In terms of pool maintenance, there’s the everyday maintenance, like running the filter, and there’s the not-so-everyday maintenance. By this, we mean getting your pool ready for a summer storm. If strong storms or even a hurricane are in the forecast, preparing your pool to minimize the damage is essential. Here’s how to avoid costly repairs to your backyard retreat.
Don’t Drain the Pool
If the weather forecasters are calling for a lot of rain, you might think you should drain the pool to prevent it from flooding the yard.
While this seems like a logical step to take, you should not do this. If the pool was installed correctly, it will have an overflow that is designed to drain away excess water. In fact, the only time you should ever consider draining your pool is if you need major repairs.
What would happen if you drain the pool? It creates a pressure imbalance between the pool and the ground around it, which could result in the pool floating up out of the ground. The water helps keep your pool in the ground, so don’t drain it!
Store Outdoor Furnishings
If you have pool chairs, tables, umbrellas, etc., store them in an outdoor shed, under your deck, in your pool house, or in the basement if possible. Severe storms can not only send these furnishings sky high, but they can also turn them into dangerous shrapnel that could damage your home.
And although you may be tempted to follow your usual pool maintenance routine, don’t bother putting the cover on your pool for the same reason — it will likely blow off or get damaged in the fray. Ideally, store any furnishing inside where it’s safe. But if that’s not achievable, securing them to something stable is still important.
Turn off the Pool Equipment
Don’t worry about the filter being off for a little while. You can fix that later. The most important pool maintenance task to do before a storm comes is to turn off the power to your pool equipment.
Turn off the circuit breaker in your home that controls all the pool equipment. You have two options with the pump motor. Either wrap it in a tarp and tie the tarp down with rope, or take the whole mechanism inside. Don’t put it in the basement though, in case the basement floods.
Check Chemical Levels
Your pool’s ecosystem will be significantly altered during and after the storm, but you can get ahead of this by using your chemical cleaners and algaecides to your advantage. Test your pool to check chemical levels and rebalance if you need to.
You can also shock the pool before the storm if you’d like. Doing so can give you a blank slate, so it’s easier to clean the water once the storm passes.
Trim Nearby Trees and Bushes
You won’t always have enough foresight to prepare properly for the forecast, but when you do, trimming trees or bushes around your pool is an excellent idea.
Since frail branches or limbs succumb easily to heavy winds, pre-pruning them means you won’t have to scoop them out of your pool later. This tip doubles as some smart pre-storm pool maintenance and protects your home, especially if the branches are large.
Did Your Pool Get Damaged in a Storm?
Did your pool suffer damage during a storm this summer? Pool remodeling can fix the damage and restore your pool to its former beauty. You can even add a few features while you’re at it! Contact us today or fill out our simple 60-second loan inquiry applications to get started on your post-storm pool renovation. With HFS Financial, “You Dream It, We Finance It.”