Care Instructions &
Maintenance Guides

Your post-project owner's manual, with seasonal checklists, product-specific care, and maintenance guidance from the team that built your space. Return to the Blue Tree service resources for FAQs, warranties, and related support.
Blue Tree provides care guidance for every project we complete, from pool water chemistry and seasonal closing procedures to paver sealing schedules and plant care calendars. Every outdoor space we design and build comes with the knowledge to maintain it. This hub goes deep on pool care, the most season-sensitive of our services, with seasonal checklists and equipment guidance built for Southeastern Pennsylvania's climate, USDA Zones 6b and 7a.
For landscape, hardscape, and Healthy Yards maintenance, use the division links below to reach each team, and our Premier Outdoor Services group can handle any of it for you year-round. Whether you prefer to maintain your space yourself or have us take care of everything, you will know exactly what your outdoor space needs, and when it needs it.

Pool Care Instructions

Owning a pool in Southeastern PA means managing a seasonal cycle, from spring opening through weekly summer maintenance to fall closing and winter protection. These guides cover the fundamentals of pool care for gunite (concrete) pools equipped with Jandy (Fluidra) equipment, which is what Blue Tree installs. For specific equipment operation questions, refer to the Jandy product manuals provided at your project handoff.

Pool Opening (Spring)

Opening your pool for the season involves a specific sequence of steps to ensure clean water, functional equipment, and safe operation. In Southeastern PA, most pool openings occur between late April and mid-May, depending on weather conditions.

Checklist Items:

  1. Remove and clean the winter pool cover. Store it dry to prevent mildew and extend its life.
  2. Remove winterizing plugs from return lines, skimmer, and any auxiliary plumbing.
  3. Reinstall drain plugs on the pump, filter, heater, and chlorinator.
  4. Fill the pool to the appropriate water level (mid-skimmer).
  5. Reconnect and prime the pump. Inspect the pump basket and impeller for debris.
  6. Start the filtration system and check for leaks at all connection points.
  7. Test water chemistry: pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, and sanitizer levels.
  8. Shock the pool with an appropriate dose of chlorine or non-chlorine shock.
  9. Run the filter continuously for 24 to 48 hours after opening to clear the water.
  10. Brush the pool walls and floor, vacuum any debris, and clean the tile line.
  11. Inspect safety equipment: fencing, latches, alarms, and covers.
Schedule your pool opening at least two weeks before you plan to swim. This gives the water chemistry time to stabilize and allows Blue Tree's pool service team to address any issues found during the opening process.

Weekly Pool Maintenance (Summer)

During the swimming season (typically May through September in Southeastern PA), your pool requires consistent weekly attention to maintain safe, clear water.

Weekly Tasks:

  1. Test water chemistry two to three times per week. Maintain pH between 7.2 and 7.6, alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm, and chlorine between 1 and 3 ppm.
  2. Clean the skimmer basket and pump basket weekly.
  3. Brush the pool walls and floor once per week to prevent algae buildup.
  4. Vacuum the pool manually or run an automatic cleaner as needed.
  5. Backwash or clean the filter per the manufacturer's recommended schedule.
  6. Inspect the pool deck, coping, and surrounding hardscape for any shifting or damage.
  7. Check the water level, since evaporation and splash-out can lower levels quickly during hot weeks.

Pool Closing (Fall and Winter)

Closing your pool correctly protects the structure, plumbing, and equipment from freeze damage during Pennsylvania winters. Most pool closings in Southeastern PA occur between mid-October and mid-November.

Checklist Items:

  • Balance water chemistry one final time before closing: pH 7.2 to 7.6, alkalinity 80 to 120 ppm.
  • Add winter closing chemical kit (algaecide, winter shock, stain preventer).
  • Lower the water level to four to six inches below the skimmer opening (or per your builder's recommendation).
  • Blow out all plumbing lines with compressed air and install winterizing plugs.
  • Drain the pump, filter, heater, chlorinator, and any auxiliary equipment.
  • Disconnect and store the pump motor indoors if recommended for your equipment model.
  • Install the winter pool cover securely. For mesh covers, ensure all springs and anchors are tight. For solid covers, ensure the water removal pump is functional.
  • Turn off all electrical circuits to pool equipment at the breaker.

Pool Equipment Care

Your Blue Tree pool is equipped with Jandy (Fluidra) products, the industry standard for residential pool equipment. Proper equipment maintenance extends the life of your investment and protects your three-year workmanship warranty on Fluidra products.

