Restore Your Outdoors Swimming Pool For The Summer

The summer is upon us and it is time to get the outdoor pool up and running for the season. Most of us who own outdoor swimming pools are now facing something that looks more like a pond than a pool; with stale water that has been there, unmoved and untouched for months, with leaves all over the place and all kinds of gunk. What your pool needs is a bit of a restoration to bring it back to life.

Before Step #1 – Don’t Empty It

Many people think that the best and the easiest way to restore their pool is to first empty it of water. This is actually one of the worst things that you can do and it is all because of a little thing called physics. Namely, in many areas, the water bed is high and if you empty the pool, the pressure from underneath can pop the pool out completely. You can imagine the kinds of problems that this can produce. In short, do not empty your pool.

Step #1 – Start the Clean Up

During this step, you will be putting together the filtration system, cleaning all of the baskets and removing any and all plugs that are used when you closed your pool last year. While doing this, you should still keep the cover on the pool. This is also the perfect time to see if the winter months did any damage to the different filtration systems. If you notice anything that worries, you, you should get a professional plumber and see what they have to say.

Step #2 – Fill it Up

The water level in your pool has probably fallen during winter months and during the second step you need to top it off. It is essential that the filter is clean before it is turned on. To do this, remove the cartridge and wash it good with a hose. A D.E. filter needs to be disassembled, cleaned and reassembled. Sand filter is cleaned by setting it to backwash, followed by normal setting.

Step #3 – Test your Water With the Pros

You can do this on your own, but it is more hassle than it’s worth. Also, when you go to professionals for a water test, you can rest assured that they will do this thoroughly and properly. The pros will test the alkalinity, the mineral content, the chlorine levels and the pH. They will then give you recommendations and (probably) sell you the chemical solutions that will help you balance out the chemicals so that the pool is safe for swimming.

Step #4 – Playing the waiting game

Remember that the process of getting the water “up to code” is a long one (it takes about a week) and you should not go swimming in your pool yet. You will want to clean the filters every day while the process lasts and you might need to add chlorine now and then. Only when you can see the pool floor and when the water is totally clear, can you remove the cover.

Step #5 – Hoovering and Maintenance

One the water is all nice and clear, it is time to remove your pool cover and vacuum the debris and leaves from the bottom. From there on, for the duration of the season, you need to keep your filters clean, vacuum the pool regularly and test the chemical levels on daily basis. A good idea would also be to have professionals come and test the water on a monthly basis.

And there you have it – your pool is ready for the summer season and all the fun you and your family will have with it.