How To Maintain An Above Ground Pool

Before Each Use Pool Maintenance Schedule

Find A Neighbor Or A Friend

This is the key to success when it comes to keeping your swimming pool clean while youre away.

The ideal candidate is someone who owns a pool themselves. They should already know what to do. Tell your friend or neighbor to check on the pool once a day and provide them with a simple checklist, including:

• Empty the skimmer basket
• Skim the surface of the pool
• Check the filter pressure
• Test the water with a test kit or test strips
• Add any necessary chemicals

Indoor Swimming Pool Cost To Maintain

Indoor swimming pool maintenance costs are lower than those of an outdoor pool because maintenance mainly involves keeping the pools chemicals balanced, and even those are cheaper per month because there is no sunlight to alter them. You dont have outdoor debris in the filters, nor do you have high water evaporation or outdoor weathering problems like UV rays. Additional items will make your indoor pool cheaper to maintain.

• Pool Cover This ensures you have no water evaporation, and an automatic cover will cost about $4,800$6,000.
• Water Heater – A solar heater designed for the purpose would cost nearly $340. You can install it on your own.
• Dehumidifying System This protects the building from moisture damage. The cost of a pool room humidifier is approximately $20,000.

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Above Ground Pool Maintenance And Care Guide

Above ground pools are loved for their ease of set up, quick installation time, and significantly lower cost to install compared to in-ground pools. Once theyre installed and filled, however, all pools need the same care and maintenance to keep the water clean, clear and safe to swim in.

A pool care routine in brief:

Maintaining your pool:

Water is the stuff of life, and without maintenance, algae, bacteria, and debris can collect to form a vibrant and thriving community. The key to keeping the pool a haven for you and your family rather than these invading creatures and plants is sticking to a regular schedule. Keeping the water circulating, the liner clean, removing debris, and chlorine and PH levels in the right range is simpler than you think with the right habits and tools.

What Happens When You Dont Clean Your Above Ground Pool

Neglecting to clean and maintain your above ground pool can lead to unsafe water conditions and damaged liners and pool equipment. Failing to maintain chemical and pH levels and clean the pool can lead to:

• Murky/cloudy water.
• Algae growth and slimy pool walls and ladders.
• Skin and eye irritation.
• Clogged filters and broken pumps.

Regular maintenance for above ground pools is important for a few reasons:

• Above ground pools are smaller than typical in-ground pools, which means the same amount of people are swimming in less water.
• Above ground pools get warmer faster. Warm water is nice to swim in, but its also great for bacteria and algae growth.
• The pumps and filters included with most above ground pools are not the best. Without regular cleaning, theyre sure to become overloaded or stop working altogether.

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Running Your Pools Pump/filter System

To calculate how long you’ll need to run your pool pump, you need some other numbers first.

How much water does your pump filter in a set time period? That speed is your flow rate, measured in gallons per hour.

Types of pool pumps:

How long does it take for the pump/filter systems to cycle all of the water in the pool once? Thats the turnover rate, measured in hours.

Divide your pools water by your pumps flow rate to get the total time needed .

For most pools, the turnover rate will be between 4 and7 hours. Keep in mind that a concrete pool will often need 2 full turnovers to maintain clear, clean water. Youll want to budget that extra cost for your electricity.

Replacing Your Pools Vinyl Liner

On average, vinyl liner pools need to have the liner replaced every 59 years. Although you could do this yourself, we recommend you hire a professional, especially if you havent replaced a liner before.

How to replace a vinyl liner:

The line replacement usually costs around $4,000$4,500. Each time. Ouch.

One advantage of fiberglass pools is that theres no liner to replaceno worry about leaks or punctures, no extra maintenance cost, no lost swim time.

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Bring A Pool Water Sample To Leslies Each Month

Take a clean pool water sample to any Leslies store to take advantage of our free AccuBlue® pool water test at least once per month. Using industry-leading proprietary technology, it only takes about a minute to get precisely accurate results for 10 different aspects of water chemistry. Based on a few questions about your pool type and size, the complete results and a customized treatment report will be printed for you. Its completely free no purchase necessary! Theres no better way to keep track of the health of your pool.

Keep Your Water Clear

Keeping your pool water clear can become a massive task if you dont take care of it before it happens. You want water that you can see through, and at the very least, you dont want your pool water to be colored with a green or brown tint. Any tint of yellow, brown, green, or even shades of blue can be a sign of algae formation, and you will have to purchase additional algaecides to remove already-formed algae.

