Pool care questions, answered plainly.

It's never too early to open your pool as long as freezing temperatures have passed. The longer you wait, the higher the chance of pulling back the cover to a green pool as water warms underneath it.

Water circulation is the most important factor in clean, healthy water. We recommend running the pump 24/7 where possible — 8 hours per day is the practical minimum.

It depends on pool size, filter size, and filter type. The best indicator is your filter's pressure gauge — a higher-than-normal reading means it's time to clean or backwash.

Two common causes: a blocked suction line (check skimmers, main drain, and pump basket), or worn motor bearings that need rebuilding or replacement. Our technicians can diagnose it on-site.

Yes — an automatic pool cleaner helps keep the pool bottom clean in between our scheduled visits, especially in windy or high-debris conditions.

Yes. Overflowing skimmer baskets restrict water circulation and can cause your pump to run dry between our visits, risking damage.

Free chlorine is the active, available disinfectant in your water (the sum of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion). Combined chlorine forms when free chlorine reacts with ammonia or organic nitrogen — from sweat, urine, and the environment — and is far less effective at sanitizing.

Five factors: pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, temperature, and total dissolved solids (TDS). We test and adjust all five on every maintenance visit.

Ideal range is 7.4–7.6 (matching the pH of human tears), with 7.2–7.8 considered acceptable. Low pH causes corrosive water, chlorine loss, and irritation; high pH causes scaling, cloudy water, and chlorine inefficiency.

Total alkalinity acts as an anchor that keeps pH stable, with an ideal range of 80–120 ppm. Low alkalinity causes pH bounce and etching; high alkalinity causes cloudy water and clogged filters.

Ideal range is 200–400 ppm. Low calcium hardness leads to corrosive water and surface etching; high calcium hardness leads to scaling, cloudy water, and reduced circulation.

TDS is the total weight of all soluble matter in your water. It's measured via electrical conductivity — the lower the conductance, the purer the water. High TDS can make chemical treatment less effective over time.