Opening Your Pool for Swim Season

As spring is coming around the corner and temperatures begin to rise, the process of opening your pool for the swim season may be on your mind. But, as we dream about long days by the pool, the thought of opening your pool may be a little daunting. 

That’s understandable, as properly opening your swimming pool takes a little work. There is more to the process than just pulling off the cover and throwing in some chemicals. Our post will take you through the process of opening your pool correctly this swim season. Let’s get into it!

Pool Opening Inspection

The winter months can cause damage with repeat freezing, strong winds, and storms; it’s imperative to assess your structure and pipelines. The first thing you want to do is take off the winter pool cover and inspect the area. 

If you find problems with the foundation or liner, contact a pool professional to have a pool technician give you an idea of what it will take to repair and the costs associated. If it’s a more minor issue, you can resolve it yourself.

Not only is it essential to inspect your structure but also your equipment. Check that your systems, such as the pump and filter, are not broken or need replacing. As a pool owner, it’s important to keep your systems in proper working order so the pool can remain in a healthy state.

Clean Pool Thoroughly 

You’ve checked that everything is in working order and all repairs completed; you can now start cleaning. A pool can collect debris, dust, and bacteria even during the winter season. All of this will need to be removed before you can add chemicals.

Remove all winterization plugs and open all the valves to your lines during this time. Make sure everything is open so the filtration system can run properly. Don’t forget to put in the drain plug!

Clean, vacuum, and brush the walls, removing anything stuck on the surface! Oh, and clean your pool cover before storing it away as well! 

Raise the Water Level

Before running the filtration system, you will need to bring the water line back to its proper level. Remember when we spoke about closing your pool, you had to drain your pool below the tile line to avoid overflow. 

Now we want to raise it to aid in proper filtration. If you have any accessories such as diving boards, basketball hoops, or slides, reinstall them, ensuring they are well cleaned first.

Turn on Filter

Once everything is clean and in proper order, it’s time to turn on your filter. At this moment, you will need to let the system run until the water is as clear as possible. This step is essential as it will mean the difference in how many chemicals you will need and how long your water will remain clear. 

Some suggest running it for 24 hours before you balance, but we recommend running it as long as necessary. If it takes a couple of days more than planned, at least you can have peace of mind that your water has filtered thoroughly.

Add Chemicals and Test

The alkalinity of the water plays a significant role in the overall sanitation and cleanliness of your pool. It should be around 80 to 120 ppm, pH at 7.4, and calcium between 200 and 400 ppm.

After adding the chemicals and allowing the water to be filtered thoroughly, it’s time to test your water. Here you are looking at whether all the above levels are within their recommended measurements. 

If everything checks out, you can start splashing the summer away. If not, add the necessary chemicals and test again!

Considering Sanitation Alternatives? 

If you have considered using a salt-cell generator or utilizing UV sanitation, now may be the time to implement a new system. These systems are an investment and have higher upfront costs, but the savings on chemicals will balance this out over time. Keep in mind, although these systems use other means to sanitize your pool, chlorine is not entirely eliminated. 

The amount needed will be greatly reduced, therefore contributing to costs saving in the longer term. Sanitation alternatives can contribute to the better health and longevity of your pool throughout the year. And with the prices of trichlor not showing any sign of decreasing, exploring other options may be beneficial.  

Are You Ready To Open Your Pool? 

There is quite a list of things to do to get your pool tip-top for the family to enjoy this season! If you kept an eye on your pool this winter, you might find opening your pool to be a breeze. However, if you are looking for a break this season, contact our team of pool professionals and let us give you a hand!