The rain and wind that accompany a storm often wash a significant amount of dirt and debris into your pool water, and can potentially cause damage to even the most well-maintained pools. Once the storm is over, it’s important to clean your pool thoroughly in order to prevent any major damage. Here are a few tips for quickly getting your pool swim-ready after a storm.

Skim Debris from the Pool Surface

Use a skimmer or leaf net attached to a telescopic pole to remove leaves, branches, and other debris from your pool’s surface. This first step will save you time later, because any debris left on the surface will sink to the bottom of your pool, increasing the amount of vacuuming you’ll need to do. This is also a good time to check the pump strainer and skimmer baskets, which will have likely become blocked from debris during the storm. It’s also a good idea to brush your pool walls and clear the deck area around your pool, so debris does not continue to drift into water, negating your cleaning efforts.

Check Electrical Equipment and Restore Power

Before turning the power to your pool equipment back on, it’s important to uncover the pump motor and look for signs of water damage. If the equipment appears dry, you can turn the power on, and let your pool’s circulation and filtration systems start cleaning. If you notice signs of water damage, however, don’t turn the pool on and don’t try to dry or clean the equipment, because you could potential injure yourself or damage your pool equipment. Instead, arrange for a licensed electrician to come and inspect your equipment.

Run the Pump and Filter

Get the pump and filter running as soon as possible so debris can begin to be filtered out of the water. If your vacuum is equipped to do so, it can be helpful to vacuum directly to waste, rather than running the water through the filter, which could become clogged by excess debris. The waste function can also be helpful to pump excess rainwater out of the pool. Turn your filter to “waste”, connect your backwash hose, and turn the pump on. You may need to run the system for longer than usual to ensure the water is fully cleaned.

Vacuum the Pool

Once your pool equipment is up and running and your pool water is at the correct level, you can begin vacuuming dirt and debris from the bottom of your pool. Depending on the amount of debris, if you use an automatic pool cleaner, you may end up needing to clean the filter bag frequently. This is why it’s often better to simply vacuum your pool manually. Remember to begin at the shallow end of your pool and move towards the deep end as you vacuum.

Test the Water

Your pool will begin to look much cleaner after vacuuming, but there may still be microscopic contaminants floating around, making it essential that your pool water has the appropriate level of chemicals. Regardless of how recently you balanced your pool water, the dirt and debris that were washed into the water during the storm have likely affected your pool’s water chemistry. Check your pool’s pH levels, and adjust as needed. Have a Question? Do you have questions about how to clean your pool after a storm or maybe need some extra equipment to get the job done?  Discount Pool Supply is here to help. Contact us with your questions or shop online and get free shipping across Canada on thousands of products.