When it comes to removing your swimming pools cover and opening the pool for the next season that has been placed over your pool for the entire winter months, there needs to be some planning involved or when you decide to do so you may find a green and unhealthy pool.
Biggest Mistake Is Opening It Too Late
What many people do is they wait until it is close to swimming season as local parks get ready to open, water parks and other summer events begin to become festive.
The problem with this strategy is that if you wait to open your pool until the week it is time jump right in it, your water has already began to build up algae and your pool will likely require extensive cleaning, and a major disappointment opening day.
When Should You Open Your Pool?
First and foremost do not think of opening your swimming pool as meaning lets go take a splash. This is a misconception and is why many people spend days or even a week or more cleaning there swimming pool instead of swimming there first week.
Check Your Water Temperature
Depending on what part of the country you live in, these rules will vary slightly. I however recommend a good 1 to 2 months before the opening of swimming season you begin to test the temperature of water.
Algae can begin to grow when the average water temperature in a swimming pool is in excess of 65 degrees.
I like to open my swimming pool once the water temperature exceeds 65 degrees. Now by no means am I going to go swimming at this water temperature, the water would even be quite dangerous for people to swim in at least until the water warms up about another 12 degrees.
Test Water Temperature Twice In One Day
Because in the mornings your water will be much cooler than during late evening hours, the best way to determine your average temperature is by taking a reading in the morning as well as late afternoon or evening hours.
Morning Temperature + Evening Temperature [DIVIDED BY 2] = Average Water Temperature
Once you have done this simply add the two temperature readings together and then divide by 2 to get your average temperature of water. Once your average water temperature equals 65 degrees or greater it would be time to remove the tarp and open your pool.
During the early opening of your pool it will require much less care than after swimming season officially begins. I would run the pump to circulate the water through about 1 time per day and keep a low dosage of chlorine to avoid any algae to build up. Should you see a slight indication of algae occurring, increase the pumps run time, chlorine dosage or shock the pool. You can also add some algaecide to reduce the chance of algae growth.
It Will Save You A Headache. . .
This is the easiest way to maintain your pool prior to official opening day. So many times pool owners will decide they just don’t want to work on their pool yet and this is a backwards type of thinking!
It takes little time to remove your cover, not too long to hook up your pump and add some water. This can all be done in one day and possibly less.
Add some chlorine once a week, turn your pump to auto cycle if possible and wait until the water is ready to swim in.
Trust me when i say, this is no work compared to a weeks worth of cleaning.