Your Top Pool Care Questions Answered

While pool ownership brings many fun moments with family and friends, not to mention complementing the overall aesthetic of your home, it does come with expected regular responsibilities. There are many aspects to pool care, from routine maintenance and service to equipment repair and beyond, that require your attention. 

Read on to get your top pool care questions answered for a stress-free pool ownership experience. 

How Often Should I Run My Pool Pump?

This is dependent on the time of year and the conditions surrounding your pool. Your pool should filter through its entire volume of water twice a day. With that said, your filter system should run about 8 hours per day to properly circulate and clean your water. Please keep in mind that during the warmer months of the year when pool usage is at an all-time high, the demand for chemicals and filtration increases. Respectively, the demand for chemicals and filtration will decrease during your off-season.

How Often Should I Test My Pool Water?

Testing and balancing your pool water is imperative to a healthy pool, and it’s one of the most important aspects of pool maintenance. Water testing frequency is dependent upon a number of factors, including pool size, how often the pool is being used and the outside temperature. That being said, during peak usage, your sanitizer levels and pH balance should be tested at least 2 to 3 times per week, total alkalinity (TA) at least once per week, and water chemistry, including calcium hardness (CH), cyanuric acid (CYA), total dissolved solids (TDS), and the presence of metals and phosphates at least once per month. 

Keep in mind having an increased bather load, like after a pool party or weekend of visitors, may cause you to test your water more frequently. 

Do I Need to Brush My Pool Walls?

Without a doubt, yes! Not only does brushing your pool walls agitate the water, but it also prevents algae spores from adhering to the pool surface as well as helps prevent stains and water scale. You should brush your pool walls at least once or twice a week, keeping in mind that while pool vacuums (automatic pool cleaners specifically) do reduce the time needed to manually clean the walls, they can’t always get in those hard-to-reach areas that harbor algae spores. 

What is the Importance of Shocking the Pool?

Shocking your pool is designed to break apart chloramines, raise your chlorine level and kill algae, bacteria and other harmful pathogens. You should typically shock your pool once a week once swimming season begins, and then again after heavy rains, when temperatures are extremely hot, and when the pool has been used a lot. To determine if you need to shock your pool, check your Free Available Chlorine and Total Available Chlorine levels. They should be identical or within 0.2 ppm of each other. The wider the gap, the more quickly you need to shock the pool. 

How Often Should I Clean My Filter, Skimmer & Pump Baskets?

Dirty or clogged filters, skimmers and pump baskets will restrict your water flow, causing your pool pump to work overtime, which can lead to significant issues down the road. While there’s no set schedule for filter, skimmer and pump basket maintenance, it’s important to pay attention to how often you’re using the pool and if there is any debris circulating around. Be sure to check your skimmer and pump baskets daily. And clean your filter when the pressure gauge reads 8 to 10 PSI higher than when it’s clean. 

Your Austin Pool Building Experts

Knowing the basics of how to care for your pool is a part of your pool ownership experience. As a premier pool builder in Austin and the surrounding areas, our pool building experts at Texas Pools & Patios will teach you everything you need to know about proper pool care once your pool is complete. Give us a call to schedule your design consultation today!

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Texas Pools & Patios is an award-winning Austin and San Antonio pool builder serving Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas, including Round Rock, Lakeway, Cedar Park, Georgetown, New Braunfels, and Pflugerville.  We specialize in custom designed inground pools, pool renovation, outdoor living construction, pool repair, maintenance and service.

As a family-owned and operated business, we pride ourselves on our quality construction, cutting-edge designs, industry certifications and awards, and building lasting customer relationships.

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