Your Guide to Swimming Pool Maintenance

Your swimming pool is the centerpiece of your backyard, providing hours of family fun during the summer. Here’s how to maintain your pool to keep the water clean, safe, and healthy.

Pool Maintenance & Cleaning

Perform these steps throughout summer to ensure your pool is always ready to swim in:

• Skim the surface to remove any debris that falls in.
• Brush the walls to remove dirt, chemical residue, and algae growth.
• Vacuum the floor to eliminate debris from the bottom of the pool.
• Clean the filter to help it circulate water more effectively.
• Wash the deck to clear away leaves and grass clippings before they fall into the pool.

Water Chemistry

Regularly testing and adjusting your pool’s water chemistry is essential to avoid water quality issues. An initial test in the spring gives you a good starting point when preparing your pool for summer.

Once swimming season is underway, plan to test the pool two to three times per week. An at-home test kit is the most convenient way to test water chemistry this frequently. Still, we recommend hiring a professional to test your water every week or two. Making this a part of your pool maintenance schedule ensures you never overlook anything important.

Winterizing Your Pool in the Fall

Once the weather turns cold, winterizing your pool prevents freezing, avoids pump damage, and ensures safety. Here are the steps involved when closing your swimming pool for the season:

• Clean your pool to remove as much debris as possible.
• Test the water and add winterizing chemicals.
• Adjust the water level so it falls below the maximum fill line.
• Drain the plumbing to protect against frozen pipes and equipment.
• Cover the pool to keep sunlight and debris from reaching the water.

Opening Your Pool in the Spring

When the weather warms up again, you’ll be eager to get your pool back up and running. Here’s a brief overview of what pool opening services entail:

• Clean, remove and store the pool cover for the summer.
• Top off the water level to bring it back to the maximum fill line.
• Skim the surface to remove any debris that has fallen in.
• Test the water and add chemicals to achieve the proper balance.
• Remove winterizing plugs to let water flow back into the plumbing.
• Test the filter, pump, and heater to ensure they are in proper working order.
• Brush and vacuum the pool to head off algae problems.
• Reinstall pool attachments, including ladders and handrails.

Performing pool maintenance isn’t nearly as fun as splashing around in the water, but it’s a vital aspect of owning a backyard pool. Hand over the responsibility to Millennium Pool Service! With over 35 years of combined industry experience, you can trust us to keep your pool clean, safe, and healthy. Contact us at 703.939.5062 in Virginia or 301.591.3750 in Maryland to learn more or to schedule swimming pool maintenance.