Item #1 - Purchase a GOOD test kit. DO NOT own a cheap, basic water testing kit. Water chemistry is one of the most important items to maintain and must be checked on a regular schedule. High quality testing strips are also now available and are an excellent way to test your water quality on a regular basis.

Item #2 - Purchase a good telescopic pole - Cheap poles bend and break - buy a good quality unit either a 6-12 foot or an 8-16 foot model.

Item #3 - Purchase a good metal backed 18" nylon wall brush, a new swimming pool should be brushed regularly.

Item#4 - Maintain a leaf rake or skimmer for cleaning the surface of the pool. Leaf rakes are excellent for pools that have a leaf problem and simple skimmers for pools that don't have a high dirt situation. High quality skimmers and leaf rakes can be purchased with standard bag material and or fine mesh material.

The first four items are considered a must and should be kept on hand at all times. The following suggestions are optional items which are nice to have available but not always needed.

Item#5 - Vacuum hose - If you do not plan on having an automatic pool cleaner this will be required.

Item#6 - Vacuum head - Once again this would be an optional item if you plan on using an automatic pool cleaner on a regular basis. If purchasing a vacuum cleaner head, choose one that is very flexible and has good quality wheels (concrete pools) or high quality brushed (vinyl liner pools).

Item#6 - Tile brush - Nice item to have to scrub the tile line of a concrete pool or spa.

Item#7 - Hand held or pole mounted stain remover (concrete pools) - Optional item for your tool box to remove unwanted stains and discolorations from concrete pools. Many types are hand held but some do attach to a telescopic pole for easy use.

Item#8 - Various liquid cleaners, tile, surface, deck. There are many brands and styles available to help with keeping your pool and spa clean and sparkling clean.

Item#9 - Automatic Pool Cleaner - There are many different types and styles of automatic pool cleaners available for today's swimming pool. Research all the different models available and make your decision about your need of this piece of equipment.

Item#10 - Sand Vac - Great tool if you have a sand filter installed in your pool system. Empties out a sand filter using a standard garden hose.

Item#11 - High power pressure nozzle - Great to have for high power water rinsing of filter cartridges and filter grids. (Don't forget to keep a high quality garden hose available).

Item#12 - Various tools, screw drivers, pliers

Remember having the right tools available will make your service job much easier. Stay ahead of the maintenance schedule for your pool and you will always have a crystal clear blue sparkling pool and spa to enjoy whenever the moment arises.