Pool Care Resources for Maryland, DC and Virginia Pool Owners
Pool Care Basics and More
Most pools need a few tasks done at least once a week. Learn them and you can keep your pool sparkling all summer. Or let PoolTek handle weekly maintenance, and the only thing you’ll need to pick is your sunscreen.
Seasonal Care Guidelines
Pools in our area need different care through the year.
Balanced water stays clear, needs less chlorine and protects your equipment and plaster. Test these three levels:
- pH 7.2 to 7.6. Lower with muriatic or dry acid. Raise with soda ash. Our tears are about 7.4, so this range is easy on eyes.
- Total Alkalinity 80 to 120 PPM. Lower with muriatic or dry acid. Raise with baking soda. It keeps pH from bouncing.
- Calcium Hardness 200 to 350 PPM. Lower by adding fresh water. Raise with calcium chloride. Too low pits plaster. Too high leaves scale.
You can enter your results in the AquaChek water balance calculator to see what to add.
Chlorine must always be in the water, at 1.5 to 3.0 PPM, to keep swimmers safe. Most pools use chlorine sticks in a feeder or skimmer, replaced about once a week for pools that run 8 to 10 hours a day. Add shock and algaecide weekly, or after a party or rainy days. Remember: cloudy water can have other causes that shock won’t fix.
Caribbean Clear adds copper and silver ions to kill algae and bacteria, so the pool needs only about 0.4 PPM chlorine. Test copper weekly (0.25 to 0.40 PPM) and turn the knob up as the bars wear, usually every 2 to 3 years. Shock weekly with non-chlorine shock or liquid bleach only. Powdered chlorine shock can cause stains. PoolTek is the exclusive distributor of Caribbean Clear.
Your pump pulls water through the skimmers and main drain, pushes it through the filter, and sends it back to the pool. Keep the skimmer baskets and pump basket clean so water flows freely. When the filter gauge reads 10 PSI above its clean reading, clean the filter: backwash sand or DE filters, and hose off and soak cartridges.
- Shut off the pump.
- Set the valve to BACKWASH, or lift the push-pull valve.
- Turn on the pump. Roll out your discharge hose first.
- Run 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sight glass runs clear.
- Shut off the pump.
- Set the valve to RINSE, if you have it.
- Run the pump 30 seconds.
- Shut off the pump.
- Set the valve to FILTER, or push the push-pull valve down.
- Turn on the pump. You’re done!
Remember: DE filters need fresh DE after every backwash.
You’ll need a telescoping pole, a leaf net, a brush, a vacuum head and a vacuum hose. Net out the big stuff. To vacuum, push the hose under water to push out all the air before you put it in the skimmer. Brush walls and floor to stop early algae. Use a plastic scrub pad and tile cleaner on the tile line and skimmers.
Remove the cover with care so debris stays out of the pool. Start up and inspect the equipment. Balance the water and shock. Book a professional opening for the most important job of the year.
Balance the water, lower the level below the tile line, blow out the lines and add winter chemicals. Then secure the cover. A proper closing protects your equipment and plumbing from ice.
Keep the water below the tile line, check the chemistry and make sure the cover is secure. Add a chlorine shock and algaecide in early spring. Our Monthly Winter Service can do this for you.
Ask the Pros
Knowing your equipment options helps you make smart upgrades.
Mesh safety covers are built to hold weight. At closing, the water should be no more than 18 inches below the deck. If it’s still there, or higher from rain, the ice on top adds support. Just check that the water hasn’t dropped and all straps are attached.
The most common cause is a supply hose that’s too long. Pull the cleaner to the farthest spot in the pool. If you can lift it out over the deck, the hose is too long. Check your manual for how to cut it, or call us.
Test pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness and Cyanuric Acid first. Levels out of range often make chlorine weak or vanish. Email us your results, daily run time and water temperature and we’ll help you narrow it down.
Equipment Manuals
Quick links to manuals for popular equipment. Questions or need a repair? Contact us.
- Cleaners: Polaris 380 · Polaris 3900
- Controls: Hayward Pro Logic · Jandy AquaLink · Jandy iAquaLink · Pentair EasyTouch
- Filters: Hayward ProGrid DE · Hayward Pro Series Sand · Hayward SwimClear Cartridge · Jandy CL Cartridge · Jandy DEV · Jandy JS Sand · Pentair Clean & Clear Plus · Pentair FNS Plus · Pentair Tagelus Sand · Pentair Triton Sand · Sta-Rite System 3 Cartridge
- Heaters: Hayward H-Series · Jandy JXi · Pentair MasterTemp · Raypak Digital · Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm
- Lights: Pentair IntelliBrite · Jandy WaterColors
- Pumps: Hayward Super Pump · Hayward TriStar · Jandy VS PlusHP · Jandy FloPro · Pentair Challenger · Pentair IntelliFlo · Pentair WhisperFlo · Sta-Rite Dura-Glas
- Sanitizers: Goldline Aqua Rite · Jandy AquaPure · Jandy TruClear · Pentair IntelliChlor
[Note: the current site files the TruClear manual under Pumps. It’s a salt system, so it moves to Sanitizers.]
When to Call a Pro
Some jobs are fine to do yourself. Others need a trained tech to avoid damage or safety risks.