Tired of pool maintenance? Wish all of that work would just get itself done?
If so, these 11 tips on how to automate pool maintenance might be the solution you need
Good pool maintenance is the key to a clean and healthy pool, there’s no denying that. But when you’re busy and strapped for time, keeping up with pool maintenance can be challenging. In the midst of everything else going on, a few days or weeks might go by without you even noticing.
If this sounds like you, don’t worry. Almost all pool owners battle with pool maintenance to some degree. But how easily that battle is won depends entirely on your approach.
Fact is, a lot of pool maintenance tasks can be automated these days — from chemical maintenance to debris cleanup. And with a well-rounded pool automation system, you can easily cut your pool maintenance time in half. And you’ll probably save a bunch of money in the long run.
It’s just a matter of knowing the right way to go about it.
If that sounds interesting to you, keep reading. In this post, we show 11 ways to automate pool maintenance and continue living your life without interruption.
11 Ways To Automate Pool Maintenance
1.) Pool chemical monitor
Every pool owner knows that testing their water often is the key to having a clean and clear swimming pool. A pool filled with water that literally feels physically refreshing to swim in. Perfectly balanced water.
But every now and then we might skip a test or two. Not on purpose, but it happens. And when it does, the water can become wildly imbalanced.
Wouldn’t it be great to have something to keep track of pool chemistry for you? A simple device that checks your chemical levels every day and alerts you of exactly what’s needed, when it’s needed?
Well, that’s exactly what a pool chemical monitor does. Popular pool monitors, like the Phin, float freely in your pool, testing the water regularly for any changes. And when it detects an imbalance, it tells you exactly how much of each chemical is needed to restore balance.
So for the pool owners with jam-packed schedules, using a pool chemical monitor is one of the best ways to maintain crystal clear water and avoid waking up to a green mess.
2.) Automatic pool cleaner
Some people find scrubbing and vacuuming their pools to be relaxing — almost therapeutic.
For others, it’s a boring chore that never gains a drop of appeal.
Different strokes, right?
Well, regardless of where you stand, an automatic pool cleaner may be of interest to you.
Why?
They do nearly all the physical cleaning for you. In fact, they may even be the most effective solution for helping you automate pool maintenance.
If you decide on robotic pool cleaners, they pretty much act as your mechanical pool guy. They move across your pool floor, scrubbing and vacuuming up all the debris. And they climb walls too!
So with an automatic pool cleaner, about 70% of physical pool maintenance is taken care of. Imagine how much time you gain.
[Learn more about Automatic Pool Cleaners]
3.) Automatic leveler
During the hotter seasons, pool temperatures can heat up a bit more than usual. And when that happens, the first thing to go is the water.
As intense solar rays shine down, they heat up your pool water and cause it to evaporate at a much faster rate than usual. Of course, if you’re using a pool cover, you automatically reduce evaporation by 75%.
But with that said, cover or not, you’ll still have to level your pool water a few times throughout the year.
And that’s why an automatic leveler is such a nifty addon for your pool. It does exactly what the name implies: automatically monitors your water levels, and adds water when needed.
Now, keeping your pool at the proper water level may not sound all that important. But doing this is what allows your pool to have good water flow. The type of healthy circulation that keeps all of your equipment working without overloading and your chemicals well distributed.
4.) Automatic timer
Up to this point, we’ve covered how to keep your pool balanced and clean.
But how do you keep the water moving if you’re not there to power the pump? Or better yet, is there a way to do so without having to be there?
Yes! It’s all possible with automatic timers. These devices hook up to your breaker and allow you to control when power is applied to a specific piece of pool equipment, like your filter pump or pool heater.
So if you want to just focus on keeping the pool clean and well circulated, you can set the timer to run for 8 hours every night.Or if you enjoy nightly swims, you can set it to power on your pool heater so the waters nice and warm after the long shift at work.
If the idea of an automatic timer sounds cool to you, then you’ll definitely want to check out all these pool care hacks.
5.) Chemical feeder
When it comes to pool chemical maintenance, automating the actual process of adding pool chemicals is easier said than done.
