6 Ways to Keep Debris Out of Your Backyard Pool

When you head outside for a refreshing dip in the pool, the last thing you want is to find bugs, leaf litter, and other debris floating around. Help the water remain crystal clear with these six tips to keep debris out of your backyard pool.

Clean the Pool Often

The first and most obvious tip is to clean your pool as debris falls in. If you see bugs and leaves floating on the surface, grab your skimmer net and scoop them out of the water. Your pool will also stay free of debris if you clean the skimmer basket about once a week and check the hair and lint pod every couple of weeks. We also recommend vacuuming your backyard pool weekly.

Check the Water Level

For optimal skimming performance, the water level should sit right at the center level of your pool skimmer. If the water is too low, the pump could run dry. If it’s too high, the skimmer weir door won’t work properly. In this way, maintaining a proper water level is an easy way to ensure your skimmer functions as intended to help keep debris out of your backyard pool.

Throw in a Few Tennis Balls

A greasy film may form over the surface of your swimming pool as sweat, sunscreen, and lotion washes off each swimmer’s skin. An easy way to combat this is to toss unused tennis balls into the water. The fuzzy surface is great at collecting natural and synthetic oil and removing it from the water.

Trim Nearby Trees

Leaves and flower petals are among the most common debris to find floating around a swimming pool. If trees are planted near the water, trim back the branches as far as possible. You should also consider removing the trees altogether.

Use a Leaf Cover

You can’t deny that the beautiful trees on your property are making a mess of your pool, especially when fall arrives, but you may still not want to get rid of them. To address the problem without cutting down the trees, try using a leaf cover. This allows rainwater and snowmelt to enter while keeping large debris out, thus preventing the water chemistry from altering drastically in the autumn as leaves fall in great numbers. You will need to remove and empty the mesh netting about once a week during the fall.

Winterize Your Pool at the End of the Season

The purpose of closing your pool for winter is to keep it in the best condition possible for easier startup next spring. The shutdown process includes covering the water with a durable pool cover. Taking the time to perform this service ensures you enjoy the use of your pool over the next several summers.

For help keeping debris out of your backyard pool, please contact Millennium Pool Service in Frederick, MD or Springfield, VA for pool cleaning and maintenance this summer. We can also help you close your pool when the time comes.