Pool Articles & Expert Advice
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The guides DMV pool owners open first.
How to Winterize Your Pool in Maryland and Virginia
A practical inground-pool winterization guide for Maryland and Virginia: timing, water balance, low-pressure line clearing, equipment draining, cover setup, and a pre-cover checklist.
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Expert tips on water chemistry, equipment care, and keeping your pool clean and balanced year-round.
22 articlesBuild & DesignEverything you need to know about planning, designing, and building your perfect inground pool.
18 articlesCost & FinancingPractical advice on pool pricing, budgeting, financing, and long-term value for DMV homeowners.
12 articlesHealth & WellnessHelpful guidance on swimming, hydrotherapy, family wellness, and the everyday health benefits of a backyard pool.
5 articlesRenovationIdeas and guidance for renovating, resurfacing, and transforming your existing pool.
10 articlesSafetyPractical pool safety advice covering fencing, covers, alarms, and protecting kids and pets.
11 articlesSeasonal CareStep-by-step guides for opening your pool in spring and closing it down for winter.
19 articlesService & RepairsTroubleshooting guides and repair tips for pumps, filters, heaters, and other pool equipment.
16 articlesMost popular
The articles pool owners read the most this season.
Pool Water Chemistry 101: A Practical Guide for Pool Owners
Sandra Petrovic
How to Get Pool Financing With Less-Than-Perfect Credit
Amanda Kerns
Pool Pump Failure: Warning Signs, Causes & Repair Costs
Dragan Kostadinovic
How to Detect a Pool Leak Early: Warning Signs, DIY Tests, and Repair Costs
Dragan Kostadinovic
How to Get Rid of Pool Algae (and Keep It from Coming Back)
Sandra Petrovic
Pool Fence Laws in Maryland & Virginia: A Homeowner's Guide
Amanda KernsLatest articles
Do You Still Need Pool Maintenance After Closing?
A closed pool does not need summer service, but monthly winter check-ins can catch cover, chemistry, water-level, and equipment problems before spring.
Sandra Petrovic
Does Your Pool Cover Need Repair or Replacement?
Use the damage location, fabric, fit, hardware, and cover type to decide whether pool cover repair makes sense or replacement is the safer investment.
Robert Moore
Pool Closing Mistakes That Cause Expensive Spring Problems
Avoid the pool closing mistakes that lead to freeze damage, stained surfaces, green water, cover trouble, and a harder spring opening in the DMV.
Sandra Petrovic
How to Keep Leaves and Debris From Damaging Your Pool Cover
Wet leaves block drainage, load the straps, and stain the pool. How to clear a pool cover safely through DMV leaf drop, which tools damage covers, and what neglect costs at opening.
Sandra Petrovic
Safety Cover Inspection Checklist Before Winter
A fifteen-minute pre-winter check of your pool safety cover — straps, stitching, springs, deck anchors, and fabric — and how to tell a cheap repair from an end-of-life cover.
Robert Moore
Pool Closing Chemicals: What Matters Before Winter
Which chemicals a pool actually needs at closing and why — winter algaecide, phosphate remover, stain and scale inhibitor — plus the additions that make winter worse, including tablets and antifreeze.
Sandra Petrovic
What Does a Professional Pool Closing Include?
A flat $500 pool closing covers equipment winterization, line clearing, off-season chemistry, and cover installation. Here is exactly what is included, what is not, and when DIY makes sense.
Sandra Petrovic
How to Protect Your Pump, Filter, and Heater Through Winter
A component-by-component guide to removing trapped water from a pool pump, filter, heater, salt cell, chlorinator, and auxiliary lines before winter.
Robert MooreHow to Winterize Your Pool in Maryland and Virginia
A practical inground-pool winterization guide for Maryland and Virginia: timing, water balance, low-pressure line clearing, equipment draining, cover setup, and a pre-cover checklist.
Sandra PetrovicWhen Should You Close Your Pool in Virginia, Maryland, and DC?
Close your pool after the water stays below about 65°F and before freezing weather. See the typical timing across Virginia, Maryland, and DC.
Sandra Petrovic
Saltwater Pool End-of-Season Maintenance Checklist
A saltwater pool end-of-season maintenance checklist for DMV homeowners: when the salt cell actually stops making chlorine, inspecting and cleaning it safely, fall chemistry, and what a salt system needs at closing.
Sandra Petrovic
Late-Season Pool Problems to Fix Before Closing
The late-season pool problems worth fixing before your DMV pool closes — leaks, failing pumps, heater faults, stubborn water, and freeze-prone cracks — with real repair costs and a fix-now-or-wait-for-spring triage.
Sandra Petrovic