9 Epic Pool Opening Tips: Avoid Hard Work & Open Your Pool Faster

9 Shares

According to National Day Calendar, National Pool Opening Day is officially celebrated on the last Saturday of April. This year, that date falls on April 27th.

So with pool opening season right around the corner, there’s no better time to get a head start.

In this post, we cover everything you need to do for a quick & easy pool opening. From which chemicals to add and how much, to setting up your equipment, and getting that crystal clear water flowing.

So if you want to open your pool faster, and avoid all the hard work that usually comes with it, keep reading.

9 Epic Pool Opening Tips: Avoid Hard Work & Open Your Pool Faster

1.) Clean and sweep the deck first

pool opening tips clean pool deck first — Image via Offut Air Force Base

Most of the leaves and debris that ends up in your water, comes from your pool deck.

Think about it. Whenever a breeze rolls through, anything light enough to get pushed by it will likely end up in your water. If not, it’ll circle around your yard or deck until it does, or gets stuck in a corner.

So if you really want to save yourself a bunch of cleanup work later, clean your pool deck first. That means sweeping it clean, brushing it with soap, and hosing it down with water.

It may seem unnecessary now, but in the long run, your pool will stay noticeably cleaner for a lot longer. Especially if you keep up with the habit. Because the more often you clean, the lighter the cleaning gets.

Plus you wont have to worry about anything getting into your water once you lift the cover, which saves even more time.

2.) Use a submersible pump and leaf blower to remove your pool cover faster

This process will be a little different for everyone, depending on the type of pool cover you own.

But for pool owners using solid pool covers (the kind that don’t drain), this one’s for you.

As you’ve noticed, by now, your pool cover has collected a small puddle of water in the center. On top of the that, there may even be leaves and twigs scattered across the cover.

Cleaning that up may seem like a rough job, but getting it done is easy with the right approach.

To remove your solid pool cover faster:

Use a submersible pump to remove water collected in the middle
Let the cover dry, and remaining water droplets evaporate
Use a leaf blower to quickly remove stray leaves, twigs, and debris
Sweep the cover with a nylon bristle broom
Unscrew the cover anchors

If you’re using a mesh or hybrid pool cover, the above tips still apply (aside from using a pump)

3.) Stock up on pool chemicals

There’s nothing worse than taking the time to clean and open your pool, just to have it turn green and murky a few days later.

But the thing is, that actually does happen, and often. And all it takes is your water getting out of balance– from there, it’s a domino effect with all your other pool chemicals. Until eventually, the water becomes unswimmable.

That type of stuff usually only happens when you run out of pool chemicals. Or when the chemical levels get too far out of balance.

So naturally, one of the easiest ways to avoid this common pool owner problem is by stocking up on chemicals right before each pool season.

By getting all of your pool chemicals ahead of time, you’ll save money from buying off season, avoid trips to the store, and have a much easier time keeping your pool clean all season long.

But you’re probably wondering which chemicals you need, and how much you need to stay prepared.

This pool chemicals guide covers all of that: What Pool Chemicals Do I Need, and How Much?

4.) Restore the water level to mid skimmer

Once you start cleaning and adding chemicals, it’s super important that your pool’s water line is at the right level. And that’s because your water level has a big effect on water flow.

When you keep your water level right at the middle of your pool’s skimmer, you allow for the best possible circulation. This is the ideal amount of water to have in your pool at all times for the most effective filtration, chemical distribution, and heating. And it’s the proper amount of water need for your skimmer door to open and close properly.

But when your water levels goes too far below, or above mid skimmer level, water flow suffers.

If water is below the skimmer, it can’t flow into your skimmer line, leaving tons of water in your pool unfiltered and untreated.

And if the water goes above the skimmer, then the skimmer door never closes, which prevents your filter system from working properly.

That said, there’s a very easy fix for this: Just drop your garden hose over the edge of your pool, turn on the water, and watch the water line rise. Once it reaches mid skimmer level, you’re good to go.

