DIY · weekly maintenance

The 30-minute weekly routine.

Skim, brush, vacuum, empty baskets, glance at the filter pressure. That's it — do this every week and you'll never have a green pool.

Weekly pool maintenance routine

Video coming soon

Video walkthrough coming soon.

The routine

About 30 minutes if your pool is in normal shape. Do it the same day every week so you don’t forget — most people pick a Saturday morning.

01
Skim the surface
Leaves, bugs, seed pods, anything floating. Do this first — before you brush or vacuum — because you don’t want debris settling to the bottom and getting kicked up. If your pool has heavy tree cover, skimming 2x a week saves you from clogged skimmer baskets.
02
Empty the skimmer + pump baskets
Skimmer baskets first (on the deck), then the pump basket (in the equipment pad). A clogged pump basket is the #1 cause of “my pump lost prime.” Rinse both with a hose before putting them back.
03
Brush the walls and steps
Focus on plaster surfaces — that’s where algae hides. Steps, corners, behind the ladder, waterline tile. A stiff-bristle brush works on plaster; use a soft-bristle if you have vinyl or fiberglass. Takes about 5 minutes.
04
Vacuum the floor
Weekly is usually enough. More often if you had a storm or pool party. Manual vacuum + telescopic pole is the reliable option. Robot cleaners (Polaris, Dolphin) save time if you can invest $500+.
05
Check the filter pressure
Note the PSI on your filter gauge. If it’s 8–10 psi above the clean-filter baseline, the filter needs cleaning or backwashing. See the equipment care guide for how to clean each filter type.
06
Test the water
Free chlorine and pH minimum. Twice a week during hot months. See the chemistry 101 and balancing water guides for the full ranges and dosing math.

Green tint at the waterline — brush + double-shock.
Slippery feel on the plaster — early algae. Brush aggressively, then shock.
Cloudy water — either high pH, dead algae, or filter needs cleaning. Check filter pressure first.
Pump straining / low flow — clogged pump basket almost every time.
Chlorine smell — that’s combined chlorine (CC), which means it’s time to shock.

Chemical only

Chemistry, handled.

You just clean.

Weekly photon-reader testing and all chemicals included — flat $150/mo. You keep doing the physical cleaning.

Doing it yourself

With Chemical Only

Chemicals

$110–$140 / mo at Lowes

Included — tabs, shock, acid, stabilizer, algaecide, whatever your pool needs

Water testing

Strip test (drifts every 6 mo) or monthly supply-store dip

Photon reader — same weekly, on-site

Your time

30–60 min / week

None — you just clean

Monthly total

$110–$140 + your time

$150 flat

Text me about Chemical Only