What Chemicals Do I Need To Open My Pool For The First Time
If the pool is new, and the water fresh, use only a minimum of chlorine and condition the water with CLEAN & CLEAR. It will last all season and you will not have to worry about water balance or algae because it automatically prevents algae growth. Use just enough chlorine to sanitize the water.
Freshwater from a municipality is already carefully balanced and potable . There is no need to disrupt this balance by adding chemicals other than chlorine and CLEAN & CLEAR as a stabilized mineral treatment. These additives merely continue the sanitation and balance levels already existing.
Adding All The Chemicals At The Same Time
Once all of your water is balanced with good pH, Alkalinity, Calcium and Cyanuric levels, its easy to be blinded by ambition by adding shock, algaecide, clarifier and a stain & scale treatment, or an entire Spring Start-Up Kit, all at the same time.
For the best results, adjust water balance and shock the pool on Day 1. On Day 2 add clarifier, on Day 3 add your stain & scale treatment, and on Day 4 or beyond, add algaecide. Shocking can deplete or deactivate other pool chemicals, so shock first, then add the other stuff over the following days, once chlorine level drops.
How To Open Your Pool The Right Way This Spring
Swimming pool owners always look forward to the spring as it typically marks the beginning of a brand new swimming season. With winter leaving for another year its a good time to check out how to open your pool the right way this spring. Opening and preparing a pool isnt as difficult as it may sound and after following the necessary steps your family and friends will soon be enjoying the cool, refreshing water.
Clean the pool area
Before starting to work on the actual pool you should take the time to clean the immediate area such as the deck and patio to make sure theres nothing in the way which may obstruct you. This will keep the area safe and there wont be any debris present to fall in the pool. You may also want to prune any overhanging hedges and trees to keep the leaves out of the water.
Preparing pool suppliesYoure going to need certain pool supplies when opening the pool and this is a good time to make sure your stock of chemicals hasnt expired over the winter. If any chemicals are out if date, they should be replaced with new containers. The chemicals also need to be checked to make sure they were sealed properly during the off season.
Clean the wallsThe pool may have acquired calcium stains or scale over the winter and these can be removed with the right type of cleaner and a brush. The walls can be cleaned at the waterline and above and should be done so on a regular basis during the summer.
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Opening An Inground Pool
Its that wonderful time of year! The sun has returned, temperatures are seasonal and it is time to open your inground swimming pool for summer once again. Before you can get swimming, there are a few things that will need to be done to ensure that your pump, filtration system and heater are running properly and the chemicals have your water, alkalinity and pH levels balanced. Doing this at the beginning of the season guarantees an uninterrupted summer of relaxation and fun for the whole family.
In this simple process you can have your inground opening procedures completed in just a couple of hours, and if your chemicals are added correctly, you can be ready to swim in just a couple days.
Step 1) Remove your Winter Pool Cover
The first thing that you will need to do is remove all dirt and debris from the top of your Winter cover. It is best to do so when the cover is dry, which makes it easier to sweep away most of whatever has accumulated on top of it over the Winter. Failing that, you may wish to hose off your cover thoroughly, and then allow it to dry before folding it away for the Summer. Store the cover in a dry, rodent free storage area. Drain and rinse off your water bags before storing them.
Step 2) Prepare your Equipment & Accessories
Reinstall or re-assemble any pump, filter or other equipment, which was disassembled for the Winter.
Orders
How Do I Empty My Pool Fast
How to Drain an Inground Pool
Similarly, it is asked, how do I empty my swimming pool?
How to Drain A Pool with a Cartridge Filter
Subsequently, question is, is it safe to empty a concrete pool? In general, draining this type of pool is the trickiest. Inground pools made of concrete or gunite are susceptible to popping out of the ground if drainage is not done properly. If there has been a surplus of rain recently or your pool is located in a wet area, it is best not to try and drain the pool yourself at all.
Likewise, people ask, how do you drain a pool without a pump?
How to Empty a Pool Without a Pump
Is it illegal to drain your pool into the street?
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Reattach And Reinstall All Pool Equipment And Accessories
Depending on the type of equipment you use for your pool, you may have to take it out of storage and reattach it. While some people leave pool items in the same place all year round, others prefer to put them away during the wintertime to avoid exposing it to the elements.
