When Spring comes in Washougal, OR, it is open pool time. When you are getting ready for open pool time, you might begin to feel impatient, but making sure you do it the right way is going to save you a lot of time, money and effort. In this article, we are going to talk with you about opening your pool and making sure that you get off to a good start this open pool season.
Open Pool Time – Things You Need to Know
While you may wish that you were able to fill up your pool and jump in, it isn’t going to be as easy as that. You are going to need to take a few more steps before you get wet.
Check Your Chemicals
Before hopping in the pool for open pool season, you should test your water. You may want to test your water on your own or you might consider taking a sample of the water into your local pool shop so they can test the water for you. Many of them are going to test it for you for free and of course, they will often recommend products you can buy from them to help you get the results you want.
No Emptying the Pool
Unless you are needing to do construction or upgrading on your pool, you do not want to empty your pool. You could cause some big problems if you drain your pool like causing the pool to pop out of the ground because of the high water table that will lift it out of the ground without water weight holding it down.
Clean Up Around the Pool
Before you take the cover off your pool, make sure you clean up any debris from around the pool so it does not blow into your pool. You don’t want to fish out more debris than is necessary.
Remove the Pool Cover
Now you can remove the pool cover. Store the cover and make sure that you do not let it get damaged. Before you put it up, make sure it is dry so it does not mold or mildew.

Photo courtesy of homedesignlover.com
Fill Your Pool Up
Your pool could have lost some of its water throughout the time it was closed up but now that it is open pool time, you need to grab your garden hose or other pool source and make sure that you fill it. Having water below the recommended level can cause problems with your pool.
Begin Filtration & Vacuum the Pool
It is time to power up the pool system and start the pump and filter system. You need to check for leaks, hoses that have split and any cracks. Pieces of equipment may be damaged or operating improperly and if they are, turn the power off and call a technician. Once everything is up and working, it is time to hook up your vacuum and vacuum the entire pool to clean the walls with a wall brush.