It’s that time of year again! Warmer temps are coming and will be here to stay! At least for a season. One of the things besides Spring cleaning we have to get done is to open our swimming pool. Here’s what you’ll need.
A Cover Pump
A cover pump is a submersible, electric pump that you place on your swimming pool cover to remove any excess water that has been accumulating. If you had a cover pump in use all Winter, this will take no time at all. If you didn’t, before you hire a professional pool company to do it for you for big bucks, look into investing in your own. They come in different sizes, which are measured in gallons per hour (GPH). You’ll also have the option of choosing a manual or automatic. Automatics are easier as they can sense water down to ⅛ “ and know when to turn off or on. Check out the American, household name cover pump from Black & Decker. It is high quality and won’t break the bank. And you can use it year after year!
A Soft Broom
Now that the water is gone, you’ll need to sweep up any dirt and debris that is left on your swimming pool cover. We want to choose a broom with soft bristles so that we do not damage the cover. Brush thoroughly, because we don’t want any sharp twigs or anything to rip our cover when we wash it.
Winter Cover Cleaner
You’ll want to clean and rinse your cover before safely storing it for the warmer months that your swimming pool is open. You can find a cleaner that is designated for winter pool covers online or at your local swimming pool supply store. Can’t find any? Not to worry. You can substitute car wash soap instead. The point is, we want it to be gentle enough, but still do the trick.
Start-up Chemical Kit
You will need to get the necessary chemicals to start-up your swimming pool so that it is clear and safe. You can buy an actual kit or just buy the items individually. Typically you will need test strips or a reagent test kit, chlorine shock, algaecide, stain and scale prevention and a clarifier. You may also need dry or liquid acid to adjust your swimming pool’s pH. It all depends on the initial test readings.
Pool Gasket Lubricant
Before we turn on our equipment, we need to male sure our o-rings are lubricated. This includes the cover lid pump o-ring and filter tank o-ring. The lubricant should be silicone based and usually comes in a tube with blue writing. The tube that comes with red writing is used for our valves such as our backwash valve, if applicable.
Thread Seal Tape
This is used around the base of your pressure gauge on your swimming pool filter. It helps it have a nice tight fit without allowing water out or air in. It is also referred to as “plumber’s tape”.
A Telescopic Pole with a Skimmer and Brush Attachments
Take a look at your telescopic pole and your attachments like your leaf rake, skimmer and brushes. If they are old and crusty, ripped or torn, it is time to replace them. There is a really cool kit that comes with heavy duty cleaning equipment with the newest brush technology of 360 degree scrubbing action. Check it out here.
It even comes with test strips and a thermometer! This would also be the time to attach your automatic pool cleaner if you are still using an old fashioned suction cleaner. Hopefully, you have a robotic cleaner and can put it in for a speedy cleaning cycle and then get it out of the pool and out of your way. Think you can’t afford a robotic cleaner? Think again!
All right, time to turn on the equipment and grab our swimsuits! Don’t forget to program your variable speed pump for warmer temperatures. Still have the old technology of a single speed pump? Check out our other blogs and find out how you could be saving big time. See you poolside!
