• Pool Maintenance. Thorough pool care will ensure clean and safe water throughout the swimming season. (We clean only for only commercial accounts).
• Skim Off Leaves and Debris.
• Brush Sediment from Pool Walls.
• Vacuum the Pool.
• Clean Skimmer.
• Keep Your Pump Running.
• Check Filter and Backwash As Needed.
• Test Pool Water and Add Chemicals.

Ideally, you should run your pump for 24 hours a day, but we know that’s unrealistic (and pricey), so let’s look for an answer that keeps your pool clean and your wallet full. Generally running your pool pump for 12-hours a day is a good option. … For a residential pool the water should turn over at least once per day.

Covering a heated swimming pool at night will reduce heat loss. … For a swimming pool that relies on the sun for heat, covering it at night can still make it warm enough to swim in the next day, instead of losing all the heat overnight when the temperatures drop.

As a general rule, you should be backwashing your pool about once a week or in conjugation with your scheduled maintenance. Another industry standard is to backwash when your filter’s pressure gauge reads 8-10 PSI (pounds per square inch) over the starting level or “clean” pressure.

 It depends on how big your pump is, and how energy efficient it is. Larger horsepower pumps draw more amperage (which is what you really pay for), and thus more Kilowatt hours (kWh). … That’s around 24 kWh per day, or around 720 kWh per month, just running only 10 hours per day.

Rinse runs water in the same direction that normal filtering does. Backwash runs it through the sand in the opposite direction. Rinse is to clear any dirt out of the clean side of the sand before you start sending it back to the pool.

The term, “Shocking” refers to the process of adding chlorine or non-chlorine chemicals to your pool in order to raise the “free chlorine” level to a point where contaminates such as algae, combined chlorine (also known as chloramines) and bacteria are destroyed.

 If you’re just giving your current pool a minor facelift, this might not be an issue. But if you have grand ideas that are likely to expand the area that the pool takes up in your backyard, an important first step is to make sure that you actually have the space available to realize your dreams. Maybe you don’t really need a water slide and a splash pad. A site plan can help you plan how the final design will fit your space as well as help identify any potential issues or obstacles to construction.

 This is a great question to ask your contractor, because it gives you the chance to set up ground rules before the job takes on a life of its own. Do you want the crew to stay out of your house completely? Can they keep their tools and equipment all in one area so that parts of the yard that aren’t affected might still be used? One thing’s for sure – you’re going to want to keep your doors and windows closed to avoid the dust, dirt, and debris that’s stirred up by the work, and may even want to utilize plastic tarps to cover areas of the house and yard and keep it protected.

If you think about it, this one should actually be fairly simple. Generally speaking, you’re probably going to be using your pool in the spring or summer, so you probably don’t want to be doing work on it during those months if you can avoid it. That leaves fall and winter, which actually works out in your favor since those are the times you’re more likely to have your house sealed against the cold anyway. You’ll also be able to avoid the “spring rush,” when people who want their pool ready for summer converge on remodelers and make things busier and more expensive.

Most people know that you should look into a contractor’s credentials, check with the Better Business Bureau, and ensure that they have comprehensive liability and worker’s comp. But warranties rarely come up, and that’s a shame. Enough contractors offer them that you should not only ask, but make sure you look it over to see what’s actually covered and what’s left out. The comprehensiveness of a warranty should be part of shopping around.

You may need to get a permit for your city, or file an application with your homeowner’s association to get permission. Often, a site plan detailing exactly what you intend to do is required. Any experienced contractor in your area can help guide you through your city’s requirements, and you can contact your HOA directly or check the CC&Rs to ensure compliance in your neighborhood.

Simple pool remodels can be over in a week – sometimes less. But bigger jobs often means months of time where you likely won’t have the use of your backyard and will have to deal with all the sights, sounds, and even smells that go along with a pool remodel. Understanding the time frame will help you better schedule to job, so you can enjoy the benefits of your new and improved pool this season!