On a hot day in the middle of the summer there is nothing better than taking a dip in the pool. Purchasing an above ground swimming pool and having it installed at home could be one of the best decisions you'll ever make. They are great for helping you stay in shape, to teach your kids to swim or just to mess about with some swimming pool toys. However owning above ground swimming pools requires regular maintenance and cleaning so here are 5 helpful tips to help anyone who owns above ground swimming pools.

1. Cleaning - When it comes to a swimming pool the first important task is cleaning it. Bacteria in your swimming pool can lead to allsorts of infections so it is very important that you clean your pool regularly. A great tip is to thoroughly clean the area outside of the pool before you use it. This will help to prevent dirt from being carried into your above ground pool on people’s feet.

2. Chemicals - If you have a pool then you have to have swimming pool chemicals and a home testing kit to make sure you're putting in the right amount of chemicals. Using a testing kit will help to make sure that the swimming pool chemicals like chlorine are strong enough to kill germs with out irritating your eyes and skin.

3. Get A Swimming Pool Cover - A great way to help maintain your pool is to get swimming pool covers for the different times of year. A swimming pool cover will stop leaves and litter from being blown in the swimming pool and a summer one will help keep the heat in. You can also find safety swimming pool covers, which are a great solution if you have young children that might accidentally fall or run into the pool.

4. Keep An Eye On Your Pump - Your swimming pool pump is very important as it keeps the water in the pool moving around to prevent it becoming stagnant as well as pushing the water through a filter. There are a few common problems that can occur with swimming pool pumps that you will need to monitor. You will find that the threads and seals of the pipes will corode over time so you need to keep an eye out for drips so you can repair or replace them when needed.

5. Clean Your Filter Regularly - A swimming pool filter is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your swimming pool. They remove a lot of the dirt in your pool and therefore need to be cleaned regularly to ensure they continue to work. To do this with a sand filter you need to back wash it, which is where the water is sucked up through it. For those of you with paper filters it is simply a case of washing them with a hose but you will find that you will still need to replace them on a regular basis.