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Here’s Your Summer Inground Pool Opening To-Do List

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Oh, boy, summer is almost here! Time to hit the water!

While the season officially starts in mid-June, it’s certainly hot enough here in Middle Georgia for the owners of inground pools to start thinking about opening their inground pools for the summer. When it’s time to get your pool ready for the season’s first swim, here’s a quick to-do list to get your pool back to its sparkling best quickly.

Pool Opening Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Anyone who’s ever done any DIY work knows that there is nothing more frustrating than having to stop in the middle of a project to run to the store for materials or supplies. So, before you get started opening your pool, take a quick inventory of your pool supplies and tools. Take note of any chemicals or supplies you’re running low on and any tools that need to be repaired or replaced.

You should also take a look at any pool accessories that get removed for the winter – things like ladders, slides, or diving boards. If any of them need to be repaired or replaced, now’s the time. While your local inground pool experts will have many of these items in stock, some may need to be ordered. By checking these items now, you should be able to have them delivered and installed in time for opening day.

Chemicals You’ll Need:

  • Sanitizer (chlorine, bromine, or biguanide) or salt for a saltwater pool
  • Chlorine granules/pool shock (You’ll probably need about 2 lbs. to open a standard inground chlorine-sanitized pool)
  • pH adjusters (increaser and decreaser)
  • Calcium adjusters (increaser and decreaser)
  • Algaecide
  • Pool cover cleaner, bleach, or trisodium phosphate (TSP)

Tools You’ll Need:

  • Pool water testing kit
  • Pool skimmer net
  • Pool vacuum and hose
  • Pool brush
  • Small submersible pump (optional)
  • Leaf blower or long-handled broom
  • User’s manuals for your equipment – filter, pump, heater, etc.

Pool Opening Step 2: Clean and Remove Your Pool Cover

Leaves, pine straw, branches, dirt, and other debris tend to accumulate on pool covers over the winter months. Removing the debris from your cover before you take it off helps ensure that the leaves and other mess don’t get into the pool.

If you have a small submersible pump, use it to remove any pools and puddles of water that have collected on top of the cover. Then, use a leaf blower or long-handled broom to remove the loose debris and sweep any remaining debris off the pool apron.

Once the cover is free of debris, remove it according to the manufacturer or your pool installer’s instructions.

Before you store your pool cover for the summer, give it a thorough scrubbing with either:

  • Pool cover cleaner
  • A solution of one part bleach and one part dish detergent to eight parts water
  • A mild solution of TSP

Rinse the cover well with clean water, and then make sure it dries completely before you fold it up and store it.

Pool Opening Step 3: Remove Plugs and Covers, Reinstall Accessories

Take a walk around the pool and make sure that the plugs have been removed from all return fittings. If you use a winter guard on your skimmer, remove it at this time. If not, remove the compensator from the skimmer.

Reinstall all of your pool accessories – ladders, slides, diving board, and others. If you’re considering installing new accessories this year, now’s the time to make those purchases and installations or contact your local pool contractors to install them for you.

Pool Opening Step 4: Add Water and Check Equipment

Your pool likely lost some water over the winter, and maintaining the proper water level is vital to ensuring that your pool water stays balanced and clear. Add water to bring your pool back up to its correct level (usually, the water level should be at about the midway point of the skimmer).

Next, you’ll want to go through the pool opening instructions for your pool’s filter, pump, and heater (if you have one). Perform whatever maintenance the manufacturer suggests, and perform the recommended self-tests for leaks and pressure. If your filter needs to be backflushed or your filter media (sand, cartridges, etc.) need to be replaced, follow the instructions in your user’s manual.

Finally, turn your pump on and let it start circulating your pool water.

Pool Opening Step 5: Clean the Pool

You’re getting close! The only things left to do are to clean the pool and balance the water, and you’ll be ready to go.

  • First, skim the surface of the water to remove any floating debris
  • Next, scrub down the walls, floor, and steps of the pool with a stiff pool brush
  • Finally, vacuum the pool floor to remove dirt, grime, and any algae that’s grown over the winter

Pool Opening Step 6: Balance and Shock Your Water

Your water is probably still murky at this point, but this step will resolve that issue. First, use your water test kit to determine what chemicals you need to add to bring the water back into balance. Generally speaking, for a chlorine pool, your chemical levels should be:

  • pH: 7.2-7.4
  • Total alkalinity: 100-150 ppm
  • Calcium hardness: 200-275 ppm
  • Cyanuric acid: 60-80 ppm
  • Chlorine: 2-3 ppm

If you need help getting your pool water into balance, your local pool company can provide water testing services – take a sample of water to their location and let them advise you on the proper chemicals to add.

Finally, shock the pool by adding pool shock/chlorine granules according to the directions on the package. Once your pool’s water has been shocked for about 24 hours, you should be ready to dive in!

Need Supplies, Chemicals, or Water Tests to Open Your Pool This Summer? Mid State Pools Has What You Need to Get Ready to Swim! 478-953-7300

Mid State Pools and Spas builds custom pools for residential and commercial customers in:

  • Warner Robins
  • Macon
  • Forsyth
  • Perry
  • Milledgeville
  • Lake Oconee
  • And all across Middle Georgia!