Tips for preparing your pool for summer

With Perth’s unseasonably cool weather lately, getting your pool ready for summer may be the last thing on your mind right now. But with some much warmer temperatures forecast for this weekend, it may be worth preparing your pool just in case you, your family or your friends feel like taking a dip to cool off.

Here’s our quick guide to getting your pool ready for the warmer months.

1. First up you’ll need to remove the cover. However, you want to make sure it is clean before doing so to ensure that any debris that has accumulated on top does not end up in your pool. You also want to make sure that any water that may have pooled on top does not end up in the pool. Simply grab a long-handled broom or brush to remove any branches, leaves and water before taking the cover off.
2. Next, you’ll need to clean the pool itself. Remove any leaves or other debris using a net or rake, and vacuum out any smaller debris. You’ll also need to give your filter and baskets a good clean. For a cartridge filter, remove the cartridge and give it a good hose down. If you have a sand filter, you can set the filter to backwash before putting it back on its normal setting. If your tiles are looking a little dirty, give them a good scrub with baking soda. It’s also a good idea to give your pool surroundings a clean too to minimize the debris that ends up back in your pool. Trim any tree branches that may be overhanging the pool as well.
3. You may find that your water level has dropped over the winter. Fill it up until the level of the water reaches the middle of the skimmer opening. Once your pool is back to this level, let the water circulate for about eight hours to let the old and new water mix.
4. The next and most important step is balancing the water. Buy a test kit or strips from your local pool store and test the alkalinity, pH, algaecide, chlorine, calcium hardness and stabilizer level. Treat accordingly and once corrected, let the water clear so that you can see the pool floor clearly. This can take up to a week so during this time, make sure you are cleaning your filter daily.
5. If you have a chlorine pool, you’ll need to shock it to bring the chlorine level up and kill any bacteria. This is especially important if your pool water was green when you removed the cover. You should shock your pool about once a week during the hotter months.
6. The next step is to ensure that everything is in good working order. This includes the filter system, strainer basket, lights and most importantly your pool fence and gates.
7. Enjoy!

For more advice or information, contact your local pool care specialist.