Phasing out the Pool Guy

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• DIY Pool Care: The Benefits of Taking Charge of Your Pool Maintenance

At TroubleFreePool we believe pool owners should do their own testing and maintain the pool as much as they can. Often a pool owner has a "Pool Guy" or Pool Service maintaining the pool. Below is a list of things to learn and understand when taking over your pool maintenance.

Testing

You should have your own test kit to check your water chemistry. See Pool Test Kits for test kit recommendations.

Filters

Routine pump filter maintenance and pump filter troubleshooting can be found in Pool School

DE Filter

If you have a DE filter you need to learn the functions and how to operate the big valve on it. You need to learn how to backwash the filter and add DE to it. Look at the pressure gauge on the top of it and note the filter pressure. Ask the pool guy what pressure he backwashes the filter at?

For more see DE Filter Use and Care

Sand Filter

You will need to learn how to backwash the sand filter.

For more see Sand Filter Use and Care

Cartridge Filter

You will need to know how to breakdown the filter and clean the cartridges.

For more see Cartridge Filter Use and Care

Pumps

• You have one or more suction lines coming into the pump as well as lines that go to the pool (return lines). Learn where they come from and go to. Learn what the valves do as well as where the open and closed positions are.
• Learn how to open the pump lid and clean the basket.
• Learn what type of pump you have - Single speed, dual speed or variable speed?

If you need help with any of this you can take and post a picture of your equipment here https://www.troublefreepool.com/forums/pumps-filters-and-plumbing.11/

Automation and Timers

Find out what controls when your pump runs? What are the settings?

Chlorinating the Water

How is chlorine being added to your pool? Tablets/pucks (3" round, white disks)? Liquid chlorine? SWG (salt water generator)?

SWG

Learn the settings and controls of your SWG. What is the % generation it is set to?

Read about Salt Water Chlorine Generators in Pool School.

Cleaners

Learn what type of pool cleaner you have? Robot? Vacuum? Pressure?

Do you have a PB4-60 pump for a pressure cleaner? What is it controlled by?

What are the settings for your cleaner?

Pool School Resources

Print these out:

• Basic pool care schedule.

• Recommended chemical levels.

Review and bookmark these:

• Recommended pool chemicals

• PoolMath

• ABCs of Water Chemistry

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