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Start Your Filters and Get Ready for Your Next Pool Opening!

Be prepared when springtime rolls around to get your pool up and running for the season. But before you take a dip in your pool as the temperatures continue to rise, it is important that your spring pool opening goes properly to ensure the health and safety of your pool and its occupants.

Step 1: Take Care of the Cover

Drain as much water as you can from the top of your winter cover or solid safety cover with a sump pump, and sweep or blow leaves and other debris off and away before its removal. This serves two purposes:

a) It keeps debris out of your pool; and

b) It will make it easier to close your pool next winter

When you remove the cover, make sure that it is clean and dry. Sprinkle both sides with talcum powder to help prevent the buildup of mold and mildew, fold it up loosely and store it in a cool, dry area.

Step 2: Check the Water Levels

Your water level should be halfway up the tile or around the middle of your skimmer opening. If you need to top your water off, get that garden hose working and fill up your pool.

If you winterized your pool, please continue reading on. If you did not, skip ahead to Step 6.

Step 3: Reconnect All Pool Equipment

You will need to make sure all of the following is properly reconnected:

• Filter
• Pump
• Heater
• Flexible plumbing lines (for above ground pools only)

Step 4: Take Out Winter Plugs and Re-Attach Drain Plugs

Winter plus may be present in your pump, heater, filter, booster pump and pool cleaners. Reinstall the normal drain plugs, and then move on to the winterizing plugs from your skimmer and return lines after ensuring that all antifreeze has been removed. Reconnect return valve fittings that were removed during the winterizing process.

Step 5: Get Your System up and Running

Now is the time to turn your pool equipment back on. Prime the pump, turn on the filtration and circulation system, and open up your filter’s air relief valve to remove air from the system.

Step 6: Test the Chemistry of Your Pool

Run the circulation system for 24 hours or so before you test the chemistry of your pool. Your pool should be within the following ranges:

• Total Alkalinity (TA) – 80 to 120ppm
• pH – 7.4 to 7.6
• Chlorine – 2.0 to 4.0ppm

Step 7: Adjust Your Chemistry as Necessary

You can largely control the levels of pH and chlorine in your pool by first adjusting its TA.

• If your TA is too high, you can use dry acid (sodium bisulfate) to reduce levels to an acceptable range
• If your TA is too low, you can use sodium bicarbonate to increase it

You should wait at least 4 hours (or however it is otherwise recommended on the packaging label) after adding to retest your pool water.

Step 8: Tackle the pH Balance and Calcium Hardness

When your TA is between 80 to 120ppm, you can begin adjusting your pH levels as necessary.

• If your pH is above 7.6, try adding dry acid (sodium bisulfate) or muriatic acid
• If your pH is below 7.2 use soda ash to bring it back to acceptable levels

Wait at least 4 hours for the pH level to settle. You can then test and adjust your calcium hardness so that it is above 150ppm. Calcium chloride can be used to increase the calcium hardness which will prevent pitting in your concrete, plaster and pebble tec.

Step 9: Brush, Vacuum and Filter

Once the chemistry has been adjusted, give your pool walls, floor, steps, ladders and other equipment a good brush down. Re-attach any other items which you may have removed (such as slides, basketball hoops, etc.). Vacuum the pool and run your filtration system overnight to eliminate any dirt, bacteria, debris and algae that may still be present.

Step 10: Shock Your Pool

Whenever you add chlorine to your pool water, the chlorine molecules naturally attach themselves to algae, debris and other unwanted material. This forms what is known as a chloramine.

This “dead chlorine” should be removed from your pool. This is why it is usually recommended that you shock your pool before taking that first refreshing swim of the season.