Open a Swimming Pool
Swimming is a fun activity, especially for children. Opening your own swimming pool can be fun for you, and other families, too!
Steps
- Drain water from top of pool cover and remove leaves and debris.
- Inspect filter and pump for any damaged/worn parts.
- Change or clean filter media if needed.
- Fill pool with cover still on to raise water level to 2/3 up skimmer.
- Purchase new parts, chemicals, and supplies for the season.
- Take cover off, hose off and store. (Do not leave cover laying on grass - it will kill grass.)
- Remove winter plugs by loosening the wing-nuts and then pulling out plugs. The plugs are located in the return ports on the sides of the pool usually about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} below the skimmers. Also check for plugs in the skimmer ports.
- Install eyeball jets in return ports in the sides of the pool where you removed the plugs. Adjust jets to point toward the surface of the water to slightly disturb the water surface.
- Install plugs in bottom of filter, pump, and basket. Plugs are usually stored in the basket over winter.
- Install pressure gauge and clear plastic port.
- Install air bleed valve and back out a few turns.
- Open all valves.
- Fill filter basket with water.
- Set valve to waste. If a plastic hose is available install on waste port with hose clamp and route hose to yard. A large volume of water will exit this hose when pump is turned on.
- Turn on pump. Water will spray out of air bleed valve. Leave valve open until air is removed - approximately 3 minutes.
- Turn off pump.
- Set valve to filter.
- Restart pump.
- Run filter continuously for 24 hours, back-washing as needed (backwash or clean the filter each time the pressure rises 10 psi) to keep filter media clean.
- Clean debris from bottom of pool with leaf bag.
- Shock pool, scrub sides.
- Shut pump off to allow dead algae to settle overnight. Vacuum the algae the next day and begin filtering again.
- Repeat steps 20-22 until water clears.
- Adjust chlorine levels to maintain 1.0-2.0ppm and pH to 7.2-7.6.
- Add algaecide and monitor pool every week for chlorine use, pH and clarity. Adjust filtering times, you may only need to filter 6-10 hours a day for the rest of the summer.
Tips
- Removing leaves and debris from cover is easier if a leaf net is used over the pool cover.
