Swimming Pool Maintenance Considerations

UCBChemEGrad
Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:48:33 +0000

^ I’m glad someone already posted the Trouble Free Pool forum…it’s a fantastic resource.



Clean/change the filter (once when we started), he told me it took over 2 hours to make the change.

Hmmmm…maybe. It’s probably a cartridge or diatomaceous earth filter. For cartridge filters, you just pull out the cartridges and hose them off. This should be done about once per year. It’s a messy job so I do it when it’s hot out and don’t mind getting a bit wet.

Test chlorine levels nearly daily in the summer, and I usually get by with weekly in the winter.

Check pH levels weekly.



set timer so the pump will circulate 3-4 hours a day.

You want the pump to run so it does “one turnover” per day (i.e. pumps/filters entire volume of pool in one day). You’ll need to see your pump specs and calculate this. 3-4 hours seems good for your size pool if you have a 1-2 hp motor. You may find you need to run your pool pump longer in summer vs. winter.

I bought a variable speed motor (got $500 rebate from LADWP)…saves quite a bit in electricity on low speed setting.

I’ve never had an automatic pool cleaner. Seems they can be more trouble than they’re worth and they don’t last very long. I manually vacuum my pool about once a week…can go longer in the summer…fall/winter is more often with the Santa Ana winds and trees.
I was considering one of those robotic cleaners, but they’re quite expensive.