What Is The First Thing You Do When You Open Your Pool
If you closed your pool correctly and opened it earlier in the season, then hopefully youll have clear water. The opening process is very easy.
If you want a more detailed explanation of what you need to do to open your pool, check out our guides on how to open an inground pool or above ground pool.
On the other hand, if you opened your pool and its either green or cloudy, youll need to check out our guides on how to get rid of algae and how to clear a cloudy pool.
Change The Sand Or The Filter Cartridge
We recommend you change the sand inside your pool filter every four years or sooner if you notice any algae or dust appearing shortly after you sweep the liner. Check your filter manufacturers guide to find out what sand they recommend and how much to use. An 85% silica sand that is washed, calibrated, and treated is a good choice because it is resistant to chemicals. Dont use construction or beach sand.
If you have a cartridge filter, clean it or replace it. The cartridge should be replaced every one to three years depending on how often you use the pool, if any oils or sun screens get in it, and if there are any trees above the pool. Insiders tip: Its time to replace the cartridge of your pressure gauge reads a higher pressure than what is recommended in the filter manual.
Check Your Pool Chemistry
After your shock is done, test your pool chemistry using a water test kit. Check your readings and make sure your pool water is balanced to the proper levels across all of these pool chemicals, which I cover in my pool chemistry guide:
- Chlorine levels
- Calcium hardness
- And other chemicals
Be sure to check the labels on all new products to ensure theyre compatible with each other. If in doubt, call up a local pool store associate for help.
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What Can I Do Now To Prepare For Opening My Pool
You already know that opening your pool is going to be a long and tedious process, so why not make it a little bit easier by making early preparations.
S When Opening Your Pool
Prior to opening your pool a leaf net may be installed to prevent debris build up on winter cover. Users will want to clean off any debris and drain any water from on top of your cover. Taking your time here can prevent making a mess in your water once the winter cover is removed. Once the cover is clean go ahead and remove it from the pool. If you have a safety cover you may find youll first have remove the anchor covers. When removing the cover its best to have help as the weight of the cover may get very heavy.
Once uncovered use a leaf rake or skimmer net to remove any leaves or other large debris in pool. Other debris, silt or sludge remaining on the bottom may be vacuumed or removed with a self-contained pool cleaner. Inspect skimmer, return, hoses, and any other components for hairline cracks, defects or other signs of excessive wear or damage. Remove any winterizing plugs or gizmos from the plumbing.
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What Month Should You Open Your Pool
We surveyed 1,900 pool owners and found a majority of pool owners open their swimming pools between May 1st and May 15th.
In the U.S. pool industry, the unofficial start of the pool season is Memorial Day Weekend . Thats when pool stores are the busiest . Its a good idea to open your pool before that to get a headstart on the season and to beat the crowds in the pool stores.
When Should I Open Your Pool
Before we jump into that question, wed like to suggest users do a few simple items in advance of the big day to help prepare for the swim season. While the pool cover is still on, users should take a few minutes and give their filters a good cleaning. In addition, users should remove any debris and pump water from winter cover if one has been used.
Now would be a good time to examine your equipment pad and complete any deferred maintenance tasks or make simple changes to your plumbing that will make pool maintenance easier. Consider adding cut off valves between the pool and the pump and on the return line if you dont have them already. If you have a cartridge filter consider adding a waste line just after the pump.
When preparing for your pool opening keep a close eye on the weather. You want to open before the water hits 60° to help reduce the chance of opening to green water. Algae tends to grow much slower in cold water so opening early will help reduce the odds of having to fight algae.
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Leave Ample Time For Repairs
When you uncover your pool for the first time and reveal it in all of its glory, you may spot concerning signs of damage. The cold weather and changing seasons can be hard on a pool, especially if it wasnt winterized properly. Tears in liners, busted decking and loose accessories like hand railings can all be dangerous for swimmers.
To keep your friends and family safe while enjoying your swimming pool, you will need to have these issues addressed. As you prepare to open your pool in the springtime, you can have your Arkansas pool builder access this damage and repair it before its time to swim. Your pool will look like new and be restored back to its normal, safe condition when you are ready to dive in.
