The scorching heat of summer is upon us and it’s the perfect time to dive into the pool to cool down. But just filling up & dipping in your backyard pool isn’t the right way to go. You have to take certain steps to make sure your swimming pool is ready for the summer.
Opening a pool in the right way is equally important for both the swimmers & the pool. Making sure that the chemical components of your pool water are in a stable condition is crucial. By doing so, you will be omitting the chances of getting skin-prone diseases. Deciding to get your pool ready without proper arrangements most likely will cost you big time. You may end up having algae-infested water, musky white clouds, etc.
If you’re wondering about drifting on your floaties, sipping a pina colada in your backyard pool, we will be glad to help you. So, without further ado, let’s jump right at some essential steps that you should consider taking before opening your pool for the summer.
1. Clear Out the Debris
Most of you might or not have kept your pool covered during the winter. Still, there can be plenty of debris. There’s always a good chance that a fair amount of dirt, twigs & debris may find its way into the pool.
The first thing about preparing your pool is to clear them all out. A broom is always an excellent choice to sweep the debris. If you have a cover over your pool, the water probably has gathered on top of the cover. In that case, you can go for a mesh net to properly scoop out the water.
Over in the next points, we are going to be talking all about manual labor and how to get your hands dirty. Nowadays a lot of people even prefer robotic pool cleaners so they can just sit back and relax. To know more about them check out https://roboticpoolcleaner.org/
2. Get Rid of the Pool Cover
After clearing the surroundings of your pool, you need to remove the pool cover.
There may be debris, leaves, twigs, etc. So, be prompt in removing the covers. You can use a vacuum cleaner or a mesh net for this purpose.
Don’t worry if after removing the pool cover you find debris on the pool water. It’s natural. You don’t need to panic. You can always skim your pool to clear out all the debris.
3. Brush the Ladders, Steps & Walls
We often overlook brushing the ladders, steps & walls. It is always preferable to brush them so that it won’t be slippery. It also ensures proper safety for elderly people & the younger ones. Besides, who doesn’t like a shiny pool? Brushing will give your pool a brand new look that you have always wanted. So, get on with it.
4. Use Vacuum Cleaning
Vacuum cleaning is essential for an out-and-out circulation of your pool water. The debris & other unwanted particles that once were floating on the surface of the water usually falls down to the bottom.
And sometimes it’s hard to clear them out only by skimming. So, using a vacuum cleaner would be the most convenient thing. Along with cleaning the water, it will ensure the necessary circulation too.
5. Never Empty Your Pool
This is a myth that has been speculating around for a long time. People often think that emptying the pool & then again refilling will solve most of the problems. But this is entirely wrong. Though emptying does little good, instead it can create more problems in return.
For instance, if you have a vinyl liner in your pool, emptying it will leave the vinyl liner vulnerable. Eventually, it will get dried up & form leaks in the liner. Furthermore, it will open up cracks in the walls & liners.
One crucial point everyone forgets to consider is to determine the high water table. If you empty your pool without considering this option, it may just cost you big time.
6. Install All Types of Pool Equipment
Check if you have all the necessary equipment ready. You may need a skimmer to clean the debris from the surface of your pool water. You may require a vacuum pump to clean under the water. Brushes to clean the ladders, steps, etc.
That’s why it’s wise to prepare a checklist of all the necessary items that you will probably require. You’ll need the following
- A Water Test Kit
- Pool Skimmer
- Pool Brush
- Pool Opening Chemicals
- A Telescopic Pole
- A Pool Vacuum
7. Run the Filtration System
Before jumping straight into the pool water, make sure you’ve run the filter at least for 12 hours. The timing varies depending on the season. For summers, you need to continue filtration for 8-12 hours. It can be 4-6 hours for the wintertime.
Going in the water without proper filtration will cause skin issues due to the imbalance chemicals present in the water. So, carry-out the filtration for at least 12 hours. Choosing the night is a tactical option. Doing so, you won’t have to sit idly during the day.
8. Check the pH, Alkalinity, & Chlorine Level
Testing the pool water is always vital before using the pool. But when it comes to a pool that hasn’t been used for a while, testing is a must. Generally, three chemical percentages are tested in the case of pool water. Without keeping these percentages in the optimum zone, it’s risky to use pool water. Therefore, be sure to check your pool’s alkalinity level, pH & chlorine level. You can follow the below-mentioned ranges:
pH: 7.2-7.6
Alkalinity level: (100-150) ppm [parts per million]
Chlorine level: (2.0-4.0) ppm
9. Shock Your Pool to Stay on Top
This is the last cleaning step you can take. Shocking is done by spattering highly concentrated chemicals all over the pool water. First, you need to stir the chemicals in a bucket & splatter them. Use precautions like wearing gloves, masks & eye protection while handling the highly concentrated chemicals.
Shocking is like restarting your desktop. As restart ends all the tasks of the applications & starts again, shocking also kill whatever unwanted elements are present in the water. Hence your pool water becomes entirely fresh again.
10. Wait Till Water Becomes Clear
It is imperative to give your pool some time after you have followed all the instructions. You may think it’s ok to dive in just because you have filtered all the water. But it is not. You may still need to add chlorine to your pool water to achieve the required balance. The trick is to wait till you think your pool has become crystal clear & you can see the bottom clearly.
Final Thoughts
After following these tips, you can finally call it a day & start inviting your friends & family to your pool. You have knocked out all the hard parts & now you will have your pool completely ready.