There are certainly many secrets to how a pool specialist goes about their day. Someone who cleans pools on a regular basis will have a certain routine that they adhere to and get more efficient with as their process gets optimized.

An important aspect of pool maintenance and pool cleaning is the need to use quality equipment as well as have the appropriate equipment for what needs to get done. Having the correct equipment is key and not just for the fall but for the entire time that the pool is open. Staying ahead of it is most definitely the way to go.

Some tips on pool equipment will be very important in ensuring you can keep your investment clean. This becomes even more important during the fall season as you prepare to put the pool to “bed” for the winter months. You’ll want to have the correct equipment so that you can do the work now so in the spring there’s less work and less worry.

Make sure that you have a pole. A good pole that isn’t bent, locks properly and can extend the full length that it was designed to go. Parts of the pole such as nuts and cams can be changed out and replaced, length can also be cut with holes redrilled if they are needed. It also would be a good suggestion to have a couple poles on hand just in case one breaks.

You can attach all different types of nets to the end of this pool depending on the task at hand. Skimmer nets vary in size and depth. They go from the flatter, “dip and flip” types up through large nets meant to hold large amounts of leaves. There are many different nets on the market and you typically have the ability to patch holes with either a needle and thread or even silicone. Vacuum heads usually can also be interchanged and replaced if and when they are needed. Wheeled vacs are good with fiberglass and concrete while brush vacs are ideal for vinyl pools. Taking advantage of the skimmer vac is also a great way to go. You should look into a skim vac plate which gives you the ability to vacuum directly into the skimmer basket. Make sure you prime the hose that you are using by filling it full of water and connect to the vac head.

After cleaning the pool, you should take a look to see if the skimmer weir is in place and how full the basket. Depending on if you are using a stand-alone vac you may also have to take a look at the internal cleaner bag. Put eyes on the filter as well as listen to how it is operating. You may need to backwash or clean the filter cartridge if pressure is 7 or 8 pounds above the starting pressure or when flow rate has gone down significantly.

Brushing a poolis a very important thing that many pool owners forget about. Regular brushing will cut down on staining and increase cleanliness in the long run. Inspect your brush regularly, selecting one with stiff bristles and replacing it when it wears down are great guidelines. If you have a vinyl liner pool, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t bare down too hard as you can actually gauge the liner. Brushes come in a very large variety and you definitely get what you pay for. Plastic rimmed brushes tend to be the first ones to crack while aluminum ones stand up to more wear and tear.

Testing the water several days after a big cleanup would also be a suggestion as you can get a better take of where you stand having removed all of the dirt and grime. You will want to balance your water as part of the winterizing process. Dealing with dirty water com the spring time is costly and stressful when all you want to be doing is relaxing and using your pool.

We've got some great poles, vac heads, skimmer plates, hoses and more. We invite you to take a look at all of our pool equipment and would suggest our HydroTools/Swimline products.