keeping Your Pool Chemicals in Check |
| cover to catch them. | | | | As far as pool chemicals are concerned, you have |
| Keeping the shrubs and trees around your pool in | | | | a good handful of choices. For instance you can |
| control is very important because you don't want | | | | use the powders and scoop them in by hand or |
| the leaves landing and breaking down in your pool | | | | you can opt for compressed slow release discs. |
| - it can end up being a real headache for you. | | | | A big mistake that pool owners often make is |
| 2. Remove Toys and Decoration You "Don't | | | | they don't check their pool's chemistry often |
| Want" in the Pool | | | | enough. Be sure to check it at least 2 times a |
| Another thing to do, is to take a look around your | | | | week during the summer weeks and just once |
| yard with an eye towards eliminating toys that | | | | per week in the winter. When you check it this |
| you don't want in the pool. Ferrous metals can | | | | often you can make minor adjustments if needed. |
| cause nasty permanent stains on cement for | | | | Maintain a PH of around 7.5. Alkalinity should be |
| instance. | | | | between 80-140 PPM. |
| Things like dolls and toys can disintegrate and | | | | 5. Skim the Pool Regularly |
| shed fibers in your pool, so just gather them all | | | | Make sure to skim your pool regularly and check |
| up and keep them out of the pool yard. | | | | your pump screen. Bear in mind that anything that |
| Live potted plants on a pool deck area bad idea. | | | | winds up floating on the surface of your pool will |
| They can be blown in during extreme weather. | | | | eventually work its way through to the filter if it |
| 3. Now We Move On to the Pool Itself | | | | isn't screened out. |