A task that should be done daily, skimming is the first step of your weekly maintenance routine.

• Use a long-handled leaf skimmer to gather up leaves, insects, and any other debris floating on the surface of the pool.
• Try to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom of your pool where it becomes difficult to remove and may create stains.
• Have trees surrounding your pool? Consider trimming them back to reduce the amount of debris that lands on the water.

Skimming the surface of your pool takes just a few minutes and keeps the water looking crystal clear. More importantly, the debris you skim off the top of the water never has a chance to dirty the bottom of your pool or clog up your filtration system.

Algae and small bits of debris can gather on the walls of your pool, as well as pool fixtures like ladders and slides. Brush the pool walls and fixtures each week to remove dirt and prevent the spread of algae.

• Use a brush to remove dirt that has collected on the sides and bottom of your pool, as well as on ladders, slides, and other accessories.
• Brush sediment toward the main drain so it can be vacuumed up easily.

Once the algae and sediment have been brushed from the walls, they can be vacuumed up, along with any other debris that has floated to the bottom of the pool.

You should also clean out your skimmer(s) weekly, or more often as if necessary. Removing debris allows the skimmer to operate at maximum efficiency, catching the majority of debris that ends up in your pool.

• Keep an eye on your pool’s water level. If the water level is more than halfway up the skimmer, debris will not be collected effectively.
• Check the skimmer every time you skim the top of the pool, ensuring it is clean.

Your pool's circulation system includes the skimmer, pump, pump strainer, drains and filter. The system helps chemicals work effectively and ensures that water is properly filtered.

Run your pump long enough each day to make sure the water is properly filtered and each item in the circulation system is clean and in good condition.

The three most popular types of filters - sand, cartridge, and vertical grid DE - screen out debris and particles from your pool water. You should clean and maintain your filter according to the manufacturer's directions.

• Check your pool filter weekly, removing any debris that has gathered within.
• Backwash the pool filter as needed (weekly for pools that see a lot of use; or when the filter gauge reads 8-10 psi higher than normal).

Test your pool water frequently (daily or weekly depending on use) and add chemicals as necessary, following the manufacturer's directions.

• Chemicals are typically added to the pool daily. These pool chemicals include various kinds of disinfectants and sanitizers which work to control the growth of certain kinds of algae and bacteria in the pool water.
• Regular shock treatments cleanse the water of algae, bacteria, dirt and any other organic matter that may have entered the pool. Follow manufacturer's directions for shock treatments.