5.) Inspect & service pool equipment

Your pool equipment gets a lot more use than you might realize. Just each season alone, your pump, filter, and heater process hundreds of thousands of gallons of water.

That’s a lot of wear and tear. And although most pool equipment is built to last, it’s not immune to aging.

Just like a car, your pool equipment needs regular service to last long, and work at it’s best. Otherwise, parts break down, and equipment fails much sooner than expected.

But here’s something even more important to consider:

Without a working filter, avoiding dirty water is impossible
Without a working heater, your water is ALWAYS too hot or cold, but never comfortable
When your pump stops working, so does your entire pool system (including your heater & filter)

So for a stress free pool opening, and a long, relaxing swim season, follow this pool equipment service & inspection list:

Pool cover
- Check for holes, tears, and damage
- Check condition of cover anchors and hooks
Filter system
- Inspect pool filter housing for cracks and leaks
- Test and reattach pool filter pressure gauge
- Lubricate filter O-ring with teflon lubricant
- Reinstall filter drain plugs
Pool pump
- Inspect pool pump housing for cracks or leaks
- Check pump lid for cracks, and lubricate O-ring
Pool heater
- Inspect pool heater for physical damage
- Schedule yearly service & tune up to avoid pricey repairs & keep your heating bills low
Swimming pool cleaning equipment (pole, brush, skimmer net, vacuum)
- Check that all attachments securely snap onto pole
- Inspect skimmer net for tears or rips
- Inspect vacuum hose for holes or cracks

6.) Clean your pool the efficient way

When it’s time to start physically cleaning your pool, you have one of two options:

Clean your pool manually
Or use an automatic pool cleaner

The second option, is easily 3x faster than the first, but may not be available to you right now. So we’ll cover both methods.

Method 1: Cleaning Your Pool The Good Ole Fashioned Way

There’s not much to it. Grab your telescopic pole, brush, skimmer, net, and vacuum — it’s time to get to work.

But before you start, remember to go in the right order:

Skim first to get clear out any surface debris
Brush the walls, stairs, and behind the ladder to loosen and remove buildup
- Wait about an hour after brushing to let loosened debris settle on the pool floor
Finish by vacuuming up and down the length of your pool

By cleaning your pool in this order, you’ll get the job done much faster, without having to go back and retouch.

Method 2: Use an automatic pool cleaner

Skim the water
Drop the automatic pool cleaner in the water, and make yourself a drink

7.) Test & adjust chemicals in the right order

Knowing which chemicals you need to keep a pool clean is one thing.

But knowing which order to add them in, and how much? That’s another story — but luckily, that’s what this section is all about.

When you add your pool chemicals in the wrong order, you’ll waste a lot of time going back and forth trying to get everything in balance. And that’s because of the way each chemical affects the other.

For instance, balancing Total Alkalinity first makes it easier to balance pH later. And that’s because Total Alkalinity acts as a stabilizer for pH. But if you try adjusting pH before Total Alkalinity, then you’ll be playing a game of cat and mouse.

And that same type of relationship exists with other pool chemicals too — which is why the order you add them to your pool matters.

If you want to waste less chemicals and balance your water faster, adjust pool chemicals in this order:

Total Alkalinity
pH
Calcium Hardness
Sanitizer
Cyanuric Acid (CYA)

8.) Pool Safety Check

Pool safety is a topic that deserves it’s own write up — so we gave it one, which you can read here.

But for now, we’re going to cover the short and sweet version. Consider these pool safety guidelines when splashing into this year’s swim season:

Use safety barriers (fences, gates, etc.)
- Check for & fill gaps greater than 4 inches below the fence
- Remove climbable objects away from the fence
Test self-closing and self-latching gates
Use a safety pool cover
Keep flotation devices & life saving equipment near the pool
Use a pool water alarm to know when someone or something enters your pool
Use anti vortex safety compliant drain covers
- Check and secure drain cover screws
Store chemicals in a closed container, in a dry well ventilated area (garage, shed)
Inspect pool equipment wiring