Summer and warmer weather lead to pool openings. Whether you are new to having a pool or are a seasoned pool owner, this newsletter will cover pool openings from start to finish so you know what to expect from your pool opening.
When to Open Your Pool
Most of our pool openings are in April and May. The longer a pool is left closed without the water circulating, the more likely the water will have to be treated for things like algae and phosphates. This is especially true if there is lots of debris and dirt that gets into the pool over the winter.We recommend opening your pool at least one week before you would like to use it. The water is treated at your opening and the chemicals need time to balance out before swimming. This week allows the water to begin circulating and filtering again after being closed over the winter.
How to Prepare for Opening
Raise the water level to the mid skimmer or tile level. This is where the water level must be at to start the equipment. We ask that you raise the water level prior to our arrival for opening because it may take more than the length of the opening to get the water up to operational level.
You can check the water level by pulling back part of the cover and looking in the pool, or by looking into the skimmer by removing the lid and looking into the hatch. If you have a mesh pool cover, you can also push down on the cover until you feel the water to see around where it is at.
If you have a bag for your pool cover, make sure you know where it is for the technicians on arrival.
What Happens During Opening
At the opening, the technicians will remove the pool cover, winter plugs, and gizzmos. If you have a pool cover bag, they will put the cover, plugs, and gizzmos in the bag and store it where you would like. If you want the winter cover stored in a shed, garage, or bin, make sure that the technicians can safely and reasonably access those areas.
Next, the technicians will prime and start the filter system(s) and check that the equipment is running correctly. The equipment will be kept in service mode where the equipment will run continuously to get the water filtering.If you have any handrails or ladders that must be reinstalled, the technicians will do so. They will also add start-up chemicals to treat the water. This includes algaecide, stain and scale, and shock.
If you have a pool heater, you may also add a heater service. During a heater service, the technician will clean and vacuum all the cabinets and vents and complete the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance. If the heater has a heat exchanger, it will be cleaned. Manufacturers recommend an annual inspection and service for heaters. This type of heater service is only for natural gas or liquid propane pool heaters, not for heat pumps.
If you have a salt chlorine generator, we recommend a cleaning at each year’s opening. Throughout the year, there is build up in the salt cell that can start to block the sensor and cause issues with the readings. The salt cell cleaning cleans out all the buildup so the unit can operate normally.
If you have a mineral cartridge filter, manufacturers recommend the cartridge be replaced annually. If a cartridge is old or damaged, it will not properly or efficiently filter the water causing the water to become cloudy and dirty.
We do not vacuum pools during a standard pool opening. It can take several hours for the debris in the water to settle to the bottom of the pool where the vacuum can pick it up. Vacuuming at the opening will not remove all the debris from the pool and the pool will have to be vacuumed again after the opening.
At the end of the opening, you will receive an email reviewing what was done during the opening and any notes the technicians have.
What to do After Opening
After opening, leave the equipment running in service mode for at least 24 hours to make sure the water is circulating consistently. After 24 hours, you can switch the mode back into automatic to run as scheduled. The pool will likely need to be vacuumed in the hours and days after opening the pool. If you have a DE filter, you may also have to backwash the filter after opening. The water will be filtering the debris and dirt that got into the pool over the winter.
Once the water has cleared up, the pool is ready to use. We hope you have a good summer and have fun using your pool this year. Thank you for choosing B&B Custom Pools to service your pool. If you have not scheduled your pool opening yet, you can schedule an opening online or call us at 610-965-7665 to schedule and fill out our service agreement.