“How do I take care of my pool myself?” is one of the most common questions Craig gets asked — usually from someone who’s just moved into a house with a pool, or who wants to handle the basics between professional visits. The good news: most of it isn’t complicated. It’s a handful of small habits, done consistently, that keep a pool looking good and running properly. Here’s what actually matters.

1. Clear the skimmer basket

A full skimmer basket blocks water flow, strains your pump and lets leaves break down into algae food. It’s the single easiest thing to stay on top of — a weekly check is enough for most pools, more often near trees or after wind and rain. For the full rundown, see our guide to clearing a pool skimmer basket.

2. Keep an eye on the water level

Your water level should sit around halfway up the skimmer opening. Evaporation, wind and swimming all pull it down over time — and if it drops too low, your pump can start drawing air instead of water, which isn’t good for it. A garden hose and a few minutes every week or two is usually all it takes.

3. Give the pump enough run time

Circulation is what keeps chlorine moving through the water and stops algae getting a foothold. As a rough guide, most Northern Beaches pools do well with 6–8 hours of pump run time a day over summer, dropping to 4–6 hours through the cooler months. Pool size, pump strength and how much shade or debris your pool gets all affect the right number, so treat this as a starting point rather than a fixed rule.

4. Learn what “normal” looks like

You don’t need to be a chemist to spot trouble early. Clear, blue water with no strong smell is a good sign. Cloudiness, a green tinge, itchy eyes or a sharp chlorine smell after swimming all mean your water chemistry has drifted — and this is usually where DIY pool care gets tricky. Getting chlorine, pH and alkalinity properly balanced takes the right test kit and some practice reading it; get it wrong and a healthy pool can turn green within days. If your water doesn’t look or feel right, that’s the moment to get it tested properly rather than keep adding chemicals and hoping.

5. Brush and vacuum every so often

Even with good filtration, algae can get started on walls and steps that don’t see much water movement. A quick brush every week or two, and a vacuum whenever you notice debris settling on the floor, keeps surfaces clean and stops small problems turning into bigger ones.

Worth knowing: most pool problems start small — a slow leak, a basket that’s been full for a week, water that’s been slightly out of balance for a month. None of it looks urgent day to day, which is exactly why it’s worth building these checks into a routine rather than waiting until something looks obviously wrong.

When it’s time to call in a professional

Basic upkeep goes a long way, but a few things are worth handing over rather than guessing at:

  • Water that stays cloudy or green despite regular skimming and dosing.
  • A pump that’s noisy, struggling, or running without properly circulating.
  • Getting the pool right before summer, a party, or putting the house on the market.
  • You’d simply rather have your weekends back.

This is exactly the gap Craig’s regular pool cleaning and maintenance service fills — the chemical testing, the equipment checks and the jobs that are easy to get wrong, done properly, on a schedule, without you having to think about it. Get a free quote and we’ll take it from here.