The best thing you can do is get a pool clarifier liquid that you add to your pool to help maintain its clarity and clearness. These pool clarifiers help remove substances like hairspray, makeup, natural oils, and lotions so that algae and other bacteria dont form as quickly.

If you already have a formation of algae in your pool, you will have to use an algaecide to get rid of the algae and wait until the algae is removed before entering your pool safely again.

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What Chemicals Do You Need For An Above Ground Pool

There are tons and tons of chemicals for pools, but even at its worst, we only rely on a few for pool maintenance.

Chlorine

We buy these chlorine tablets in bulk and try to keep 2-3 in a floating chlorine dispenser at all times.

We love this floating dispenser that has a temperature gauge on it, but the thermometer only lasts about a year.

Chlorine is the most important thing to keep up with. It will keep the pool from getting slimy or green. Use it generously.

Shock

We shock the pool about once a week. If you have a lot of other people over or small children, youll need to shock it more. Pour in shock in the evening for best results.

If your pool turns green, add several packets of shock and let the pump run. Run the backwash on your pump if necessary to clean the filter or sand.

Algaecide

Algaecide is only used when were desperate. And I dont think weve had to use it since we got a new pump.

This stuff makes your pool foamy and unusable, so we hate using it. As the algae dies, it creates debris that needs to be vacuumed up.

Why Should You Clean The Pool

Yes, You should clean your best above-ground pool for several reasons. Cleaning and maintaining it properly can affect the functionality, safety as well as the aesthetics of your backyard.

A clean pool will have longevity, and will cost less when it comes to repairs. It will also improve its aesthetics and the pool will have better operation and functionality.

In case you dont manage to keep the pool clean then you have to deal with major problems and some of them are listed below in detail.

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Above Ground Pool Cleaning With A Skimmer

Skimming an above ground pool is a more difficult task than skimming an in-ground pool. It involves essentially the same thing though.

You need to use a skimmer to pull out any debris that has ended up in your pool that may not be being taken in by the pool pump.

With an above ground pool, youre likely going to need a stable step ladder to get up to a level where you can do this comfortably.

Skimming and keeping your pools filter in check are really important parts of pool maintenance, however, that is just the beginning.

Daily Above Ground Pool Maintenance:

• Run the pool filter everyday, for 12-18 hours daily.
• Water level should be around mid-skimmer not too high, not too low.
• Test pH level, should be between 7.4-7.6.
• Test chlorine level, should be between 2.0-4.0 ppm.
• Empty skimmer and pump baskets, as needed.
• Inspect filter pressure and pump operation.
• Observe pool cleaner operation, if you have one.

On a daily basis, your pool pump needs to operate, for at least 12 hours , to push the water through the filter, and prevent stagnation.

From the moment you open the pool, your pool needs to have a constant chlorine level. A complete test kit like the Taylor K2005, or 7-way test strips is recommended, to do full pool water analysis. Another option is to use the Taylor Troubleshooter test kit for pH, Chlorine and Alkalinity, and AquaChek test strips for your calcium and cyanuric tests.

Chlorine is very pH dependent, and as pH levels rise, the killing power of chlorine is reduced dramatically. Add pH increaser or pH decreaser, as needed, to maintain pH levels in the range of 7.2-7.6.

Using a permanent marker, write your clean, starting filter pressure on the filter tank, or directly on the pressure gauge lens, so you know the clean pressure reading. Then you will also know when to backwash, or clean the filter when pressure rises 7-9 psi above clean.

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What Is The Best Way To Clean Above Ground Pool

Youll need a pool skimmer, clean filter, and scrubbing brush to properly maintain your swimming pool. These minimal tools will remove leaves from the surface of the water as well as other debris that might have found its way into it and make sure that the water is clear for all when you go for your next swim.

Get A Good Filter And Pump

Your filter and pump are critical parts of pool cleanliness. Without a filter and pump, you will be left with debris and possibly unsafe swimming conditions because of the chemicals that can be introduced to your water. A pump will circulate the water and will push the water through a filter that cleans your water before it enters back into your pool.

Your pool filter and pump should ideally be running 24 hours a day to maintain proper water flow and circulation. However, if you cant leave on your pump all night, consider keeping it on for at least 12 hours each day to maintain proper flow.

