Maintaining Your Pool After Rain & Flooding

No swimming pool is immune to the harsh effects severe weather can have on your pool water. High winds and rain can sweep dirt and debris of all types into your pool while flooding can usher nasty contaminants like silt, bacteria and mud into the water.

If you happen to be fortunate enough to know that a storm is on its way, you can get a head start on protecting your pool by:

Removing and properly storing pool accessories and outdoor furnishings
Disconnecting electrical and gas lines
Covering your pump and filter
Balancing your pool water (this will make it easier to clean your pool water)

Some pool owners may even choose to add a touch of algaecide to further help combat organic contaminants in your water.

What to Do After the Storm

Whether you were prepared for the storm or not, it’s important to inspect your pool and the area around it before you go for your next swim.

Before we get into what you should do after severe weather hits, here’s what you absolutely should NOT do: Do not drain your pool!

As tempting as it may be to “start fresh” with new water, draining your pool can cause your pool to float or pop out of the ground. It can also result in costly and significantly damaging structural damage to your entire poolscape.

Here are eight important tips regarding how you can clean even the most saturated pool after a heavy rain or flood:

Skim Debris from the Pool Surface. Grab your skimmer or leaf net and rake the leaves, twigs and other debris from the bottom and the surface of your pool.

Check the Skimmer Baskets and Pump Strainer. Before revving up your filtration system, clean out the skimmer baskets and pump strainer, if necessary (otherwise you risk clogging up your entire system).

Inspect Electrical Components Before Restoring Power. Check your equipment for any signs of water damage. If your equipment is dry, it should be okay to restore power to your filtration and circulation systems. If the equipment is wet or appears damaged, stop and give your electrician a call.

Clean the Filter. You may need to clean or backwash your filter several times during the clean up depending on how much debris found its way into your pool. Now may also be a good time to clean or replace your filter media and cartridges.

Remove Excess Water. After a significant rainfall, there’s a good chance a lot of water has drained into your pool. Check your water levels and use a siphon or a sump pump to bring your water down to the pool tile or halfway up to the skimmer opening.

Brush and Vacuum the Pool. With the pool equipment on and the pool water levels looking right, it’s time to run your automatic pool cleaner or to vacuum the dirt and debris from the bottom of your pool. Start at the shallow end, working your way toward the deepest part of your pool. Once the first clean is complete, take your pool brush and remove dirt and debris from the pool walls. Vacuum again and repeat until your water is almost entirely clear.

Shock and Rebalance Your Pool. Your pool water may appear clear, but there can still be quite a lot of harmful contaminants floating in the water. Use a powerful pool shock to bring the chlorine levels to around 10.0 ppm to stop the growth of thee contaminants. When the chlorine levels have lowered to around 3.0 ppm, you can start to rebalance your pool water. Start with the Total Alkalinity (TA), bringing it between 80 and 120 ppm. This will make easier for you to adjust the chlorine, the pH and the calcium hardness.
Filter and Circulate Your Pool Water. Now onto the final step — running your filtration and circulation systems. Keep these systems running until your pool water is clean, and regularly check the pump strainer basket, the skimmer basket and the pressure of your filter. Remove debris and backwash your filter as necessary throughout the process.

Not sure if your pool water is clean or need helpful tips and advice on what to do after a storm? Don’t hesitate to contact your local pool maintenance experts for more information on cleaning and maintaining your pool water after a severe storm.

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