Tips for the Spring Opening of Your Pool

If this is your first year of owning your pool, perhaps this may be your first experience opening the pool in spring. As soon as there is a hint of warm weather, the kids want to be able to use the pool.

If you are not comfortable with the task of opening your pool, you can always hire the pool and spa professionals in your area to do this for you.

The first thing to determine is if the pool uses chlorine or bromine. If it's chlorine that you use for the maintenance of the water, you are going to want to shock the pool. This means adding a large amount of the chlorine to the water, so it can kill any bacteria or algae that is present. Read the instructions on the brand of chlorine that you are using to see how much is needed to shock the pool and how long it takes to dissipate.

If you are using bromine, you will want to follow the specific instructions on the label. Pools vary in their size, so it's important to follow the instructions for any chemicals that are being added to the water.

You will also need other chemicals such as algaecide, water clarifier, and stain and scale inhibitors.

All of these chemicals are the same as what you used in the previous season to keep the pool water fully optimized.

Be sure to remove any water that is sitting on your pool cover before removing it. You don’t want this water running into the pool.

You can use a net to remove any large debris from the water.

You probably disconnected your pump in the fall and stored it away, so now you will want to hook it back up. You will need to prime your pump.

Check that the valves below the water line are flowing properly. You will also want to top up the water.

Be sure that the filters, skimmers and drains are all in good condition and working correctly as well.

Depending on the condition of the water, you may want to run the filter for a few hours to make sure the water is clear.

Don't forget to check the levels of the various chemicals that were added to the water prior to using the pool.

It may seem like a lot of work the first time you open your pool in the spring, but after you have done it once, you will see that it really isn't that difficult. You will soon be ready to enjoy another season of swimming and fun in the water.