It’s always a good idea to learn how to take better care of your pool. Let’s stay on top of maintenance, and avoid costly repairs that are sure to put a damper on your summer. I’ll walk you through 7 no-nos when it comes to pool maintenance.

1. Don’t neglect your pool filter.
This causes a host of issues. If your filter is clogged, your pump is over-working to compensate for lack of flow. And as you can imagine, a dirty filter means algae is more likely to take up residence in your backyard oasis.

2. Don’t neglect your strainer baskets.
Your pump and skimmer do a good job of keeping the pool clean, but if you fail to empty the strainer baskets regularly, you will run into the problems as mentioned in the previous point.

3. Don’t run your pump 24/7.
On an average day, running your pump for 8-12 hours is sufficient. Granted, you may run it for longer after a party, but if you are running your pump all day, every day, you are unnecessarily hiking your electric bill.

4. Don’t let your pool water level drop low.
Once the water level drops low, as in below the mid-level of the opening of the skimmer, your pump is taking in air. When this happens, and the pump is “running dry”, and the list of parts needing to be repaired or replaced is only growing, the longer this goes on.

5. Don’t over-fill your pool.
I can’t tell you how many yards I’ve seen flooded by homeowners who started filling their pool, went in to finish that one thing, and then completely forgot to turn the water off. Put your car keys on the faucet at the hose, so you can’t drive away. Set an alarm. Or buy a water filling tool that automatically turns off once the pool is filled.

6. Don’t skip the test kit for your water.
Plain and simple, if you are failing to test your water, you are just asking for corrosion of equipment and an influx of algae. Test your water 2-3 times a week, to stay on top of your water’s condition.

7. Don’t stick to standard maintenance procedures after a pool party.
All those friends and party-goers, means your pool has a much higher chance of an algae disaster, post-party. Do yourself a favor, and shock your pool after big get-togethers.

8. Don’t purchase the wrong sized filters, motors and pumps.
Making poor decisions when purchasing these essential pool parts, often leads to a lot of frustration and expense. Imagine you need to replace your pump. You purchase an over-sized pump with lots of horsepower. While it indeed will be powerful, your first electric bill will be an unwelcome wake-up call.

Conclusion
Now that you’ve got our list of what not to do, when it comes to pool maintenance, you’re going to save yourself a lot of headaches. For the most part, these common mistakes are easily avoided by small investments (i.e. pool tests), and a small amount of time each day for up-keep. Let’s stay away from these “dont’s” when it comes to your pool.