2-3 times per week
Water chemistry moves fast in summer. Heat, sun, rain, and swimmers all consume chlorine. Quick checks between full cleanings catch problems while they are still cheap to fix.
- Test free chlorine (target 1-3 ppm) and pH (target 7.4-7.6) with strips or a drop kit
- Skim leaves and debris off the surface
- Check the water level: keep it at the middle of the skimmer opening
Weekly tasks
Set one consistent day. Chemistry drifts and grime builds on the same schedule every week.
- Brush walls, steps, and the waterline, then vacuum (manual or robotic)
- Empty skimmer and pump baskets
- Test total alkalinity (target 80-120 ppm). It stabilizes your pH
- Shock the pool weekly in peak season, or after heavy use, storms, or strong sun
- Read the filter pressure gauge: backwash or clean the cartridge when pressure runs 8-10 psi above its clean baseline
- Run the pump 8-12 hours per day in swim season. The full volume should turn over at least once daily
Monthly tasks
Once a month, go deeper than strips can see. Take a water sample to a pool store for a full analysis, or test these at home:
- Cyanuric acid (stabilizer): 30-50 ppm. Too high and chlorine stops working
- Calcium hardness: 200-400 ppm. Protects surfaces and equipment
- Metals and total dissolved solids if your fill water is from a well
- Inspect equipment: listen to the pump, check for drips at unions and the heater
When to call a professional
Persistent cloudy water, algae that survives shocking, rising filter pressure that backwashing does not fix, or any leak symptom (losing more than about a quarter inch of water a day beyond evaporation) is equipment-or-plumbing territory. Weekly maintenance plans exist precisely so these never get that far. We handle the routine, you just swim.