Above ground pools are the simplest and least expensive option for enjoying your backyard in the summer. However, you need to know how to maintain your above ground pool to maximize your summer fun and keep your family safe. All pools require cleaning but when you follow a set maintenance routine you will minimize your workload saving you time and money.
Table of Contents
7 Things You Must Do To Maintain Your Above Ground Pool
1. Check the Water Chemistry
Check the water chemistry every week with your swimming pool test strips. Adjust the pH, chlorine, salinity, alkalinity, stabilizer, etc. as required by the results of your pool test. Correctly balanced pool water is essential with vinyl liner pools to protect the liner from becoming damaged by chemical exposure. The most important test is to ensure the pool is adequately sanitized with sufficient chlorine.
Read our complete guide on Pool Water Chemistry
2. Shock Treatment Your Pool
Shock treatment your pool with a standard dose of pool shock. This super-chlorination of the pool kills all algae, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants that may have entered the pool water. In the summer, shock the pool water every week. In the off-season shock the pool every two or three weeks as the water is not being contaminated by swimmers.
3. Clean Your Above Ground Pool
Clean your above ground swimming pool every week in the summer swimming season. The best cleaning method is to do it manually with a vacuum head on a telescoping pole. Cleaning an above ground pool should only take 20 minutes of your time each week. I do recommend suction pool cleaners to maintain your above ground pool because they work well with vinyl lined pools. Other types of cleaners will exert too much cleaning force (brushing, scrubbing, etc.) on the vinyl.
4. Clean the Skimmer Basket
Clean the skimmer basket frequently during the summer, every day if possible. The skimmer basket is the first line of defense between your pool and the filtration system. When the skimmer basket is full of leaves and debris it reduces the effectiveness of the filter leaving the pool water less clean than it should be. You can purchase a skimmer basket filter bag that sits in the skimmer basket to collect more dirt and take the load off your filter. These skimmer basket bags reduce the frequency of cleaning the filter. Check the pump basket every week although they require cleaning a lot less frequently than a skimmer basket.
5. Clean the Pool Filter
Clean the pool filter weekly in the swimming season as they quickly become dirty. If you have a sand filter backwash and rinse it. A cartridge filter must be removed from the filter container and hosed down to remove the debris build-up. I recommend using two filter cartridges to maintain your above ground pool so you can swap them over to keep the filter working while cleaning the dirty cartridge. When your filter is worn out replace it with a new one. This will be every two or three years.
6. Top Up the Water
Regularly top up the water to maintain the correct water level at the skimmer box. Water evaporates out of all pools especially during the summer. A low water level will cause the pump to suck in air making a gurgling noise and place a strain on the motor. The filter will not be able to function correctly causing your pool to not be clean.
7. Install a Pool Cover
Install a pool cover to maintain your above ground pool when it’s not in use. This protects the pool from dirt and debris messing up the water and keeps out unwanted wildlife like ducks and frogs. A pool cover will also prevent evaporation and reduce the need to add additional chemicals to the pool. Floating solar covers are also good for keeping the pool clean and keeping the pool water warm.
Advantages of Above Ground Pools
- The most affordable swimming pools.
- Fit into a small space.
- Easy to install and de-install.
- Don’t need to dig up the backyard.
- Don’t need large equipment.
- Can move the position of the pool.
- Great for renters. Take it with you to the next property.
- Start with a small pool, upgrade to a larger pool to grow with your family.
- Easy to maintain and clean.
- Low cost of running pump and chemicals.
- Less water usage than an inground pool.
- You can sell it if you don’t want it anymore.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times a day should a pool turnover?
You must filter all the water in the pool every day to ensure your pool is clean and sufficiently sanitized. Normally a pool pump runs for 8 hours a day. The turnover rate is how frequently all the water in your pool is passed through the filtration system for cleaning and sanitizing. When you purchase a pool pump it must be matched to the volume of water in the pool so that the pump can turn over all the water in at least 8 hours.
Should I cover my above ground pool when it rains?
