Pool Maintenance Q&A: Your Guide to a Cleaner, Healthier Pool in Sykesville, Eldersburg, Westminster & More

How Often Should I Test My Pool Water?

Regular water testing is the best step towards maintaining a cleaner, safer, and more comfortable swimming experience. Swimming in dirty or contaminated pool water isn’t just unpleasant – unbalanced chemicals can lead to skin and eye irritation, ear infections, and even stomach issues from bacteria like E. coli. Plus, improper water balance can damage pool equipment and surfaces over time, leading to costly repairs.

To prevent issues, you should be testing your pool water at least once a week. Testing once a week allows you to catch small imbalances before they become big problems, so check the chlorine levels, pH levels, and alkalinity, and make necessary adjustments based on the readings and charts.

There are also situations that warrant more frequent testing, such as:

• After Heavy Rain: Rainwater can dilute pool chemicals and introduce contaminants, requiring adjustments.
• During Hot Weather: High temperatures cause chlorine to evaporate faster, making frequent testing essential.
• After a Pool Party or Heavy Use: More swimmers mean more oils, lotions, and sweat in the water, which can disrupt the chemical balance. 
• If the Water Looks Cloudy or Feels Slimy: These are early warning signs that something is off, and immediate testing is needed.

One more note: Even if you test your water regularly at home, it’s a good idea to regularly bring us a water sample for a professional analysis. Professional tests are more in-depth and accurate, and can be especially beneficial when your pool keeps having issues.

How Often Should I Skim My Pool?

Skimming a pool refers to the process of removing debris, such as leaves, insects, and dirt, from the surface of the water. Regular skimming helps keep the pool cleaner and looking crystal clear, as well as helps to prevent clogging of the filter system.

For the best results, you should skim your pool daily, collecting any outside materials before they sink to the bottom. This reduces strain on your filtration system and prevents algae buildup. If your pool is surrounded by trees or if you’ve recently experienced bad weather or high winds, you may need to skim multiple times a day.

How Do I Prevent Algae from Forming in My Pool?

Algae are microscopic plant-like organisms that can grow in pools when conditions are right – i.e. when the pool isn’t being properly maintained. Algae can make your pool water look green, cloudy, or slimy, creating an unsanitary surface, clogging filters, and promoting bacteria growth in the process.

How can algae buildup in pools be avoided?

• Maintain proper chlorine levels. Keep chlorine between 1-4 ppm to kill algae before it spreads.  
• Balance pool chemistry. Test your pool water weekly to keep pH, alkalinity, and stabilizer levels in check.
• Run your pool pump daily. Circulate water for 10-12 hours per day to prevent water from stagnating, which encourages buildup.
• Brush and vacuum the pool regularly. Algae can cling to walls and floors, so brush problem areas regularly, as you see buildup occur. 
• Use an algaecide. Preventative algaecides can stop algae from forming, especially in warm weather.  
• Shock the pool, as needed. Shocking the pool once a week or after heavy use helps kill contaminants. 

Do I need to use a winter pool algaecide?

Yes – when closing your pool for the season, using a winter algaecide is a good idea. It helps prevent algae growth during the off-season, ensuring your water stays clearer and making reopening your pool in spring much easier. Choose a long-lasting, non-foaming algaecide designed specifically for winter use.

-Can I Use My Chlorine Floater During Winter?

Floaters can be used in white plaster pools only. This is not recommended for liner pools or colored plaster pools. Tossing a floater in before you close up for the winter may seem like it could only benefit the situation, but it can actually invite numerous issues, such as staining or bleached spots if the floater gets stuck in one spot, or incorrect sanitization, as chlorine can react differently in cold water.

A better alternative is to shock the pool before closing and use a winterizing chemical kit designed for slow, even treatment. We have everything you need for this – including expert advice – so reach out today to figure out what would be best for your pool.

Should I Check My Pool or Spa’s Water Chemistry During Winter?

No. Since you are not circulating the water, you will not be able to get accurate test results or add any corrective product.

Best practice is to check your water chemistry and balance the pool before closing, then add the appropriate closing chemicals before shutting down the equipment and putting your cover on. You can add a liquid algaecide in January or February to help keep the pool from turning green before the cover comes off.

