28 Sep How to get your pool summer ready
With Spring well on its way and summer just around the corner, it’s time to think about opening your pool for the swimming season. If the warmer weather hasn’t reminded you then your friends surely have. If you’ve performed your winter pool maintenance properly, then there should be nothing to worry about when it’s time to peel your pool cover back.
Steps to getting your pool summer ready:
- Clean, remove and store your pool cover
- Measure your water level and add more if necessary
- Turn on and reconnect your equipment
- Test your pool chemistry
- Scoop away any debris and then brush and vacuum your pool
- Shock your pool and then apply algaecide
Step 1: Clean, remove and store your pool cover
This is pretty self-explanatory so we won’t dive into too much detail. Though, this really is a moment of truth. If you have maintained your pool throughout winter and kept your pumps and filters running for a few hours per day, the water waiting for you should still pretty blue. If not, it might look like a swamp and then you need to read our guide on how to clean a green pool.
Step 2: Measure your water level and add more if necessary
This is a great chance to check if your pool has any leaks before the swimming season begins. To do this you need a bucket and a marker. Then:
- Fill the bucket with water and then place it on the top step of your pool.
- Mark where the water comes up to on the inside and outside
- Wait 24 hours
If the water significantly decreases outside the bucket then there’s a pool leak. If the water only decreases insight the bucket then you’re losing water to evaporation. In any case, when you do fill your pool water, it should be about half-way up your skimmer.
Step 3: Turn on and reconnect your equipment
In most cases, your equipment will already be up and running all winter long. Only where freezing temperatures are common will you need to perform this step – not most people in Australia! In any case, the equipment you will need to reconnect and turn on includes your pumps and filters.
Step 4: Test your pool chemistry
Even with proper winter maintenance, your water balance will need some slight adjusting for the warmer weather. Therefore, take a sample of your pool water to your local pool shop. When you’re scooping the water out, make sure you stick your arm in until your elbow, so that you may get a more accurate reading.
Step 5: Scoop away any debris then brush and vacuum your pool
This means get rid of any floating leaves and then apply some elbow grease and get scrubbing. Once you’ve completed all that, it’s time to vacuum the remaining debris off the floor. If you’re not into the hard labour though, you can try buying a robot pool cleaner instead. Here’s how you can make sure that you’ve chosen the right one.
Step 6: Shock your pool and apply algaecide
Over winter, your pool probably hasn’t received as much chlorine as it should have. To kill off any potential bacteria use some pool shock – a much stronger dosage of chlorine. Then, apply algaecide to kill and prevent and further algae from growing.
Finally, don’t forget to invite your friends over and enjoy your pool. We hope this guide helped.