It’s official! Short-course season is behind us, and that tells us two things:
1) Long-course season is around the corner.
2) Outdoor competition and commercial pools will be seeing action soon!
At Competitor, we know that opening your pool is more than pulling off the cover and jumping in. There’s a checklist of tasks that need completed to set the stage for a smooth, safe, and successful swim season. If you followed our Closing Your Pool Guide, you’ve already got a head start – but there’s still much to be done.
From prepping your equipment to checking safety essentials, here are ten must-do steps to open your pool the right way to keep things running efficiently all summer long.
1. Remove Debris and Water from the Cover
While you might be inclined to rip off that pool cover before anything else, keep in mind that any debris that’s collected on top will likely end up in the pool. While you will still need to clean out your pool, using a leaf blower to get rid of excess leaves, twigs and gunk sitting on the cover will minimize the debris in the pool. You may also want to use a pool pump to remove any standing water on the cover before removing it.
2. Care for Your Pool Cover
- Remove – Take the cover off carefully as a next step, laying it on a soft, flat piece of grass versus a rough surface to avoid damage.
- Inspect – Give the cover a once over, checking for any signs of wear and tear like holes, thinning, or mold that needs addressed.
- Clean – To clean it, hose it off first off then use a soft brush and pool cover cleaner (or a mild detergent) to gently scrub away any dirt and grime.
3. Survey the Deck and Surrounding Areas for Debris and Damage
Survey the deck and areas surrounding the pool for debris. There’s nothing worse than getting your pool perfectly clean for a gust of wind to blow a pile of leaves and litter into it.
4. Prep Your Pool
Ensure that your pool not only looks its best but is safe for swimming.
- Check for Damage – Walk the entire perimeter of your pool and note any signs of damage along the walls, floor, and surrounding deck areas that need repaired. Cracks, loose tiles, chips, and other wear should be addressed as soon as possible to avoid more costly fixes down the line and mid-season shutdowns for maintenance.
- Clean the Surfaces – Calcium build up and stains aren’t good for your pool’s aesthetic or health, making it important to clean all surfaces with swimming pool scale removal product.
- De-Winterize – Remove all winter plugs from the pool and reinstall any necessary pump, heater, and filter plugs.
5. Fill Your Pool (but not all the way!)
When your pool has been cleaned and all repairs are taken care of, you’ll want to begin refilling it – but only until the water level is at the midpoint of the waterline tile.
6. Clean out Skimmer Baskets and Inspect Filtration Systems
Clear out any leaves or debris from your surface skimmers and inspect your pump and filter. Check for cracks, worn parts, or other signs of damage and replace anything that’s not up to par. A healthy filtration system is key to maintaining clean, swimmable water all season long.
7. Power Up Your Pool and Monitor Performance
If there’s no signs of visible damage, power up your pump and filtration system and let it run for several hours to get the water circulating and help catch any leftover debris.
8. Test and Balance Your Water Chemistry
Use a test kit or test strips to measure Total Alkalinity (TA), pH, free chlorine, and calcium hardness. Once you’ve got your readings, adjust the levels as needed to bring everything into proper balance.
9. Shock Your Pool
Shocking your pool kills any remaining bacteria, algae, or other organic matter that may have built up during the off-season. After shocking, keep the filtration system running and wait until chlorine levels return to safe swimming range before allowing use.
10. Re-Install Pool and Deck Equipment
Now it’s time to bring your pool and deck equipment out of storage, give everything a good clean, and to ensure its summer ready!
If you need to stock up on equipment or replace anything that’s been damaged, Competitor has you covered! Our products are engineered for top performance and longevity, from lane lines to backstroke flags to storage reels and more.
