Welcome to Pool Owner Guide
You just got a pool and you have no idea what to do with it. You are not alone — 5.7 million Americans bought homes with pools in recent years, and most of them felt exactly the same way on day one.
This guide walks you through everything you need to do in your first 90 days as a pool owner, in the right order, without wasting money on the wrong chemicals or equipment.
Step 1 — Test Your Water Before You Touch Anything
The single most important rule of pool ownership: never add chemicals without testing first. Go to your local pool store or order a digital water test kit online. You need to know your pH, chlorine level, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid before you do anything else.
Target ranges to aim for:
- pH: 7.2 – 7.6
- Free Chlorine: 2 – 4 ppm
- Total Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm
- Calcium Hardness: 200 – 400 ppm
- Cyanuric Acid: 30 – 50 ppm
Step 2 — Understand Your Equipment
Walk around your pool equipment pad and identify the pump, filter, skimmer, and return jets. Your pump should run 8 to 12 hours per day. Your filter needs backwashing when the pressure gauge rises 8 to 10 PSI above normal. Your skimmer basket should be cleaned weekly.
Step 3 — Set a Weekly Routine
The secret to a perfect pool is consistency. A 30-minute weekly routine prevents 90 percent of problems. Test water every week. Skim and brush every week. Shock the pool every two weeks, always at night. Clean your filter monthly.
What to Read Next
Browse our Pool Chemical Guides for step-by-step instructions on balancing your water. Check our Equipment Reviews for honest recommendations on what to buy. And if something is already wrong, go to our Getting Started section for quick fixes.