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.