Check with us for the proper procedure for this process. Checking your water visually, if possible, during the winter can alert you to potential problems. Let us know if you see the water turning green and we can discuss possible solutions. We are here to help.

What’s the Best Way to Vacuum My Pool?

There are two ways to tackle pool vacuuming:

1) by using a manual vacuum
2) by investing in an automatic option.

• Manual pool vacuums are great for deep cleaning and spot treatment, but will require more work for the homeowner. After attaching the vacuum head to the telescopic pole, remove air from the hose by submerging the vacuum head and hose in the pool and holding the other end near a return jet. Then, insert the hose into the skimmer’s suction port, and move the vacuum head slowly across the pool floor in overlapping passes to avoid stirring up debris.
  
• Automatic pool vacuums are great for maintaining cleanliness in a convenient way. Suction- or pressure-side vacuums connect to your skimmer, dedicated vacuum line, or return jet using the pool’s pump or your water pressure to move debris around and filter it, while robotic pool vacuums can be placed in the pool and will roam and clean independently.
  
• Robotic pool cleaners are great pool cleaners and collect debris in their onboard basket, instead of using the pool filter. Many are powered by a cord while some new models have rechargeable batteries. They may have preset programs and/or have the ability to be programmed. Some brands have phone apps that allow you to control the cleaner remotely.

For best results when using a pool vacuum, regularly brush the walls of your pool to loosen the dirt, use the vacuum at least once per week, and clean or backwash your filter after vacuuming.

Do I Need to Adjust My Pool Maintenance Routine During Heavy Rain or Hot Weather?

Yes, any changes in weather typically warrant some extra care and maintenance for your home swimming pool.

Why? Because things like heavy rain or extreme heat affect your pool’s water chemistry, cleanliness, and overall condition. Rainwater will dilute the pool chemicals, debris buildup (blown in by heavy winds) can contaminate the water, and heat can promote algae growth and cause evaporation (which might affect circulation).

Here’s what you should do: 

• Test and rebalance chemicals.  
• Remove debris and clean the pool.  
• Drain excess water if levels are too high.
• If needed, shock the pool to restore chlorine levels.  
• Run the pump longer to improve circulation.  
• Brush and vacuum to prevent algae buildup.

What’s the Best Way To Clean Pool Filters?

Filters are what ensure buildup, debris, and any other bad stuff in your pool can effectively find its way out, helping to promote clear water and safer swimming. As you can imagine, the more filters have to work, the dirtier they get – and the less effectively they can do their job. Because of this, cleaning or backwashing your filters on a regular basis is a must.

Cartridge Filters (Clean Every 1 – 3 Months)*

1. Turn off the pump and ensure the system is not running.
2. Remove the cartridge from the filter housing.
3. Rinse off debris using a hose with a nozzle, being careful to avoid damaging the cartridge’s fabric. If it’s heavily soiled, soak it in a cleaning solution for several hours or overnight.
4. Use a soft brush or a filter cleaning tool to gently scrub between the pleats, removing any trapped dirt and oils.
5. Rinse again thoroughly with the hose, ensuring all cleaner residue is removed.
6. Once clean, reinstall the cartridge back into the filter housing and ensure it’s securely in place.

Sand Filters (Backwash Every 2 – 4 Weeks)*

1. Turn off the pump and set the multiport valve to “backwash.”
2. Turn the pump back on for about 2–3 minutes until the water runs clear.
3. After backwashing, switch the valve to “rinse” and run the pump for 30 seconds to clear any remaining debris.
4. If backwashing doesn’t seem effective, you may need to replace the sand (usually required every 3–5 years, depending on the pool’s usage).

DE (Diatomaceous Earth) Filters (Backwash Every 3 – 6 Weeks)*

1. Set the multiport valve to “backwash” and run the pump until the water runs clear.
2. Turn off the pump, and add the appropriate amount of DE powder through the skimmer.
3. Turn the pump back on to circulate the DE throughout the filter.

*Follow filter manufacturers’s instructions.

How often you need to clean or backwash will depend on things like how often you use the pool or whether you’ve recently experienced bad weather. Always follow your filter manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning frequency and methods.