Inspect The Pool And Its Parts
Take a good look at the pool. Is the cover attached properly? Does anything look broken, crooked, or out of place? Is the water level abnormally low after winter? If so, you might have a leak. Check that the following parts are in good working order:
- Skimmer and water return
Change or repair anything that seems worn out, cracked, or broken and anything that is making too much noise, like your pool motor.
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Pros & Cons: Leaving A Pool Open In Winter
Leaving an inground pool open during winter is fairly common in the sunbelt, where the climate rarely dips below 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. But its possible to do this in cooler climates, as well with or without the help of a pool heater.
Were not just talking about leaving a winterized pool uncovered all winter, which some pool owners do if they dont like the look of a winter cover. No, were talking about leaving a pool in fully operating condition, with all pool equipment hooked up and the maintenance schedule staying pretty much the same year-round.
Leaving a pool open for the winter may sound appealing, but it comes with a full list of pros and cons.
Do A Shock Treatment And Clean The Pool
You need give your pool a shock treatment to disinfect the water. Let the pool sit for 24 hours after the treatment with the motor running.
To clean the pool, remove as many of the leaves from the surface and the bottom as you can using a skimmer net and vacuum . Empty the basket frequently. Use an appropriate degreasing agent to remove the water ring on the liner and wash the edges of your pool. When youre all done, do a light backwash.
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Other Things To Consider Before Opening Your Pool
Expenses: Consider the cost it will take to properly run your pool. Think about the costs that will occur if you open your pool too late and experience extra cleaning and maintenance issues.
Use: Ask yourself, when do I plan to actually swim in the pool? Ideally, you want to open a pool three weeks before you intend to use it to allow time to properly clean and prepare the pool.
Aesthetic: While this is not a big factor when opening your pool, think about what you want your yard space to look like during the spring months. A clean, open pool can often be the icing on the cake when it comes to a yard and landscaping ambiance.
Why Does My Pool Lose Water Over The Winter
At The Liner Specialists, customer satisfaction is our top priority. Contact us first, and you’ll see why it’s the only call you need for your swimming pool!Our areas of service in New York are Westchester, Putnam, Ulster, Dutchess, Rockland and Orange county. Connecticut areas are Fairfield, Lichtfield and New Haven County. We also service the Northern Half of NJ.
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When Is The Best Time To Open My Swimming Pool In Ottawa
04/ 04/ 2015
Every year when the snow starts melting and the sun goes up, the phones start ringing in the office with people asking:
“When Should I open my swimming pool?”
The short answer we always say is:
As soon as possible. Let me explain.
When the weather starts to warm up, it becomes easier for the algae and bacteria to grow in the water. The moment you open the pool and start the circulation, that means you can also add sanitizer . It’s much better to get the pool up and running and have the water cleared then it is to fix a green algae infested pool.
But that doesn’t mean you just have the pool up and open the moment you see the first strand of grass!
You simply have to wait until the ice inside the pool is all melted. Typically, we say last week of April is a good time to start planning to open the pool.
Being in Ottawa, the good part is that you don’t need to have the pump running that frequently. The water should still be pretty cold at that time so again, it’s easier to maintain.
If the question is “when can I JUMP into the pool?”, well, that depends on how brave you are when the water is still in the low 50 degrees.
Yikes!
When Is The Right Time To Open Your Swimming Pool
Its just about that time of year again! The snow is melting, the ice is disappearing. The sun is out I repeat, the sun is out!
We all know that youve been itching to pull back the cover on your pool since last November. But when is the right time to take the first plunge into the cool and refreshing water of your backyard swimming pool? Are there any potential drawbacks to opening a pool too early or too late?
Here are some things to consider as you count the seconds to the start of pool season!
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The Best Time For A Pool Opening
Many people will schedule their swimming pool opening in time for Memorial Day weekend, as thats often when family and friends will gather to celebrate the unofficial start to summer. Although large gatherings may be out of the question this year , the month of May is often a good target for opening a pool.
