As summer approaches, you can’t help but dream about all the fun you can have with your pool. You are already imagining poolside parties, or a relaxing Sunday afternoon spent on the patio looking at the view. However, the thought of opening your pool after being inactive the entire previous season can put a damper on your ideas. The prospect of uncovering the pool and cleaning it can be a little exhausting, although well worth it. If you just grab some help from your friends and follow all the right steps accordingly, you can start enjoying your backyard pool installation in no time at all.
For your California backyard pool, here are 6 easy steps that will help you open it successfully for the summer.
1. Prepare
Your first step is to prepare yourself for the task. Make sure you set aside an appropriate time and day to manage this work. You will also need certain pool supplies. This may include a pool cover pump, skimmer net, soap, start-up chemical kit, goggles, protective gloves, pool brush, garden hose, pool shock, and test strips.
2. Clean and Remove the Cover
Use a skimmer net or a soft broom to get the debris off the winter pool cover. The pool cover pump should then be used to remove the water collected in the cover. Ask your friend’s help to carefully remove the cover. You should keep the cover cleaner from getting into the pool water. Place the removed cover on a flat surface. Get the cover cleaned nicely with the soap, dry it, and then store it.
3. Clean the Pool
Some of the debris could have made its way to the pool water over the winter or during cover cleaning. Regardless, it’s always a good idea to give it a good cleaning. Use a skimmer to remove any debris floating on the surface and a pool vacuum to remove the contaminants that have landed on the bottom, especially the larger pieces of debris. Not only will this help to clear up the water, but it will also put less stress on the system later on.
4. Remove and Install
Remove the plugs you installed for preventing water from freezing in the pipes over the winter. Use the skimmer to get the ice compensator and the removed plugs using the skimmer. Next, you can install all the pool accessories you removed for the winter.
5. Pool Setup
Add water to your pool to bring it up to the normal level. To set up, install the drain plugs in the pump using a thread seal tape. Lubricate the O-rings if needed. Make sure the water sucked into the pump has someplace to go. Get the pump on and once the water starts flowing through it, turn the setting to filter if you are using a multiport valve.
6. Treat with Sanitation Products
Use a metal sequestrant to get rid of any metal build up in your pool water. For balancing the water, use the test strips, but take them to your pool supply store to have them double-checked by a professional. This gives you a baseline to work with for the rest of the season. Brush the pool surfaces and vacuum to remove sediment from the pool floor. You may use a pool shock to ensure the cleanliness of the water.
Lastly, run the filtration system for 24 hours to round off all your hard work. For more information about opening up your swimming pool for the summer, please contact our team of service professionals at All Seasons Pools & Spas. We have high-quality pool maintenance services in Granite Bay, Grass Valley, North Auburn, Roseville, and Shingle Springs.
