The Beginner’s Guide To Pool Care
Hey there, fellow pool owner!
I’ll get straight to the point: this is the most comprehensive guide to pool maintenance that you’ll find online.
I created this guide so that even if your just installed a pool, you could use this as your instruction manual.
After all, there are definitely some tasks required to maintain a pool don’t exactly require a professional, so why not save a little money that could be better spent on sunscreen and inflatable floaties?
I’ve divided the guide into chapters so that you can quickly find whatever you need without having to go back and read the whole thing. So if you’re ready to get started, let’s Splash in (I love that pun).
Chapter 1: How To 80/20 Your Pool Care
The 80/20 rule says that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.
In other words, in almost every situation, find the effort that gives you the most output and concentrate on that.
Basically what I’m trying to say is that most people will never be experts on every single aspect of pool care, but as long as you have some ‘nuts and bolts’ knowledge and nail down the basics, you’ll do fine.
Don’t sweat the small stuff and all that, right?
If you’re reading this guide, you’re probably interested in becoming a halfway decent pool owner, so let me give you just a few tips you might find helpful.
5 Steps To Becoming A Better Pool Owner
Find Your Inner Swimmer
Remember why you wanted a pool in the first place?
It probably started when you were a kid, going to pool parties at your friend’s house and declaring that someday you too would own a pool.
Was it for status? Okay, maybe a little, but more than that, it was about fun.
When you had this pool installed, you were probably imagining all those hot days that your kids would spend splashing around with their friends, filling your backyard with noise and laughter.
Or you imagined the pool parties you would have, grilling out and eating poolside with your neighbors and friends.
Don’t lose that.
On days when your water is cloudy and you’re ankle-deep in algae and leaves, you’ll need to remember why you’re still cleaning this thing and not filling it in with cement.
Accept the Challenges of the Job
Remember when your first boss called and offered you a job that you weren’t sure you really wanted to take?
Well, this may be a lot like this.
Let’s face it—scrubbing concrete and cleaning filters isn’t all that glamorous, but they are jobs that have to be done.
So, you may as well buck up, take the job and make the commitment to show up for work.
Once you have a routine, it’s really not that hard, and you might even end up enjoying it!
Lighten Up!
I’m not gonna lie—when your daughter’s friends are slopping on more sunscreen than they need and wading in the shallow end with their popsicles, it’s really hard not to get aggravated.
You did, after all, spend two hours cleaning the pool last Sunday.
But remember what I said in tip #1?
Remember why you wanted a pool!
Was it so your family could enjoy it, or so that you could have a sparkling clear body of water shimmering in your backyard?
If you did it for fun, lighten up and remember you’ll be cleaning it again on Sunday no matter what. So, let them enjoy it.
Otherwise it will become a source of contention for the whole family.
Let the Kids Help
We’re always looking for teachable moments for our kids, right?
So, instead of taking the whole job on yourself, let your kids know up front that this is a family affair.
If they want to enjoy the benefits of the pool, then they have to share in the responsibility. Sure, eight years old is probably too young to handle the chemicals, but you can teach him to use the pool vacuum or skim the leaves out every day.
If they feel invested in the project, they’ll be more likely to keep it clean.
Don't Procrastinate
This is probably the best piece of advice you’ll ever get from me:
Do not let a month go by without checking your pool chemistry levels.
Do not let a week go by without skimming it out after a rainfall.
And do not let even a day go by if you are starting to notice significant algae blooms.
The better you stay on top of keeping your pool clean, the less work it will be for you on a weekly basis!
