That’s when they went to the pool store and that’s where they bought all their chemicals and all their replacement parts.

There was a time this was about the only place they could go, long before the internet. Every time the water in their pool was cloudy or green it was off to the store with the little sample bottle full of pool water to be tested by what looked like some pretty scientific equipment. It was pretty common, at that point, to leave with a large bag of chemicals.

One of my clients emailed me saying her husband just bought over a hundred dollars worth of chemicals after taking in a sample of their green pool water. My response was to take it all back and do as I tell you.

Above ground pool filters are not known to have to the life expectancy of the higher quality in ground units. Because of this parts are needed sooner and more often. These parts can get very expensive over a short period of time.

You may already be making use of the internet to research your pool problems, and possibly coming up with some useful answers. There is a lot of advice out there, some good and some useless. So how do you know what to believe and what not to.

Start by learning how to test your own water. With the right test kit you can properly analyze your water. With this knowledge you will be buying just what you need, not what they are selling you.

The second thing you want to do is master your filter. A little maintenance will save a lot in the long run. How long you run your filter is critical for sparkling water. The biggest mistake pool owners make is skimping on filter run time to save on their electric bill.

Learn the basics of pool water chemistry and filter maintenance and you are on your way to saving some of your hard earned money.