For the most part, you still have to add the other essentials, like pH and alkalinity booster (although, using mineral systems can reduce the need).
But as far as your sanitizer is concerned, the specific chemical that keeps your water bacteria free, that CAN be automated.
A chemical feed is a device that does exactly what you’d expect it to do. It feeds chemicals into your pool, specifically chlorine.
All you have to do is add a few tablets, adjust the feed rate/speed, and let the feeder do the rest.
6.) Salt water chlorine generator
Of course, if you don’t want to have to add any chlorine at all, then there’s one solution you’ll love.
A salt water chlorine generator. These cool gadgets actively regulate and produce chlorine for your pool. And they do it without chemicals — they use salt.
To summarize the process: the salt water generator creates chlorine using a salt cell through a process called electrolysis.
[Learn more about Salt Water Pools]
7.) Electric solar cover reel
Solar covers. They reduce evaporation, reduce heat loss, and improve pool heating efficiency drastically. If you aren’t using one yet, it would be a wise investment.
That said, the only “disadvantage” of using a solar cover, although a small one, is having to constantly take it on and off of your pool.
But with an electric solar cover reel, that process is simplified to the push of a button. One click to retract, and one click to cover.
Plus, with solar cover reels like the Pool Boy, you can use the cover you already have.
And if you’re electronically savvy, you can probably find a way to connect your electric solar cover to your automatic timer. Imagine the possibilities.
8.) Skimmer clip
Ever wish there was a way to get a bit more use out of your pool skimmer attachment? It does a great job of catching stray leaves and bugs on the surface, as long as there’s someone or something operating it.
Well, for now, we’re going to focus on a “something” solution. A skimmer clip.
With a skimmer clip, you can hang your pool skimmer piece off of the ladder. So as water naturally flows throughout the day and debris collects, your skimmer is already in the water ready to do its job, thanks to the clip.
9.) Pool skimmer extension arm
Since we’re on the topic of pool skimmers, we might as well go the whole nine yards, right?
In comes the pool skimmer extension arm. This simple add-on attaches to your in-pool skimmer door, and literally acts as an “arm” for catching surface debris. Simply put, it’s an easy way to increase the debris capture rate of your in-pool skimmer.
Then again…
10.) Automatic pool surface skimmer
Why stop there?
Create the pool skimmer trifecta with an automatic pool surface skimmer. Truthfully, this is probably the coolest one of the three.
It’s a simple device, much like your built-in pool skimmer, that hooks up to your pool’s return jet. It’s essentially like having an extra built in skimmer. It works in pretty much the same way.
Except with an automatic pool surface skimmer, you can easily attach and reattach the skimmer for better placement or cleaning.
11.) Aqua Pill
Whether you’re preparing to open your pool or close your pool for the season, this convenient little product is worth mentioning.
AquaPills are small plastic spheres, hollowed out and filled with a special combination of chemicals, suited for each season. There’s an AquaPill you can add for when you close your pool and one for when you open it back up.
But it doesn’t stop there. You can also grab AquaPills that function as liquid solar covers and summer pool chemical enhancers. Check them out.
BONUS.)
Metal Sequester Gel Tablets
A true set it and forget it solution for managing metal stains and buildup. Companies like Safe n Clean make 30-day gel tablets that you can drop into your pool. But you can also find metal sequester in liquid form if that’s your preference.
Multi Functional Chlorinating Tablets
They’re like regular chlorine tablets, but also include some of the other chemicals you’d normally have to add to your water. Products like MAXBlue tablets include chemicals for algae control, water softening, calcium scaling prevention, and anti corrosion.
Closing Thoughts
So there you have it. A few simple ways to automate pool maintenance and clear out about 90% of your pool care tasks. Whether you simply want to manage chemicals automatically or automate nearly every task, it can be done.
With that said, it’s important to remember that although pool maintenance itself can be automated, the equipment powering the process behind the scenes still needs some TLC. From cleaning out your filter and skimmer baskets regularly to performing annual maintenance on your pool heat pump to keep it in tip top shape. Keeping your pool equipment in good shape is the only way to ensure that your automated pool maintenance, stays automated.
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