Yes, cover the pool when it rains. Rain can contain a lot of contaminants and dirt.
Rain water may affect the chemical balance of your pool water by raising the pH or depleting the chlorine level. I recommend to cover all swimming pools when they are not in use to keep out dirt and debris which saves your filter and pool chemicals. A pool cover also holds the heat in the water and prevents insects, birds, frogs and other animals taking up residence in your pool.
Do you run pool pump while swimming?
There is no problem swimming while the pool pump is running. The pump is designed to circulate water around the pool to prevent water becoming stagnant and swimming will help the pump with water circulation.
The pump must run for 6 to 8 hours per day to completely filter all the water in the pool otherwise the water will not be clean enough for swimming. When you have a salt water chlorinator unit it must be run long enough each day to generate sufficient chlorine to sanitize the pool water.
How long can pool water sit without chlorine?
A pool can be sanitary with a low chlorine level for only about 3 days in the summer before the water will become unsanitary with algal and bacterial growth. When the water temperature is lower in the winter you may get away with 4 or 5 days with low chlorine levels before it’s unsafe to swim.
Is rain water bad for pool?
A small amount of rainwater will not have any significant effect on your pool water. However, frequent rain or a heavy storm that dumps significant rainfall may change the water chemistry. After a storm always run the pump for a few extra hours and check the water chemistry with a test strip. Adjust the balance of the pool water as necessary.
Should I cover my above ground pool every night?
Yes, cover your pool at night. I recommend to cover all swimming pools when they are not in use to keep out dirt and debris which saves your filter and pool chemicals. A pool cover also holds the heat in the water and prevents insects, birds, frogs and other animals taking up residence in your pool. Pool water can still evaporate at night especially in the summer months so cover your pool to save water.
What happens if you don’t winterize your above ground pool?
Vinyl lined swimming pools (above ground and inground) must be winterized to protect the vinyl liner from becoming damaged due to freezing weather conditions. When a liner is very cold it will shrink causing splits and tears in the material. Winterizing the pool helps to prevent the vinyl liner from splitting.
How far should you drain an above ground pool for winter?
Manufacturers recommend to drain an above ground pool to just under the skimmer box so that when rainwater enters the pool it won’t overflow.
I recommend completely emptying small to medium above ground pools for the winter to prevent freezing water from damaging the liner. Cover the empty pool to prevent it becoming filled with dirt and debris.
How much does it cost to maintain an above ground pool?
Above ground pools are low maintenance. Once the pool water chemistry is balanced there is little for you to do except a quick weekly check on the pool. A pool cleaner makes it easier otherwise you need to manually clean the pool once a week. The ongoing costs are mostly chlorine and power for the filtration system which will average about $100 per month.
Can I leave my above ground pool up all winter?
Yes, many pool owners leave their above ground pool full of water all year. If you live in a very cold climate I recommend completely emptying above ground pools for the winter to prevent freezing water from damaging the liner. Cover the empty pool to prevent it becoming filled with dirt and debris.
Read our post on how to prepare your pool for the winter
How often should you change the water in an above ground pool?
I recommend completely emptying above ground pools for the winter and refilling with fresh water for the spring season. This is the only way to eliminate total dissolved solids (TDS) from the pool water. Emptying your pool during winter saves you the cost of pool chemicals and your time to look after the pool while it’s not used.
If you don’t empty your pool every year you would need to replace the pool water every 3 or 4 years to remove the build-up of total dissolved solids (TDS) from the pool water.
Should you run pool pump in rain?
Yes, rain has no effect on your filtration system. If there is an electrical storm you probably don’t want to swim in the pool in case you are hit with lightning. Water is a conductor of electricity and I highly recommend you stay away from the pool during an electrical storm.
Should I shock my pool before or after it rains?
Shock your pool after the rain as the rain water would wash away some of the shock chemical into the drain or out of the pool. It’s always better to shock the pool in the evening when the sun cannot ruin the effectiveness of the shock chemical. The shock will work all night to sanitize the pool ready for swimming the next day.