Maintenance
Routine pool upkeep, equipment care, filter cleaning, and weekly maintenance schedules.
5 articles
Pool maintenance schedule - daily to monthly
Test free chlorine and pH twice a week, alkalinity weekly, CYA and calcium monthly. Brush the walls weekly. The full calendar with thresholds and doses.
Pool maintenance cost - what to budget in 2026
Pool maintenance runs $80-$300/month for a 20,000-gallon pool. The biggest cost is service labor, $1,200-$2,400/year for work you can DIY in 15 min/week.
Pool filter types - sand, cartridge, DE (2026)
Sand filters trap particles down to ~20 microns, cartridges to ~10, DE to ~3. Pick by the water clarity you want and the maintenance you will tolerate.
Pool filter cleaning - sand, cartridge, and DE
Clean your pool filter when pressure climbs 8-10 psi above baseline. Sand filters get backwashed, cartridge filters get hosed, DE filters get recharged.
Above ground pool maintenance - what is different
Above ground pools use the same chemistry as in-ground, but smaller volume and vinyl liners change the dosing and equipment rules. Never drain fully.