When we met up with our friends at Village Spa Pools, we wanted to know how we can provide our readers value. Even though we are a big fan of theirs, we wanted to know what makes them the best Pool Maintenance company in Kendall. With that in mind, we learned that an important trend amongst many young homeowners is to learn how to clean and maintain their own pool. This gave us the idea to develop this blog.

We began by asking some key questions to formulate a simple 5 step list that will help our readers better understand the 5 Essential Steps to Successful DIY Pool Maintenance.

With 38 years of pool service experience under their belt, Kendall Miami-based Village Spa Pools has, without a doubt, fascinated us with their knowledge of swimming pool maintenance. Furthermore, we can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Your engagement with this article in the area below will go a long way to help others maintain their pools throughout the year. Please feel free to add to the conversation with your feedback, questions, or comments.

Steven Goralnick, operations manager and son to the founder, says, “Over the years, we have witnessed many pool owners become exceptionally great at performing weekly basic maintenance, keeping their water clear, clean, and safe.” He continues, “However, we have also seen a lot of novice pool owners leap of faith when attempting their luck at maintaining their own pool.”

Either way, learning about pool maintenance firsthand we have learned the following 5 most important questions that will help new homeowners that are thinking of taking on the task of DIY pool maintenance.

1. How Often Should I Test My Pool Water? 

When it comes to pool maintenance, consistency is key! It is important to check up on your pool water chemistry weekly. Many factors can affect your pool water’s chlorine level, pH, Stabilizer, and Calcium. These readings will affect the quality, clarity, and safety of your pool water.
Neglecting basic care for your swimming pools water can lead to costly and preventable repairs. For additional swimming pool maintenance tips, especially on gauging the optimum water level, view one of their prior articles here.

Having your pool water tested and equipment monitored weekly can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the long run. Not to mention helping the surface of your pool stay intact longer.
Keeping your swimming pool clean, healthy, and safe is a responsibility the pool owner must own. By staying on top of the basic maintenance every week, you will keep your pool in optimum running order and running smoothly.

2. What are the action items I should do when cleaning my pool? How long should this take?

“Cleaning your pool is time-consuming. There are no shortcuts worth taking.”

– Steven Goralnick

Pools in Miami may take up to 10 or 40 minutes each week for a thorough clean. This includes vacuuming, brushing, netting, filter cleaning, and everything required to keep a pool in prime condition. Those pools that collect large twigs and branches have specialized equipment to efficiently and effectively remove that debris.

Monitoring the circulation of your pool by keeping baskets clear, filters clean, and water level right will ensure that your water is properly filtered and help your pool equipment Work more efficiently, extending the equipment’s life.

3. Is it cheaper to maintain my pool or to hire a pool cleaning company? 

This may sound a little biased, guys and gals, but there is a lot of truth to this answer.

Having a professional and trusting swimming pool company service your pool weekly takes the guessing out figuring out which pool chemicals to add to your water, not to mention exactly how much chemicals are needed. Many times when you bring your water test to a national chain- pool store, they recommend products that you may not even need! 
Pool Chemicals are Expensive and Hazardous Materials. With a pool service, all of your pool chemicals are included, and you never have to worry about buying the right product or spending money unnecessarily. In other words, the life of your crystal blue pool is their responsibility. 

4. Can I repair my pool in a timely fashion If and When There is a Major Repair Needed? 

We can not speak for any other swimming pool companies in the Miami area, but they recommend quick and reliable repairs as soon as possible.

In the event of a green pool to a burnt-out pool pump, you can be sure that a pool professional will be at your house to address the issue and have your pool running in a short period of time. With over 55+ years of combined experience in the pool industry, VSP has seen a bad situation become sadly catastrophic because the pool owner did not address the issue immediately.

The bottom line is that if you decide to maintain your pool yourself, go ahead and do that, but when it comes to repairing a pool that is not responsive to your adjustments hiring a professional may be the best thing you can do. In other words, don’t do the guesswork yourself of solving the problem yourself. 

5. How can I avoid expensive pool repairs? 

If your pump is running dry or your water level is operating significantly low, you should contact your pool professional right away to address the issue. You should receive a few options on what you can do to fix the problems, and if it’s something that can not be solved with them, they shall point you in the right direction to get the job done right.

They told us a story about a recent customer who had “turned a valve the wrong way, cutting off circulation to the pump.” When they opened the pump trap, steam came out because of how hot it had become. One more day unchecked, this client could have ended up needing a whole new pool pump.

For tips on maintaining your pool, please log on to their website and get on their mailing list. You will not be disappointed.

If you want to comment below on other ways that you can help home owners with their DIY pool maintenance, we welcome your comments.