What pool supplies should you have on hand?

If you hire a swimming pool service contractor you don’t need to lift a finger to care for your pool, right? Wrong! Between service visits there are small tasks that every pool owner should know how to perform to keep the water clean and to save on pool maintenance costs. What pool supplies should you have on hand if you have hired a pool service contractor?

The swimming pool contractors from Imperial Pools in Decatur, Illinois have put together a short list of items every pool owner should ahve on hand and should be prepared to use to keep the pool clean and swimmable between service visits.

What pool supplies should you have on hand?

1. Leaf rake/skimmer. The first line of defense in pool care and easy clean up. Skimmers remve leaves and debris from pool water.
2. A wall and floor brush to brush loose any dirt or bacteria and potential algae spores from the pool floor, sides and behind and around the pool ladder and steps. Use the correct brush for your unique pool construction material and never use a wire brush because it tear a liner or scratch the walls.
3. Vacuum. There are two types  – one that sucks dirt and sends it to the filter and the other uses water pressure from a garden hose to force debris into a bag that is then removed. You can also buy a robotic model that will run on its own and do a general light clean up with much intervention from you.
4. Tile brush and tile soap to clean the tiles. Tile soap is sold at the pool supply house and helps clean stubborn stains and oils from the pool tiles surrounding the pool. Don’t use a household soap as it could foam and cause water chemistry balance problems.
5. Water test kit should be part of every swimming pool owner’s tool kit. You will want to test the water between service visits, after a rainfall, after a pool party where more people are in it and just on occasion to assure the water is in balance.

Stop by your pool contractor’s store or ask your pool contractor when he pays a service visit what other pool items you may want to have on hand. Chances are he can obtain those for you and they will be of higher quality than those you find in a big box store.