The Guide to Opening Your Pool
With the weather heating up across the country, get back into the swimming spirit and open up your pool. Of course, opening a pool can feel daunting if you don't have any experience.
Thankfully, setting things up for the warmer months is easy. Take a look at this handy guide to find out how.
Remove Your Pool Cover
The first step to opening your pool this summer is to remove the pool cover. For many pool owners, this step is also the most off-putting. But, while the task of removing the gunk that's accumulated may seem unpleasant, it shouldn't take long. Simply use a soft broom to sweep away the debris, then use a pool cover pump to siphon off any water.
Once that's done, all you need to do is take the pool cover off and store it. Before you put it into storage, you may want to wipe it down with pool cover cleaner to keep it in good condition for next winter.
Refill Your Pool
Even with a cover over your pool during the winter, you'll still have to deal with a few inches of evaporation when you open your pool. Now is the time to refill it. If you wait until later, you could find yourself having to rebalance your pool chemistry multiple times.
The easiest way to fill your pool is with your garden hose. However, if your city's water rates are high, you could call a pool water delivery service. Some pool water companies even provide pre-chlorinated water, though this isn't a substitute for balancing your chemicals later.
Reinstall Your Pool Equipment
Remove your pool ladders and other accessories like diving boards and slides, skimmer baskets and jet fittings for the winter months. After you've removed your pool cover and topped up the water, reinstall and reattach all that pool equipment.
Depending on where you stored your equipment, it may have gotten dirty over the winter. If yours needs a clean, do so before reattaching it. That way, you won't risk getting your pool chemistry even more out of balance with cleaning chemicals. Storage can also make diving boards stiffen, so if you have one, remember to lubricate it now.
Run Your Pool Pump and Filter
Next, you'll want to address your pool's circulation system: the filter and pump. First, check your filter for signs of wear and dirt. If it looks damaged, you'll need to replace it. If it's just in need of a clean, backwash it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Next, when you hook everything back up, remember to lubricate your O-rings with a quality pool gasket lubricant, and use thread seal tape to reinstall the drain plugs. Then, all you have to do is turn everything on and make sure water flows through as it should.
Sometimes, pumps can become worn over the winter and may not work when you open your pool for the summer. If that's the case for you, think about buying a new pool pump.
Refresh Your Pool
Last, but not least, refresh your pool so it's ready and inviting for a day of swimming. First, use a skimmer net to clear away all the big chunks of debris floating in your water. Then, use a brush that's suitable for your pool walls to scrub away any accumulated dirty film.
Once the pool looks clean, you need to fix the water chemistry problems you can't see with your naked eye. You can use a testing kit, or you can ask your local pool supply to test a sample for you. Use those results to balance your alkalinity, pH, calcium hardness and chlorine. During this stage, you'll want to double shock your pool with chlorine to kill all any bacteria and algae spores lurking in the water.
If you have questions about the pool opening process or need supplies for the next pool season, speak to us today.
