3) Attend to the Chemicals.
The other component for allowing things like an algae buildup is chemicals that are out of balance. If that happens, the chemicals aren’t doing their job. For instance, if there is too little chlorine in the pool, it can lead to algae problems, and create a nasty ring around the pool. On the other side, if the chlorine is too high, the pool tiles start to look bleached, or white with calcium buildup. It’s not rocket science to keep the chemicals in the proper balance. First Ed tests to see what the levels are. He has a simple testing kit that work just great. Then Ed adjusts the chemicals according to what he finds. What we want is a pH level between 7.2 and 7.6 parts per million (ppm) and a chlorine level at 1 to 3 ppm. We schedule the adjustment when the kids aren’t home, and Ed uses safety goggles and gloves when he’s working with the chemicals.
4) Take Care of the Leaves
We live in a neighborhood with a lot of trees, and it’s astonishing how quickly a carpet of leaves can develop in our pool. So Ed regularly uses a skimmer to go over the pool and clean out leaves. He knows it will mean less work in cleaning out the pool filter leaf trap, which takes a little more time than just using the skimmer. But either way, especially in the fall when the leaves are falling, this becomes one of our biggest maintenance items.
Yes, there’s a bit of work involved with maintaining the family above ground pool. But if it’s handled on a regular basis, and not neglected, it saves time that would be spent later on to “tune up” the pool. With the maintenance out of the way, it sure is rewarding to sit back with a glass of iced tea, and watch our kids play in the clean and well maintained pool.