Regardless of your approach, always make sure your pool pump and pool filter are secured in place. You’ll also want to remove any winterizing plugs that were installed during your pool closing. Make sure all of your equipment is ready to get back to work.
After reattaching your pool equipment, you should reinstall your deck equipment. Everything from the ladder to the diving board.
TIP: You should also lubricate any nuts and bolts that exist on these pieces of equipment so that they don’t rust on you throughout use.
What Is My Secret To Crystal Clear Pool Water In The Spring
What is my secret to clear pool water when opening my inground pool in the spring? When the cover comes off, the pool water is crystal clear, and all the debris has settled to the bottom. Most pool owners ask, How is this possible? The most common sight when opening a pool is green water and bugs swimming around. If you want to make opening your pool easy, you need to close it properly the secret is in the winterizing kit.
When purchasing a winterizing kit for your pool, make sure it has a floating non-chlorine sanitizer dispenser it will slowly release sanitizer throughout the winter into your pool water to help keep it clean and clear. If you close your pool correctly and follow the directions on the winterizing kit, your pool water will stay clean and clear, making it much easier to set your chemicals to their proper levels in the spring.
You hear the buzz, people talking about how hard it is to maintain a swimming pool. From my personal experience, I happen to think it is very easy, especially with the new technology for pools. I have owned above-ground and inground pools for over 30 years, and maintaining a pool gets easier every year. You basically set your chemicals to their proper levels, throw in some stabilizer, fill your chlorinator, and you’re done messing with your pool for the next month. But lets not get off track here.
Safety covers are the best protection for your pool and your family. A safety cover will also save you time and money in the long run.
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Not Running The Filter As Long As It Takes
You might not want to hear it, but its normal to leave your pool filter system running 24/7 until the water has cleared. It may cost a few more energy dollars, but it wont blow-up, I promise you! You will save money on chemicals and time clearing the pool by letting the system run continuously for a few days. It shouldnt take much more than that, for most filter systems. Unless, of course, your water chemistry and sanitation is lacking
Use Algaecide On Your Pool
Once youve tested your pool and adjusted the balance, add some algaecide to kill any lingering algae from winter. Then test your pool chemistry again and rebalance it if needed.
Do not attempt to use algaecide before rebalancing your pool . Most algaecides are intended for well-balanced pool water, and using it at other times could stop it from working at all.
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Remove Any Winter Protection
- Use a pump to remove excess water from your cover and use a soft broom to remove as much leaf residue and other debris as you can.
- Carefully remove your cover and use the skimmer net to collect any debris that falls into the water. Clean your cover with gentle soap and water and let it dry before storing it.
- Remove the caps from the water returns and replace them with the appropriate valves. Remove the cover from the skimmer and replace the basket.
Frustrated By Adding Chemicals And Trying To Keep Your Pool Clear All The Time
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Why Should I Hire A Pool Company For My Pool Opening
To ensure your pool opening goes smoothly, consider hiring a pool service to do this work for you. Professional pool opening experts can address any issues that might arise during pool opening to make sure your pool is safe and ready to use come the first warm days of the pool season.
If youre not sure how to open an inground swimming pool for the summer, or you want to leave this extra work to the pros, consider hiring a pool company for a successful pool opening. They will give you a safe, sparkling clean pool to swim in all summer long.
Not Closely Monitoring Chemical Levels
Its certainly easy to perfectly balance the aforementioned chemical levels, follow the instructions to a tee, pat yourself on the back and be done with it. Spring pool chemistry can be affected by any number of elements, including incorrect adjustments. Keep an eye on it by testing the water several times during the first week after opening, and making additional adjustments as necessary.
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Remove Winterizing Plugs From Skimmer And Return Lines
Dont forget to remove any winterizing plugs you used in your skimmer and return lines. Make sure to wait until after the antifreeze has drained before removing the plugs. Remember to reinstall the regular drain plugs in your pumps, filter, heater, and any other equipment. Now you can reconnect any return valve fittings that you removed last winter.
