Can You Do It Yourself or Should You Hire a Pro?

Owning a pool is a luxury, but it also comes with responsibility. Regular maintenance is essential to keep your pool clean, safe, and functioning properly. Many homeowners consider DIY pool maintenance to save money, but what starts as a simple routine can quickly become overwhelming, expensive, and time-consuming.

At The Aquatics Authority, we understand that some pool owners enjoy taking care of their pools, while others prefer to leave it to the professionals. In this guide, we’ll break down the steps of DIY pool maintenance, the challenges that come with it, and when it’s time to consider professional service.

The Essential Steps of DIY Pool Maintenance

Maintaining a pool isn’t just about skimming leaves—it requires a combination of chemistry, cleaning, and equipment upkeep to ensure safe and clear water. Here’s what you need to do regularly:

1. Testing and Balancing Water Chemistry

Proper water balance is the most critical part of pool maintenance. Without it, your pool can become cloudy, grow algae, or cause irritation to swimmers.

✔ Test your water at least 2-3 times a week. You’ll need a test kit or test strips to check pH, chlorine, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid levels.
✔ Adjust chemical levels as needed. If your pH is too high, chlorine becomes ineffective. If it’s too low, the water becomes acidic and can damage pool surfaces.
✔ Handle chemicals with caution. Pool chemicals can be dangerous when mixed improperly or stored incorrectly.

💡 The Reality: Water chemistry is a delicate science—one miscalculation and you could end up with green water, irritated skin, or even damage to your pool equipment. Many DIY pool owners struggle to maintain the perfect balance, leading to costly repairs and wasted chemicals.

2. Skimming, Brushing, and Vacuuming

Keeping your pool free of debris and buildup is another important step.

✔ Skim daily to remove leaves, insects, and other floating debris.
✔ Brush pool walls and tile weekly to prevent algae and calcium buildup.
✔ Vacuum the pool floor to remove dirt and debris that settle at the bottom.

💡 The Reality: While skimming is simple, brushing and vacuuming take time and effort—especially if you have a large pool. Debris that isn’t removed can clog your filter, causing circulation problems. This is where automatic pool cleaners help, but even those require maintenance.

3. Maintaining Pool Equipment

Your pool’s filtration system is its lifeline—without it, your pool will quickly turn into a swamp.

✔ Check the pool filter weekly. Whether you have a sand, cartridge, or DE (diatomaceous earth) filter, it needs to be cleaned or backwashed regularly.
✔ Monitor your pool pump. It should run 6-12 hours a day to ensure proper circulation.
✔ Inspect your pool heater. If your pool heater isn’t working efficiently, it could mean a clogged system or a failing component.

💡 The Reality: A malfunctioning pump or filter can lead to expensive repairs. If you don’t clean or maintain your equipment properly, it can fail prematurely—leading to replacement costs that could have been avoided.

4. Shock Treatments and Algae Prevention

Even if you maintain chemical balance, your pool still needs shock treatments to keep bacteria and algae at bay.

✔ Shock your pool weekly or biweekly to break down contaminants and keep water clear.
✔ Use an algaecide as needed to prevent algae growth, especially in warm weather.
✔ Brush areas with poor circulation where algae tend to develop.

💡 The Reality: Even if you do everything right, algae can still take over. If left untreated, it can be difficult (and expensive) to remove. A professional service can prevent algae growth before it becomes a major issue.

5. Seasonal Pool Care & Opening/Closing

Pools require extra care at the start and end of each season to keep them in top shape.

✔ Opening your pool – Remove the cover, restart equipment, balance water chemistry, and remove debris.
✔ Closing your pool – Properly winterize the system to prevent freezing and algae growth.
✔ Check for leaks, cracks, and damage before closing for the winter.

💡 The Reality: Many DIY pool owners miss critical steps in opening and closing, leading to expensive repairs in the spring. A professional opening/closing ensures that everything is properly prepared for the season.

The Challenges of DIY Pool Maintenance

While some pool owners enjoy the work, many find that DIY maintenance is more demanding than expected. Here’s why:

⏳ It’s time-consuming. Regular maintenance can take 3-5 hours per week, plus extra time troubleshooting issues.
⚠️ Chemicals can be dangerous. Mishandling pool chemicals can cause skin burns, respiratory problems, or even damage to your pool surface.
💰 Mistakes can be costly. Incorrect chemical use, neglected filters, or improper cleaning can lead to expensive repairs and premature equipment failure.
🔍 Small issues can go unnoticed. Cracks, leaks, or equipment malfunctions often aren’t caught until they become major (and expensive) problems.

When to Call a Professional

DIY pool maintenance can work for some pool owners, but many find it easier, safer, and more cost-effective to hire a professional. Here’s when it’s time to let The Aquatics Authority take over:

✔ If you don’t have time for regular maintenance. Let us handle everything so you can just enjoy your pool.
✔ If your water is consistently cloudy or green. Persistent issues mean there’s an underlying problem that needs expert attention.
✔ If you’re tired of dealing with chemicals. Our team will maintain perfect water balance without the risk of handling hazardous chemicals.
✔ If your pool equipment is failing. We can diagnose, repair, and replace faulty equipment before it leads to bigger problems.
✔ If you need a pool opening or closing done right. Avoid costly mistakes with professional seasonal service.

The Aquatics Authority: Your Trusted Pool Maintenance Experts

At The Aquatics Authority, we take the stress out of pool ownership. Our weekly maintenance plans ensure your pool stays clean, safe, and always ready to enjoy—without the hassle of DIY upkeep.

✨ What We Offer:
✅ Weekly or biweekly cleaning & chemical balancing
✅ Filter, pump, and heater maintenance
✅ Algae prevention & shock treatments
✅ Pool equipment inspections & repairs
✅ Hassle-free openings and closings

📞 Contact us today for a free quote! Let us do the work—so you can relax and enjoy your pool.

The Aquatics Authority – We Handle the Work, You Enjoy the Water!