March 22, 2022

Your Top 10 Pool Opening Tips

There’s no better season than pool season! If you’re reading this post then odds are it’s about that time to gear up, get ready, and open up your pool. Now, unfortunately, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned pool owner or just a beginner, opening your pool can be a long and tedious process and no amount of sunshine and warm weather will speed it up.

Luckily for you, we have some tips, tricks, and, of course, our Pool Opening and Closing Kit that will help get your above or in-ground pool up, running, and ready for the season in no time. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

1. Clean off Your Pool Cover Before Removal

We know that the start of the pool season is super exciting, so you may be inclined to tear off your pool cover right away, but that’s not the best process to follow. The first thing you’ll want to do is remove as much water for the top of your winter cover as possible by using a cover or sub-pump.

Now, if you are using a safety cover for your pool, which we always recommend to young families and those with pets, then it’s important to note that you will not require a sub-pump during this process.

You’ll also want to take this time to sweep off and remove any dirt and debris from your pool cover, preventing it from falling into your pool once removed. This will help save you time cleaning your pool later on.

2. Dry your Pool Cover After Removing It

After your pool cover is free from water, dirt, and debris, you can easily remove it. Now we recommend making this a two-person job so that the cover can carefully and efficiently be removed in one go.

Once your pool cover is off, you’ll want to let it dry and give it a good clean. We recommend sprinkling both sides of your cover with Alkalinity Increaser or Talcum powder, helping to prevent mold and mildew from growing during the off-season. This will help your pool cover last longer!

3. Return Your Water Levels Back to Normal Before Adding Pool Equipment

With your cover off it’s now time to get your water levels back to normal! Use your garden hose to refill your pool and aim to have the water level sit about halfway up the skimmer.

4. Reconnect Your Pool Equipment and Gear

Your covers off, your pool’s filled, and now it’s time to get all of your pool equipment plugged in and working again! This step will include plugging in your pool filter, pump, heater, automatic pool cleaner, and any other equipment you may have. This would also be a good time to hook up all of your pool gear as well, such as your ladder and handrails.

Pro Tip: To ensure your equipment works well all season, and to make pool closing a little easier, we recommend using a silicone lubricant on all seals and o-rings. It’s an easy and quick task, and one that will make a big difference in the long run!

5. Remove all Winterizing Accessories from Your Pool Equipment, Skimmer, and Return Lines.

Given we experience winters colder than zero degrees, it’s necessary to add winterizing plugs to ensure that your pool equipment and pool don’t experience any cracks or leaks. At this time of the pool opening process, you’ll want to go ahead and remove all winterizing plugs and put your pool inlets and outlets back in place, as well as reinstall the normal drain plugs.

Looking at your skimmer and return lines, you’ll also want to take this time to remove the winterizing plugs and foam rope here, as well as reconnect your return valve fitting.

6. Turn Your System Back On

Are you ready for it? It’s all systems a go! Start by priming your pump and turning all of your equipment back on, including the circulation and filtration system. Now, if during this time you notice that you have an air relief valve on your filter, make sure to open it to bleed the air from the system out.

When turning your equipment back on, it’s also important to check and make sure that everything is working well and that nothing is leaking. If you do find any leaks, be sure to inspect the equipment and see if you need to replace or repair it before the summer season begins.

7. Prevent Staining by Using MetalFree

Over the course of the Winter, copper and iron tend to build up around one’s pool, leaking into the fill water. This, unfortunately, causes discoloration and stains and needs to be dealt with. Luckily, our Pool Opening and Closing Kit comes with Omni Stain & Scale Control which can easily help solve the problem. All you’ll have to do is pour 1L of the Scale Control for every 50,000 L of water and run your circulation and filtration system for at least 2 hours. After that, BOOM! The problem will be solved.

8. Check Out Your Water Chemistry

It’s time to focus on getting your pool water just right, so your friends and family can enjoy a dip in the pool! At this stage, you’ll want to test your water for pH, Total Alkalinity and Chlorine levels using one of our At Home Test Kits. Here’s where you’ll want your chemical levels to be:

pH: 7.4 to 7.6
Total Alkalinity: 80 to 120 ppm
Chlorine: 2.0 to 4.0 ppm

If you’re struggling to get your water chemistry just right, have no fear; we’re here to help! Each of our Discounter’s Pool and Spa Warehouse locations offer free in-store water analysis. Simply bring in a sample of your pool water, at any time of the season, and our experts will highlight products and solutions to adjusting your water chemistry.

9. Brush and Vacuum Your Pool

Once your water chemistry is right, it’s time to give your pool a deep clean to get rid of the remaining dirt and debris that may have sunk to the bottom. Use your brush and pool vacuum to clean the sides and bottom of your pool, and be sure to focus on special, hard to reach areas such as pool steps and ladders.

10. Check Algae and Shock Your Pool

It’s a lengthy process, but don’t worry… we’re almost there! The last step of the pool opening process is to check the bottom of your pool for algae and give it a good shock.

If you have our Pool Opening and Closing Kit, you’ll notice that it comes with a Liquid Algaecide Concentrate. So, if you notice algae in your pool, you’ll want to use this product to get rid of it. Simply add the algaecide to kill off the algae, and then, after 24 hours, vacuum the dead algae out of your pool.

Once your pool water is free of algae, you’ll want to eliminate all of the remaining bacteria and contaminants by shocking it. You can use the Multi-Purpose Shock that comes in our Pool Opening and Closing Kit to do so.

That’s it! We know it may seem like a long process, but it’s absolutely necessary in order to effectively and properly open your pool, having a safe and fun season. Plus, with our Pool Opening and Closing Kit, you’ll find that you have most of, if not all of, the products you need to get the job done. Of course, if you have any issues, questions, or concerns, you can always visit any of our Discounter’s Pool and Spa Warehouse locations to speak with our experts on staff. Enjoy the process and happy pool opening everyone!

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