Treat The Water Properly
Start by checking your pH, alkalinity and calcium levels so that you know how to move forward with balancing your pool water.
Once properly balanced, you’ll want to shock your pool with a quality shock treatment to get rid of all that winter algae buildup. We recommend you wait to shock your pool until the sun starts to go down for it to be most effective
Check out this chart to help balance your pool:
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Removing The Pool Cover
If you have a safety cover, begin by first clearing debris from the cover using a pool brush and/or a leaf rake skimmer net. Pop off most of the springs to reduce cover tension this can make cleaning easier.
Use a leaf blower to clean the deck, and release the remaining cover springs from each anchor. Before folding, lower all of the brass anchors into the deck to prevent your cover from snagging.
Carefully pull one section at a time up onto a clean area of the pool deck. Fan fold the cover, accordion style, seam to seam. Use a leaf blower or garden hose to clean , before you make each new fold. When its all on deck, fold the cover in half, in half again then roll up tightly.
Stuff it into the cover bag, like a big pillow into a bigger pillowcase, and set up on a chair to drip dry. Store indoors, if possible, or use moth balls or mint bags to keep nesting rodents away.
If you have a water-bag type, solid pool cover , use a cover pump to remove any water on top of the cover. As the water is pumping from the cover, clean off any leaves and debris with a pool brush or pool leaf rake. Try to not leave any debris behind if it may fall into the pool as the cover is removed.
For inground pools, remove the water bags one at a time. Be careful not to drag them across the concrete, or drop one end to the ground, or holes will result. Drain them completely and lay them aside for some cleaning, drying and folding .
If The Water Needs To Be Changed
At some point, the pool water will have to be changed out. Theres no way around this, but waiting until the last possible minute will save you the work and costs associated with draining and refilling a pool multiple times.
Issues like green pool water, high levels of calcium or cyanuric acid in the pool may require a partial drain to dilute the water. This isnt half as labor intensive or costly as a full drain. Additionally, you may still be able to rectify some of these water issues through the addition of certain chemicals.
After a few years though, the level of TDS in the water will be too high to ignore. Total dissolved solids are exactly what it sounds like theyre a record of everything the pool water has dissolved.
Measured in parts per million with a digital tester, TDS levels should become concerning around the 4000 ppm mark. For reference, drinking water has roughly 500 ppm, whereas ocean water is closer to 30,000 ppm.
Most water issues can be rectified by adding chemicals, but the only way to get rid of high levels of TDS is by doing a drain. Theres no way around this unfortunately, as the addition of more chemicals will only increase the already high TDS levels.
Things youll notice when TDS gets too high include an increased consumption of sanitizing chemicals, and the appearance of stains on the pools finish due to the oversaturation of minerals in the water. If high TDS levels arent dealt with, they can even cause the finish to erode.
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When Must I Drain And Fill My Pool
How lengthy are you able to leave a pool empty? Well, the minimal amount of time imaginable so as to reduce the chance of significant harm. Most problems that require a pool drain will take a minimum of an afternoon or two to unravel, but its advisable to now not let it sit down empty for any prolonged time period.
Opening An Inground Pool In The Spring
Background:
When I moved onto my familys property 40 years ago the 5-acre estate had 48, a 000-gallon concrete inground pool that was already 10 years old. The massive pool was built by a doctor who lived in the main house on the property. It was made by the Sylvan Pool Company. It is 40 plus by 28 ft. and runs from 10 ft. at the deepest end and 4 feet at the shallow end. A monster pool that was built with dozens of trees planted all around the perimeter.
When you own a pool, especially a big inground pool the most important tool you can bring to the table is your back There is no substitute for hard work. I will often tell people when they ask me whats the best product to buy or advice I can make. I say use your head but bring your back. Opening a pool is work. The bigger the pool the more work.
A pool needs to be manually be scrubbed. Scrub the heck out of the inside walls and floor once or twice a week. The skimmer and long handle pool brush is the most important tool you have at the pool site. Especially if there are trees around.
The most important maintenance plan for your pool doesnt come in a box or a bottle its you and some Humph. Even with the best chemicals and sanitizers algae can take hold of your pool and find a way to make a home for its self. That is especially true with concrete or old cement pools.
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