How to Open Your Pool After Winter

It’s almost that time of year. “That time” meaning the point when you can no longer get by without running your air conditioner here in Phoenix. And when that moment comes, it’s time to get your pool ready for summer. So, what’s on the to-do list?

Uncovering Your Pool

The first thing you need to do to get your pool back into shape is remove your cover. Before you do that, however, it’s important to remove any leaves or dirt from around your pool and on top of the cover. Using a leaf blower is one of the easiest ways to accomplish the clean look you’re going for here. After that, make sure to get rid of any standing water on your cover to ensure that no unwanted debris makes its way into your pool.

Check Your Water

Unless you have an automatic water leveler, it is likely that your pool will need to have some water added before use. The ideal water level is for the waterline to cover half of your skimmer or waterline tile. Once you’ve reached this point, clean your filter cartridges and run your pump for 24 hours and then check your water chemistry. Use water test strips for a quick look at your chemical and pH levels.

And while you’re thinking about your water, look around your equipment to check for any leaks that may have popped up over the winter. The best places to inspect are your pump, valves, and filter, as those are the most common places where leaks occur.

Check Your Supplies

Since you’ll be using test strips and chemicals to freshen up your pool, this is the perfect opportunity to verify that your existing supplies are still working properly. Inspect the expiration dates on what you have stored and consider discarding anything that looks like it may be past its prime. Expired supplies may lose their effectiveness, so go ahead and replace anything you know you will need.

Do Some Deep Cleaning

At this point, you’ll probably want to break out a brush and vacuum to give your pool a good deep cleaning. While your pool cover hopefully kept out as much debris as possible, this is a great time to clean the walls and floor of your pool in preparation for regular use. Check your strainer baskets as well to make sure they are clear for max efficiency.

As a last precaution, check the sturdiness of your handrails or diving board if you have one. If at any point in this process you stumble across something that doesn’t see to be working properly, let us know so we can help you get it back up and running as soon as possible.

Now that you have started the season off right, enjoy it to the fullest! Your pool is ready to entertain and help you cool down from the summer heat.