Tip: When installing your output jets, adjust them to help move the water in a circular motion around your pool. This adjustment further helps with pool water circulation.

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Do Weekly Shock Treatments

Laurie Wilkins, founder of , recommends giving your pool a weekly shock treatment like HTH Super Shock. A shock treatment involves using a powdered form of chlorine to kill algae, bacteria and other contaminants. A shock treatment once a week will oxidize the contaminants, freeing up the chlorine and letting it do its work in cleaning up the water, he says.

How To Keep Above Ground Pools Clean

An Above Ground Pool is a great way to have fun with your friends and family. It encourages water activities at your home and you can enjoy them whenever you want. If you own an above ground pool it is very important to know about its proper maintenance.

A swimming pool is a valuable asset whether its an in-ground pool or an above-ground one. Anyone who owns one of these will surely agree to this. Both of them come with a pretty good price tag and you surely dont wanna spend a lot more on getting it cleaned.

Whats better is to properly maintain the swimming pool and get it cleaned regularly than making it a nightmare in the future. Cleaning an Above ground pool is not an easy task but it is also not that difficult at the same time.

If you learn the proper way to do it then you can make the same thing much simpler.

So, what are we waiting for? In this article lets discuss how we can clean the above ground pool. We will share some of the best possible ways to do it so stick till the end of the article.

But first

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Clean Your Pool Filter

There will be times where you will need to clean your pool filter. This filter cleaning is also known as backwashing your filter. Because the filter is used to remove small debris and substances from circulating in your pool, an excess of these substances in your pool could mean your filter is full. You can check the pressure gauge of your filter to see if you need to clean the filter. Use the numbers and advice from your filters instructions to determine whether or not you need to clean your filter.

Some filter systems have backwashing modes that can handle cleaning in the push of a button, but many filters will require you to empty or replace the filter to be able to continue using it effectively. A dirty or full filter system could turn into the equivalent of not having one at all, so make sure it is clean at all times before you use your pool.

What Chemicals Should You Use In Above Ground Swimming Pools

Our team recommends always having at least the following- chlorine, pool shock, calcium chloride, cyanuric acid, algaecide, and alkaline. You can also check out our full guide on the chemicals you need for an above ground pool. Also, we strongly encourage you to always read directions carefully when adding any chemicals to your pool!

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Use Vaccum To Clean The Debris

The best filters used for pools cannot even remove all the debris collected in the water. Using a vacuum is a good idea. Vacuuming your pool once a week helps keep the water clean and does not allow algae to grow. Special robotic vacuums can be used for above-ground pools and let chlorine work better for your pool.

A Beginners Guide To Above Ground Pool Maintenance

With an average April high of 80 degrees in Austin, Texas, its about time to get back in the pool!

Whether youre installing an above ground pool in your yard for the first time or taking off the cover after a long winter, its important to understand above ground pool maintenance.

While there may be a bit of a learning curve at first, once you know how to take care of your above ground pool, itll become second nature!

Read on for our beginners guide on how to maintain an above ground pool.

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How Much Does A Pool Cost Per Month In Electricity

The average swimming pool costs $65 to $100 per month or about $800 to $1,200 per year just for electricity. Most homeowners see a 30% to 50% increase in their electric bills every season. To heat your pool, expect to spend even more.

Regarding the type of pool equipment you have, expect the following costs to run them:

Cost To Run Pool Equipment

Simple Steps To Care For An Above

Caring for an above-ground pool is as important as caring for an in-ground pool. Here are simple steps to take when caring for your above-ground pool so you can keep your water clean, sparkling and healthy all season long.

1. Run the pump for at least 8 hours a day

• Ensures your water is circulating properly.
• Makes it more difficult for bacteria and algae to form.

2. Keep your filter clean

• Keeps your pool clean by catching and removing debris and other particles.

3. Brush and vacuum pool once a week

• This helps reduce the potential of algae growth.

4. Test & balance water regularly

• Keeping your pool water balanced ensures swimmer comfort.
• Maintain pH levels between 7.2-7.6.

5. Maintain a constant level of chlorine in the pool

• Use chlorine tabs to maintain chlorine levels.
• Shock pool water weekly for clean, clear water, especially after use or heavy rain.
• Maintain chlorine levels of 1-4 ppm.
• Never swim if Free Chlorine exceeds 4 ppm.

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