Spring is here and it is time to open your pool! Especially if the weather is going to co-operate. We are having a nice warm swimmable spring. Let’s hope it stays that way!
It is definitely a good time to open your pool with some nice 80-degree temperatures on the horizon.
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If you open it too late your pool could be more difficult to get the water balanced.
With the temperatures warming up the pool needs to be sanitized regularly to ward off algae growth.
Here is the top ten list of things you need to do to get your pool in swimming shape.
1. Check and Clean the Cover.
Brush off any leaves or dirt before you open the pool, that way it won’t get into the water.
Inspect your safety cover for rips or tears and check the seams. If it is an automatic cover, check the ropes and motor and make sure they are working properly. This is a good time to decide if you will need work on your cover and get it done before the season starts and the pool repair people get too busy.
If you have a winter cover, clean it and fold it for storage.
2. Clean any large debris out of the pool with a net. Use a skimmer net to get whatever you can out of the pool.
3. Hook up the Pool Equipment.
If you unhooked the pool equipment, re-connect it. Lubricate all of the O-rings. Check your automatic chlorinator or automatic salt system and inspect the cell. Check your filters. If you shut the pool down properly in the fall they should be ready to go, but inspect them anyway. Remove freeze plugs if you put them in and remember to replace all drain plugs if you need to. Make sure your pump basket is in and doesn’t have cracks. Check your skimmer basket too and make sure that it is in good condition.
If you didn’t unhook the pool equipment but ran the pool during the coldest part of the night, make sure you check your filters and lube your O-rings for the start-up of the season.
4. Inspect the Pool Equipment
Once you have everything on and running check for leaks. This is where you can tell if O-rings need to be replaced or if you need something else. Check your pressure gauge on the filter. Is it too high? Maybe you need a new cartridge filter or you need to clean it. If something seems to be wrong call Tropical Spas* and schedule a service call. Their company can check it out for you and find out what is wrong. (435) 688-8797
5. Prime your pump and refer to your owner’s manual for start-up.
If you can’t find your owner’s manual many of them can now be found online.
6. Circulate the water and start cleaning!
Brush the sides down and vacuum any smaller waste, such as dirt and dust. Check to see how your vacuum parts are holding up. After a few years, vacuum hoses can collapse and break down. Tropical Spas* sells replacement hoses in 25, 30, 35, and 40-foot lengths. They also sell additional lengths for automatic vacuums such as the Hayward Navigator, Pool Shark, Sand Shark, Zodiac MX8, and the Barracuda T5.
7. Check Water Chemistry! DO NOT THROW CHEMICALS IN IT YET!
Throwing chlorine into a pool without testing it can cause problems (like green water if there is copper in the water!)
Take your water into TROPICAL SPAS* at 1333 E Red Hills Parkway, St. George Utah, to have a FREE WATER ANALYSIS for the most comprehensive test results. They have professional-grade test equipment that can accurately test salt content, pH, alkalinity, chlorine, copper, iron, cyanuric acid, and calcium hardness: all important factors in keeping your water in balance. Home tests generally only allow you to test chlorine, pH and occasionally alkalinity. Tropical Spas* computer-generated printout will let you know precise measurements of the chemicals you will need in order to balance your water.
A very important test to have done is for the CYA/stabilizer level. Stabilizer is needed, but in chlorine tablet pools it tends to build up and needs to be reduced. Salt-generated pools require double the amount of stabilizer. Stabilizer is packaged and sold as water conditioner. Read more about CYA/stabilizer here.
After you have a complete water analysis then add chemicals as directed by your pool professionals. If you can’t get to a pool professional, you should adjust pH first and then add the other chemicals as directed on the manufacturer’s label. Besides adjusting the water you might need to add conditioner (or stabilizer) to help the chlorine from evaporating. This is usually done at the start of the season, but make sure you check the level in your pool BEFORE you add any new amount. Too much in your pool makes your chlorine ineffective and the only way to get it out is to drain some of the water. So add with caution!
9. Let it Circulate for a While and Heat it Up if you have a heater
10. SWIM! HAVE FUN! ENJOY YOUR POOL!
If you would rather just relax and let TROPICAL SPAS* do the work for you, give them a call at (435) 688-8797.
Should You Clean and Maintain Your Pool/Spa Yourself…..Or Hire a Professional?
Read here for more information about letting Tropical Spas* do the work for you.
* Tropical Fiberglass Pools is a separate business entity from Tropical Spas, with different owners. Thus while Tropical Fiberglass Pools recommends service work and water testing to be done by Tropical Spas located at 1333 E. Red Hills Parkway, St. George, Tropical Fiberglass Pools has no liability or responsibility in the operation or recommendations from Tropical Spas.
If you have any further questions about water care text, Diane, at (435) 703-0435.