Here's How to Open a Swimming Pool in Just 10 Steps, According to Professionals
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
[table-of-contents] stripped
Summer is on the horizon, and those lucky enough to own a pool are anticipating their first dip. But before breaking out the fun pool accessories and enjoying a nice swim, you must know how to open a swimming pool. And it involves a lot more than just taking off the cover and skimming the leaves from the surface.
You'll want to make sure you have the right equipment for the job, you've chosen an opening date that makes sense for your region, and you've set aside a few days to follow every step of the process. We've enlisted the guidance of pool technicians and industry pros for their expertise on how to open a swimming pool — read on to learn what you need to know!
What to Know Before You Open Your Pool
Stock the right tools
Before you open your swimming pool, having the right tools and chemicals on hand is important. According to John Uhle, the founding partner and product expert at Discount Salt Pool, you'll want to stock the following:
Pool shock
Chlorine
pH increaser and decreaser
Algaecide
Calcium chloride
Metal sequestrant from chemicals
Test strips
Pool pole
Leaf rake
Pool brush
Pool vacuum
Garden hose
Pool filter
Gasket lubricant
Threaded plug tape
Pool cover cleaner
Pump
Plan your pool-opening date
You should wait to open your pool until daytime temperatures consistently reach at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, says Rafi Friedman, the president of Coastal Luxury Outdoors.
The wait may be grueling, but cooler conditions can cause maintenance issues, especially for above-ground pools.
How to Open a Swimming Pool in 10 Steps
Step 1: Remove your pool cover
Removing your pool’s cover involves more than just tugging the thing off. Debris from the surrounding environment has likely fallen onto the pool cover and rainwater may have collected in puddles. According to Uhle, this step should be broken up into two parts:
First, collect debris by hand or with your skimmer and remove it with an electric cover pump.
Then, take the cover off, wash it, leave it out to dry, and store it away from direct sunlight.
Step 2: Remove debris from the water
Even a well-covered pool will have some debris sneak into the water throughout the off-season.
You’ll need a skimmer net to take care of debris floating along the water's surface and a pool vacuum to get rid of anything that's collected at the bottom of the pool. Uhle recommends investing in a robotic pool cleaner to perform this task.
Step 3: Inspect your pool equipment
Wear and tear are bound to happen, so Uhle says you'll want to look for any issues such as loose wires or a cracked liner, and schedule professional services if necessary. You’ll also want to check that your filter is working correctly and its motor hasn't been weakened or burned out.
“The first clear sign [you need to get your filter fixed] will usually be when you've filled your pool and find that debris isn't getting removed as quickly as you'd expect,” Friedman explains.
Step 4: Reinstall the pool's accessories
This is an easy step to check off your list. Any accessories you removed at the end of the swimming season (e.g., pool ladder, step rails, slides, and diving boards) can be set up at this point.
Step 5: Add or remove water if necessary
If, when you open your pool cover, you notice your pool has lost water over the winter, it’s important to check for leaks or cracks ASAP.
“While this can sometimes happen due to evaporation, there's definitely a greater risk of leaks in these cases.” Friedman says.
However, if your pool has accumulated water over the off-season due to rainfall, Friedman says you can potentially “rely on the cleaning, filtration, and chemical treatment process to remediate it.” But if the water is very murky or full of debris, “you may be better off pumping the water out and refilling it,” he continues.
Step 6: Remove winter components and install/test pump
It’s just as important to remove your pool’s wintertime components as it is to reinstall its summertime accessories, specifically, the plates, plugs, and ice guards.
From there, Uhle highlights the importance of reinstalling the pool’s pump (which keeps the water circulating and pushing into other equipment to be continuously treated), filter plugs, and grounding wires (which wrap around the pool to keep you safe).
Once everything is set up, you can test the pool’s pump.
Step 7: Run the filter
Unfortunately, it isn't possible to uncover your swimming pool and be able to cannonball into the water that same day. Once you’ve confirmed the filter is working properly, Uhle recommends running it for 12 to 24 hours to circulate the water before testing and adding chemicals.
Step 8: Add metal remover and circulate pool water
Because pools are treated with chlorine and bromine, metal levels can increase over the off-season, causing stains and buildup. To combat this and avoid additional issues, Uhle instructs us to add a metal sequestrant (a chemical that binds to metals and prevents them from staining the pool) to the water.
From there, Uhle explains it’s important to recirculate the pool water so that it bypasses the filter and distributes the metal sequestrant, as well as the other chemicals you’re going to add.
Step 9: Test pool water and add necessary chemicals
After 24 hours of letting the water circulate, it’s time to test it.
“Keep the pump running and test the water chemistry with a test kit,” Uhle says. “Hold the strip underwater and compare it to the guide on the package.” You can also bring a water sample to a pool professional for analysis.
The point of testing pool water is to determine its “pH level, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and chlorine levels,” Uhle explains. “The pH should be between 7.2 and 7.6 and total alkalinity should be between 80 and 150 parts per million.” If either of these is off, he advises that you can add chemicals to adjust the pH level and alkalinity at this point.
Next, you should add pool shock and algaecide to the water. Pool shocking is a process that involves adding chlorine to pool water to kill algae and other contaminants, leaving your water “fairly clean and neutral,” according to Friedman.
Finally, always use caution when adding chemicals into the pool and follow their provided instructions.
“Never mix chemicals or add them too close together,” says Alicia Toedter, pool and spa care content and education leader at Leslie’s.
Step 10: Run pool water through the filter
Last, but certainly not least, let the filter run for another 24 hours.
After this is complete, you can grab your inflatables, pool games, and sunscreen and alert all your friends that your swimming pool is officially pool-party ready!
You Might Also Like
