We love this time of year when most days feel like summer is just around the corner. It might be around a few corners still, but it is definitely on its way. The warming weather raises spirits and creates that optimistic feeling of better things coming. It pays to get your pool ready for summer before your friends and family start asking ‘when can we have a swim?’ You don’t necessarily need to have your heating turned on (if you have it) but you do want the pool water looking good and in balance. So what do you need to do to set up your pool for summer?
If you’ve managed your pool well over the off-season the water should be looking clear but you might have a bit of debris to clean up in the pool. If the pool is slightly green a good shock dose should fix it. Should you find yourself in a position where you have more than a little bit of green, then we recommend referring to our advice on how to Fix a Green Pool or downloading our Green Pool Guide.
Summer pool setup
- Start by removing the pool cover if you are using one and take a look at the pool.
- Is the water clear? If not, can you see the bottom?
- Is there any algae on the pool or in the water – green, yellow or black?
- Is the water level half to two-thirds of the way up the skimmer? If not add water.
- Scoop the surface of the pool using a leaf rake. If there are large piles of leaves on the bottom use the leaf rake to pick up as many of these as possible.
- Brush the walls of the pool using a pool broom.
- Vacuum the pool. If there is a lot of debris on the bottom of the pool use a leaf canister to trap the debris and vacuum on waste. If the pool has minimal debris, vacuum as normal on the filter setting.
- Brush or wipe the waterline tiles to remove any scum buildup. If necessary, you can use Squeaky Clean to help remove stubborn scum.
- Bring a water sample into our store for professional testing. We will help you get the water balance correct and give you all the advice and help you need. Testing your pool water.
- Check all your equipment to ensure it is in good condition for the summer. Check your pump, filter and all connections for any signs of leaks. If you find a leak, it is best to be remedied straight away to avoid any major problems in the future.
- Clean the media or filter cartridge with Filter Brite. It is best to start the swimming season with the filter working to its absolute best. It will give you clearer sparkling water.
- Check the chlorinator settings are appropriate for summer.
- Increase the system run time so the pump runs long enough each day. You are better to run the system for longer than needed than to not run it long enough. Insufficient circulation can lead to a green pool. If you don’t have a chlorinator, set your pump to run using a mechanical timer. This means you don’t have to remember to turn the pump ON or OFF each day!
- If you have a heat pump it’s a good idea to get it serviced each year. When you’re ready to turn the heating ON you should put the cover on the pool and set the system up to run constantly until the water is up to temperature. How long that takes is dependent on the size of your pool, the size of the heat pump and the ambient temperature. It could be a couple of days or even longer if the heat pump is under spec’d or the weather is cold.
Follow these steps to set your pool up for summer and you’ll be ready to enjoy your swimming pool as soon as the weather allows, avoiding costly issues such as green pool water or equipment failures.
We are always here to help you. If you have any questions or need any help please get in touch with us. If you would like us to set your pool up for summer please get in touch ASAP so we can arrange the service for you.
