At what level should I keep my pool water?

The water should be halfway to two-thirds up the skimmer opening.

 

How often should I check my pool chemicals?  What is the proper balance for the chemicals?  

When you are first learning, test and balance the water chemicals daily.  As you get the hang of things, test and balance every 2 - 3 days.  The main things you should balance consistently are the pH and free chlorine levels. The pH should be about 7.4 - 7.6 and the free chlorine should be around 3 - 5.

 

When should I backwash my sand or DE (diatomaceous earth) filter?

Know your clean filter pressure first.  For example, many systems run at around 15 psi. Once you reach 10 psi above your clean running pressure (at 25 psi in this case), it's time to backwash your sand or DE filter or clean the cartridges in a cartridge filter.  Note: For DE filters, we recommend you backwash at least once every 2 months, even if your filter pressure has not reached 10 psi above your clean running pressure. 

 

What are the most important things I can do to help my pool stay clean and healthy?

1. Keep the water at the proper level. 

2. Keep the pH and chlorine balanced. 

3. Keep the skimmer baskets and main pump basket free of leaves (especially critical in the fall). 

4. If you have a pressure cleaner in your pool, run the cleaner for 3 hours once a day, but twice a day will be needed in the fall. Don't forget to empty the debris/leaf bag after every run time. 

5. Keep an eye on the filter pressure and backwash. Clean out the filter when needed.  

 

How do I keep my pipes from freezing in the winter?

You should run the pump continually during freezing temperatures until the air temp stays above 33 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as water is moving in the pipes, they won't freeze and bust.  If you have a digital system, it should have a feature called "Freeze Protect."  This feature will turn your pump on and keep it on in freezing temperatures.  For manual type dial timers, you may want to change the run times to run from the evening hours through the morning hours.  (In the summer, switch it back to run from the morning to evening.)  If you'd like, we can come check your system for you. 

 

How often should I run my pool heater?

We recommend running your pool heater at least once a month for 15 minutes each time, even in the summer.  If the inside of your heater smells like a dusty shed because it hasn't been used, rodents move in and destroy the internals of the heater.  Run it regularly to make sure it's still working properly, to keep it cleaner, and to help keep insects & rodents out. 

 

What question may we answer for you?  

Feel free to give us a call at 979-777-8262. We are happy to help in any way that we can.