Skimmer Editorial Team
Skimmer's guides are written and maintained by the team that builds the Skimmer app. We are pool owners and software builders, not a chemical manufacturer or a pool-service franchise, so the guidance here has no product to sell you beyond the app itself.
Every dosing number, target range, and safety recommendation on this site is compiled from published, checkable sources: public-health guidance (CDC's Model Aquatic Health Code and Healthy Swimming program), the recognized industry standards (ANSI/APSP/ICC), and manufacturer dosing references. Where a figure comes from a specific source, we cite it on the page so you can verify it yourself rather than take our word for it.
Pool chemistry is health-adjacent, so we treat it that way: we describe how a number is derived, flag where local water or a specific product changes the answer, and tell you when something is a job for a professional rather than an app. Read how we work in our editorial policy and methodology.
Recent guides
Hot tubs use the same core chemistry as pools, but heat and a tiny water volume packed with bathers change how fast that chemistry moves and how often you need to check it.
A start-to-finish guide to maintaining your own pool: the routine, the chemistry, the equipment, the seasonal calendar, and what to hand to a pro. Built for owners who want to skip the weekly service bill.
The right order to skim, brush, vacuum, and clean the filter, plus how often each step needs doing. A repeatable cleaning routine that keeps water clear with minimal effort.
A practical look at how plaster and pebble pool finishes actually differ in lifespan and upkeep, so you can weigh upfront cost against how much brushing and rebalancing each one asks of you.
A plain-language starter guide for first-time pool owners. What to buy, the weekly routine, the chemistry you actually need to understand, and the beginner mistakes that turn a clear pool green.
Mineral sanitizer systems can meaningfully cut how much chlorine a pool needs, but they don't replace it. Here's what actually changes in your testing and dosing routine, and what stays exactly the same.
Practical, tested pool care tips that cut work and cost: chemistry shortcuts, circulation tricks, cleaning habits, and the small moves that keep problems from ever starting.
Pool shape doesn't change your chemical targets, but it changes how evenly circulation reaches every corner, and that's where lap pools and freeform pools genuinely diverge in day-to-day upkeep.
Indoor pools trade sun and wind for humidity and ventilation. Here's what actually changes about chlorine loss, evaporation, and your weekly routine.
What a buyer or inspector actually looks at on a pool walk-through, from surface cracks to equipment age, so you know what you're really buying before you close.
Equipment age alone rarely tanks a sale, what actually moves the needle is whether that age is documented or a mystery. Here's how buyers and inspectors really weigh it.
A field guide for listing agents: what a real pool maintenance record should include, where it surfaces during inspection and negotiation, and how to get a seller started even a few weeks before a listing goes live.
A step-by-step guide to hosing off and acid-soaking a cartridge filter, plus how to tell whether it's time for a quick rinse or a full muriatic acid soak.
The honest answer is it depends on your climate, your neighborhood, and how well the pool has been maintained, here's how to think through it before you install one or price your home with one.
When your filter pressure gauge tells you it's time, here's exactly how to backwash a sand filter without skipping the rinse cycle or draining half the pool.
Pump motors rarely quit without warning: bearing noise, heat, and rising energy bills show up months before a full failure. Here's the typical replacement window, how to tell a motor-only swap from a full pump replacement, and when a variable-speed upgrade pays for itself.
A typical pool pump lasts 8 to 12 years, but the number that actually matters is when repair costs start outweighing replacement. Here's how to tell.
A plain-language walkthrough of electrolysis, salt cells, and why a saltwater pool is still a chlorine pool, just one that manufactures its own supply.
A failed pump or heater inside its warranty window can be a free repair, or a full-price one, depending entirely on whether you can prove when it was installed. Here's the simple system that keeps you on the free side.
A grinding pump and a humming pump aren't the same problem. Here's how to match the sound your pump is making to its likely cause, and how urgent it actually is.
What actually matters for diving board and slide safety: water depth, clearance, installation checks, and a simple inspection routine for existing equipment.
A practical, use-it-more-than-once checklist for keeping kids safe around a home pool, organized by season, by area of the yard, and by moment, from everyday swim time to a backyard party.
Most pool chemical incidents trace back to a handful of preventable storage mistakes, not bad luck. Here's how to separate, ventilate, and organize your chemicals so that stays true.
Pool foam almost always traces back to something you (or a product) put in the water, not a chemistry emergency. Here's how to find the source and clear it up.