You look forward to opening up your pool for the season, but it’s up to you, with the help of your pool contractor, to make sure it’s safe for swimming. That means making sure the water is kept sparkling clean and its pH and alkalinity are balanced. You’ll also need to make sure structures, such as the ladder and rails, are sound and your equipment is ready to work.
The Best Time
Swimming pool experts claim that you can start to open your pool when the temps stay above 70 degrees during the day for much of the time. In this area, that can happen as early as March. However, you might want to hold off until later in the spring to open your pool. The reason for this is simple. In early spring the air is full of pollen, and that pollen will end up in the water if you open the pool too early.
The First Steps
Of course, the first thing to do is take off the pool cover, but this can be daunting. The cover may be full of puddles, fallen leaves and debris. Remove debris with a pool broom or a leaf blower. You might have to use a pool cover pump if there’s a lot of standing water. But that’s not all. You’ll need to clean the pool cover thoroughly. After that, it’ll need to dry out before you fold it up and store it in a cool, dry place. There are even more tasks to do after this.
- Use a skimmer to remove trash from the pool water.
- Put away winter plugs, and set up the heater, pump, filter and other equipment that overwintered.
- Refill the pool if it needs it.
- Check the pool equipment. Turn it on if it’s undamaged, and check to see if it works well. If it doesn’t, consult a pool specialist.
- Balance the water’s alkalinity, pH and calcium hardness. Check and adjust chlorine levels.
- Scrub any algae from the pool walls with a pool brush.
- Shock the pool.
- Run the filter for 24 hours.
More Things to Do
After you open the pool, test the water two or three times a week. Brush the walls about twice a week, and be careful to use a brush appropriate for the material to avoid damaging it. Vacuum the floor at the same time.
Pool season is fun, but it does involve work. If you need tasks done such as opening or closing your pool, don’t wait to give our pool technicians a call at Yummy Pools of Cumming, GA.