Theres no hard rule on when you should get your pool ready to open. However, most experts say that once the temperatures in your area stay consistently around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, its time to get your pool open for the season.
Although you might not be quite ready to dive in until temperatures get a bit hotter, the 70-degree mark signals prime conditions for algae growth and pollen distribution. If your pool is still covered during that time and your pool filter and pump arent yet running, algae might start to grow and pollen could collect in various pool components. Opening on the earlier side will allow you to prevent these issues before they ever occur.
Some people might be hesitant to schedule their swimming pool openings in Suffolk County too early out of fear that theyll end up spending more for a longer season. But in reality, waiting too long to open your pool can cost more due to extra cleaning and maintenance. The electricity required for an extra few weeks of operation will equate to lower expenditures as compared to cleaning up after a late opening.
What Month Should I Open My Pool
The rule of thumb is that you want to open your pool when mid day temperatures are consistently in the 70s.
This might be too chilly for most swimmers, especially if you dont have a heater, but its the temperature that algae starts to grow.
Additionally, electric heat pumps will not work when the ambient air temperature is below about 55°F. So if you have an electric heat pump, dont plan on running it when temperatures are still dropping below 55°F at night.
If you have a gas powered heater, you can use it at any temperature you desire, but expect a nice sized gas bill to come with it.
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Check And Adjust Your Pool Chemistry
After your circulation system has run for several hours and your pool is clean, youll want to test your pool water for pH, alkalinity and chlorine levels. Ideal readings for these chemicals should be between 7.4 and 7.6 for pH, between 80 to 120 ppm for alkalinity and 2.0 to 4.0 ppm for chlorine.
Adjusting your pool chemistry ensures your water is safe and comfortable for your swimmers. If alkalinity levels are too high, use a dry acid or sodium bisulfate to lower the pH and maintain balanced water. Dry acid and sodium bisulfates are a granular form of acid that quickly dissolve in swimming pools. Add 1 ½ pounds of dry acid for every 10,00 gallons of water to lower the total alkalinity by 10 ppm.
Sodium bicarbonates work in the opposite way as dry acid and sodium bisulfates they increase total alkalinity. Adding 1 ½ pounds of sodium bicarbonates will increase total alkalinity by 10 ppm if added into 10,000 gallons of water. The healthy range for alkalinity is somewhere between 80-120 ppm.
Any pool that has a pH level exceeding 7.6 needs to be adjusted immediately, because this means your pool water is too soft, which can cause red eyes and dry skin. If your pH is somewhere between 7.4 and 7.6, you can add two cups of dry acid to your water every two hours to lower your reading, only adding more product when needed.
What If That Seems Too Cold To Me
Often we think that opening our pool means we have to use it right away. That isnt always the case. For some, 70 degrees may not be their ideal swimming weather. But heres why you should still stick to the 70 degree rule.
- Cleanliness When we wait for warmer weather it gives problems a foothold. Algae likes to grow in that same warm weather. The warmer it is when you open your pool, the more likely you are to uncover your pool to find an oasis of algae growth. When you open your pool before full warmth hits, youre more likely to be greeted with a pretty clean pool. It will be easier to maintain, and ready and waiting for you whenever the mood strikes. Whats more inviting than that?
- Money Opening your pool sooner means paying for it longer, right? Well right and wrong. Sure, youll be paying to run it a bit longer. That being said, if you wait too long, youre going to have to pay for extra chemicals and cleaning to get the pool to a safe and clean spot. Remember all of that algae? No, thank you!
- Visual Appeal Simply put, our pools show off the most with the cover off. Your backyard starts to feel like its already summer. Youre naturally going to want to spend more time outside, and it gives you something fun to look forward to. Welcome that feeling with open arms!
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Start The Filter And Pump To Prevent Algae Growth
Even though its still too cold to jump in the water, its an optimal time for mildew and algae to grow. If the temperature warms up and the water is stagnant, it can create an environment for algae to thrive in, especially when theres sunlight filtering in. This can create a mess with algae stains in and around the pool which will add a lot more work for you to clean. Getting the pump and filter up and running now will help keep your pool clean, algae-free and ready to use once its nice and hot out.
