May 2012
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5 Tips for Planning the Season’s First Pool Party
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It’s Pool Season, But Don’t Forget about Your Hot Tub
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Pool Safety: 7 Essential Tips
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Pool Workouts: Start Slow, Stay Strong
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POOLIFE® Brite Stix™ Pool Care System
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Spring signals both the start of spring and the start of pool season fun. But before you fire up the poolside grill and grab your swim noodles, there are specific steps to follow before anyone can jump in the pool.
These seven easy steps to spring pool prep will get you and your pool ready for all of the family fun in store this year:
1. Clean your pool and pool cover thoroughly
Most pool owners kick off the season by removing the pool cover. “If it’s a solid vinyl cover, you’ll have to pump off the accumulated water,” says Paul Kurke, a training manager for Arch Chemicals. Kurke recommends that you wipe your cover with a cover cleaner and preservative like POOLIFE® Cover Cleaner after cleaning it thoroughly. Treating the cover keeps it from collecting mold and helps to prevent insect damage over the summer.
In addition to cleaning your pool cover, you should be sure to thoroughly clean in and around your pool. This includes the pool walls and the filter. Take caution when cleaning out large debris, and be sure to use the right cleaners and products. For a detailed checklist of pool cleaning steps, check out our article on spring-cleaning, “Spring Cleaning: Clean out Your Pool in 5 Easy Steps”.
2. Check your equipment thoroughly
Sun exposure will age the pool liner over time, so be sure to inspect it for any damage. You can repair small holes yourself using vinyl repair kits that work under water. If it’s seriously damaged or torn, replace the entire liner to prevent the pool from leaking.
In addition, examine individual parts such as the vacuum and backwash hoses, filter, pump or skimmers for wear and tear to determine if they need to be repaired or replaced. Sometimes a lack of proper winterizing or even sun exposure from the previous season can cause damage to equipment. Check for cracks and make any repairs if necessary.
According to Jennifer Clements, co-owner of Pla-Mor Pools in Mechanicsville, Va., it is imperative that pool owners check their equipment thoroughly to prevent costly repairs down the line. Even a hose with a loss of flexibility or signs of sun damage can cause huge headaches if it ruptures.
“Sometimes [the ruptured hose] simply damages the landscaping around the pool, but more frequently it drains so low that the pool pump runs dry and overheats,” she says. “This can cause enough damage to the pump that it has to be replaced.”
3. Take extra steps in colder climates
Pool owners in warmer climates where there is no chance of freezing can skip to step 4.
If you live in a colder climate where freezing temperatures are a possibility, you will have to take a few extra steps to open your pool.
- Retrieve the nuts and bolts you set aside last fall, replace any baskets and all the plugs in the pumps, filters, and heat exchanger. If you removed the pressure gauge from your filter, put that back in place as well.
- Raise the water level back up so it reaches halfway across the skimmer opening.
- If you have a pool heater, reconnect the pressure switch, turn the gas back on and light the pilot light.
- Reinsert the pool’s directional inlets downward at a 45-degree angle to cycle the water evenly throughout the pool.
4. Ensure that the pool pump and filter is in working order
The pump usually lets you know if there’s a problem, Kurke says. Turn on the filter and pump; then watch and listen.
“If your pump starts making a screeching noise, it could be time to replace the ceramic seal on the motor shaft,” Kurke says. Look for water spouting from the filter—that could signify a leak, loose plumbing connection or a plug that was not replaced. An improperly primed pump or a significant plumbing leak on the suction side of the circulating system can ruin the impeller and damage the pump motor, he warns.
5. Add the proper amount of chemicals
Visit your local pool dealer to find a pool care system that’s right for you. “Once the dealer gets you on a system such as POOLIFE® or BAQUACIL®, maintain the sanitizer level and shock or oxidize the contaminants in the pool weekly,” Kurke says. “In the early spring, you can usually maintain the chlorine level at a lower level because algae will not grow as fast in the cooler water temperatures you’ll have this time of year.”
6. Run the pump daily
Run the pump eight to 10 hours a day. That will circulate the sanitizers in the water.
7. Bring a water sample to your dealer
Once the pool has circulated for 24 hours, take a water sample from as deep in the pool as you can reach and away from the inlets. Take this to your local pool care dealer for testing to make sure it’s balanced. They’ll provide you with easy-to-follow steps to get your pool ready for your first swim, Clements says.
If you winterized properly and don’t have many repairs to make, your pool opening process should only take a few hours. Once the weather heats up, you’ll be ready to grab your family and friends and dive in.
Laura Schlereth contributed to this article.
