How to begin getting your swimming pool ready to open for the spring

If you’re anything like us here at Pool Warehouse, no doubt you will have noticed that notoriously grey and drizzly British weather becoming… maybe just slightly less so, in recent weeks. All the while, it seems that we’re actually seeing some genuine lightness in the sky outside of our weekday working hours.

 

Yes, you know what we’re about to get at here… we’re approaching the time when you might be thinking seriously about opening your pool again. 

Of course, we’re probably not at that stage just yet, at least if you’re reading this in February. But there are definitely some things you can be looking to do right now in the run-up to the big ‘reopening’ of your pool when the better spring conditions hit in earnest. 

 

Make these checks before you reopen your pool for another season 

 

Presuming you have done all the responsible things to ‘winterise’ your pool – in other words, close it for the colder and wetter months – there hopefully won’t be too many things you need to do to prepare it for the spring. However, there will be at least some final checks you need to make. 

Those will include taking a look at the filter, pump and heating system, to make sure there aren’t any cracks or other indicators of frost or ice damage. It is also likely that debris – such as leaves, stones and dirt – will have accumulated on the winter pool cover over those months of pool closure. 

Too much debris building up on your pool cover could cause it to bow and even potentially rip in the middle, so you should be alert to this and remove debris quickly as it appears. 

The right chemicals will also be integral to a successful ‘reopening’ 

 

There’s a lot more that you might need to be aware of in relation to the use of chemicals for the reopening of your pool, than we have the room to go into here; that’s why we recommend pool owners download our guide to swimming pool chemistry, so that they are fully informed. 

 

Nonetheless, in terms of basic advice, if your pool runs on chlorine, it is likely to be a good idea to first dose your pool with what is known as Shock Chlorine, in order to kill off any algae spores and bacteria that could be lingering in hard-to-reach areas of your pool. The idea is to aim to start your new pool swimming season with water that is as sterile as possible. You could then add algaecide to your pool to guard against algae growing again in the water. 

 

Not all swimming pools run on chlorine, of course; some run on bromine, which is very similar to chlorine. Sure enough, our online range of pool supplies in the UK also includes bromine tablets, and even if your pool is a bromine one, you can still follow the aforementioned two-step process of using shock chlorine, and then algaecide. It is crucial, however, to avoid mixing chlorine with bromine in their powdered forms, given the risk of dangerous chemical reactions.  

 

Get shopping for those essentials now, with Pool Warehouse

 

The above is not an exhaustive explanation of everything you will need to think about before reopening your pool for the spring; hopefully, though, it will give you the inspiration and information you need to get on with your preparations! 

The warmer months are looming at last. Our team here at Pool Warehouse would therefore urge you to shop for the essential pool supplies in the UK right now, so that you don’t find yourself short of anything you need for your pool as the outdoor conditions hot up.