Water Chemistry

A Weekly Pool Maintenance Calendar

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Most maintenance calendars online are written for climates with a true off-season; a Houston pool needs a rhythm built around year-round use instead. Gleannloch Farms routes pool and backyard plans through its HOA architectural review, and golf-course-adjacent lots there need drainage planned so runoff moves correctly relative to the course, both addressed in the design step.

Twice a Week, Minimum

Test free chlorine, pH, and alkalinity twice weekly as a baseline, more often during heavy rain, pool parties, or the hottest stretch of summer when chlorine demand climbs fastest.

Skim the surface and empty skimmer baskets on the same schedule; debris sitting in a basket for days raises chlorine demand and can clog circulation at the worst possible time.

Monthly and Quarterly Tasks

Check calcium hardness, cyanuric acid (stabilizer), and total dissolved solids monthly; these drift slowly and do not need twice-weekly testing but do need checking before they become a visible problem.

Backwash or clean the filter on a schedule driven by pressure gauge readings (typically when pressure rises 8-10 psi above the clean baseline) rather than a fixed calendar date, and inspect pump, heater, and salt cell (if applicable) quarterly for wear.