Checklist Items:

  • Pump: Inspect the pump basket weekly. Listen for unusual noise that could indicate an impeller issue. Lubricate the pump lid O-ring seasonally with a silicone-based lubricant.
  • Filter: Backwash or clean per the filter type (sand, cartridge, or DE). Replace filter cartridges annually or when pressure rises eight to 10 psi above the clean starting pressure.
  • Heater: Keep the area around the heater clear of debris and vegetation. Inspect for rust, leaks, or unusual smells before each season.
  • Salt System (if installed): Check salt levels monthly. Clean the salt cell per the manufacturer's recommended schedule, typically every three to six months.
  • Automation/Controls: Refer to your Jandy iAquaLink or AquaPure documentation for programming and troubleshooting. Keep firmware updated.
Pool equipment is covered under Blue Tree's three-year workmanship warranty on Fluidra products. Manufacturer warranties on individual components are passed through to the homeowner. See your Warranty details for full terms.

Prefer to Leave Pool Care to Us?

Pool maintenance involves precise chemistry, seasonal equipment care, and consistent weekly attention. Many of our clients prefer to enjoy their pool without managing the details, and that's exactly why our Premier Outdoor Services division offers comprehensive pool maintenance packages.

From weekly water testing and chemical balancing to seasonal openings and closings, our pool service team handles everything. They know your specific equipment because they installed it, and they maintain it to the same standard we built it.

Care and Your Warranty

Proper maintenance protects your Blue Tree warranty. Several warranty categories, including our one-year plant replacement warranty and our lifetime pool structural warranty, assume that the homeowner has followed reasonable care guidelines. The care instructions above are designed to keep your investment performing at its best and to ensure your warranty coverage remains in effect.
For specific warranty terms, durations, and coverage details across all five service divisions, visit our Warranties page.
For questions about whether a specific issue is covered under warranty, contact Blue Tree directly. We will assess the situation and let you know. Our process is simple: contact your designer or our main office, we assess the issue, write up a work order, and schedule the repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Newly installed plants need deep, infrequent watering for the first 6 to 8 weeks. Water established trees and large shrubs at the root zone for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 days, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. In Southeastern Pennsylvania's clay-heavy Cecil and Manor soils, overwatering is more common than drought as a cause of plant failure. Push a finger 2 to 3 inches into the soil: if wet, wait; if dry, water deeply. During the mid-July to August heat peak, smaller perennials may need daily watering. Blue Tree provides a per-plant watering guide with every installation.

The optimal window for core aeration and overseeding in Southeastern PA is late August through mid-October, when soil temperatures drop below 70°F but stay above 50°F. This aligns with cool-season grass germination windows for tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties. New seed needs 6 to 8 weeks to establish before the first hard frost, typically November in most of the service area. Avoid heavy foot traffic and mowing below 3 inches on newly seeded areas for the first 4 weeks.

New paver installations need practical care through the first winter. Follow the paver manufacturer's deicer guidance and avoid pressure washing until the installation is ready for that maintenance. Southeastern Pennsylvania's freeze-thaw cycles can affect an inadequately prepared base, but movement must be evaluated against the installed system, site conditions, and Blue Tree's written warranty. If a paver shifts or rocks underfoot, submit a service request with a photo so Blue Tree can determine whether an inspection is needed.

For most properties in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, and Philadelphia Counties, the pool opening window is late April to mid-May, after consistent overnight temperatures stay above 40°F. Closing timing is late September to mid-October, before water temperature drops below 65°F. Closing too late risks algae blooms that are harder to clear in spring. Blue Tree's pool service team times opening and closing to actual water temperature readings at each property. Elevated Berks County properties cool faster than lower-elevation Montgomery County sites at the same latitude, so closing dates differ.

Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses look like a smear of dried grey mud on bark, flat stones, or outdoor furniture, typically 1 to 1.5 inches long and laid in rows of 30 to 50 eggs. Scrape masses into a sealed bag with hand sanitizer and discard. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recommends checking Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), black walnut, willow, and grapevine as primary hosts. Blue Tree removes Tree of Heaven on request as part of landscape services. If you find masses on newly installed plants from Blue Tree, contact us and we will advise whether the plant is a host species and whether treatment is warranted under your program.

Drip irrigation installed within a Blue Tree landscape project should be winterized according to the installed components, property conditions, and manufacturer instructions before freezing weather. Shutoff and drainage steps vary by system, so use the project documentation or request guidance from Blue Tree before applying compressed air or changing valves. Blue Tree does not install or service full lawn sprinkler systems or smart irrigation controllers.

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