Keep your pool in tip-top shape this fall with these swimming pool maintenance tips!

If you happen to be fortunate enough to live in a warmer climate and are able to escape the rain and snow storms that plagues to the majority of the continent during the winter months, then you may want to consider keeping your pool open year ’round.  There are a number of advantages to keeping your pool open all year, such as preserving the “health” of your pumps and motors, maintaining the chemistry of your water, and being able to entertain people beside your beautiful pool.

How Often should I Maintain my Pool?

How often you maintain your pool depends on the amount of time you have to take proper care of it and how often you plan to be using the pool.  For most, a weekly or bi-weekly maintenance schedule is more than sufficient, as long as you’re thorough every time.

What sort of Maintenance should I be Performing?

When maintaining your pool during the “off season”, pool owners should, for the most part, follow the same maintenance that they would throughout the rest of the year:

• Test the water chemistry: Even if the pool is seldom used, it’s important to ensure that the chemistry of the water is balanced so that the chemicals continue to keep harmful bacteria and algae at bay
• Clean the water line:  Not only are “rings” around the pool unattractive, but those rings are a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria
• Brush and vacuum the pool: If left uncovered, you’ll likely need to still vacuum your pool once a week (if not more, if you have falling leaves in your yard).  You may only need to brush your pool bi-weekly
• Check the equipment: You need to regularly make sure that all of the pumps and motors are performing as they should.  It’s also important to pull out the filters and give them a good clean every one to two weeks

Once you decide your pool maintenance schedule, make sure that you stick with it.  As the temperature, sunlight, and a number of other environmental factors tend to fluctuate in the fall and winter months, your pool is more prone to having improper chemistry levels.  This could result in damage to the finish of the pool, to the fixtures within it, and make it more difficult to get the water back to acceptable levels when you’re ready to go for a dip.

Shasta Pools is a Phoenix pool builder who provides a variety of services including swimming pool remodeling, commercial pool building, and pool service and repair. Since its establishment in 1967, Shasta has helped over 80,000 families realize their dream of pool ownership. By providing exceptional value, quality craftsmanship and superior customer service, the Shasta team continues to fulfill the corporate mission of astonishing and delighting their customers and exceeding expectations. You can learn more about Shasta Pools & Spas by visiting them online, or by connecting with them on Facebook or Twitter.