I was a little apprehensive about installing a swimming pool in my backyard. I remember the swimming pool we had when I was a kid, and I can still see my mom out there every day, skimming the pool, checking the water and adding chemicals. Weekends were often spent brushing down the pool walls and cleaning out the debris before we could ever jump in the water. I wasn't sure I wanted to be tied to my swimming pool the way my parents were.

I was thrilled to find out that pool maintenance is a whole lot easier today. I mean, almost all the equipment we installed is automated so I can take care of my pool with the touch of a button. Unfortunately, I still have to skim out leaves and debris pretty regularly, but the rest of our pool care is pretty much a snap!

Swimming pool maintenance has made many pool owners cringe by the time summer rolls around. After all, who wants to spend their time poolside testing water and adding chemicals? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to automate the process today, so you can spend less time taking care of your pool and more time enjoying it. Check out these three tips for creating an (almost!) maintenance-free swimming pool.

Automatic Controls

Rather than having to operate all your equipment manually, check out your options in automatic controls. Automatic controls allow you to control the time your equipment runs without having to turn it on and off every day. You can install automatic controls for nearly all of your pool equipment, so the entire cleaning and heating process runs like a well-oiled machine you rarely have to touch.

Automatic Cleaners

Forget spending hours in the summer scrubbing down your pool and vacuuming out debris. Instead, invest in an aquabot that will clean your entire pool with a simple touch of a switch. These contraptions come with an onboard computer that is programmed to scrub down every nook and cranny of your swimming pool. All you need to do is plug in the device and gently drop it into your pool so it can go to work. While these automated pool cleaners tend to be pricier than other cleaning options, the amount of time they save will make them an excellent value.

Automatic Pool Covers

Keeping your pool covered is the easiest way to conserve heat and water and keep pesky leaves and debris at bay. However, rolling out a big, heavy cover every night is more trouble than it's worth! The easiest way to keep your pool under wraps is with an automatic pool cover that moves back and forth with a simple push of a button. These automatic covers can be customized to any size and shape of pool and are sturdy enough to serve as a safety cover, winter cover and temporary cover in one felled swoop.

You don't have to slave away your summers poolside any longer. With these automated devices installed, your pool maintenance will be quicker and easier.