Hurricane season in Southeast Texas is definitely a concern for many residents. With the season approaching, it is important to start preparing your pool for any potential storms that could be coming your way. While hurricanes have the potential to cause actual damage to your pool, there are some steps you can take to try and lessen the impact. Here are a few tips on how to prepare and recover your pool in case of a hurricane!
Pool Prep Before the Hurricane
Hurricane season is a stressful time for everyone, but pools can present an added stress to their owners as they face the potential damage to their pools.
Do Not Drain the Pool
Keeping the water in the pool gives it weight to keep it in the ground. By emptying your pool, there is a possibility your pool could end up lifting off of its foundation.
Store All of Your Pool Accessories
Take all of your pool floats, toys, and accessories out of the pool before the hurricane begins and store them in a dry place. This includes safely storing your pool covers and reels to keep them in good condition for after the storm.
Add Extra Chlorine to the Pool
Add extra chlorine and circulate the pool as much as you can before the storm comes to keep the pool water sanitary and keep algae from growing too much in your pool. Then, turn the power off at the circuit breaker when the storm nears.
Leave Your Pool Uncovered
While you might think it would help to keep your pool covered to protect it from the elements of the storm, doing this can actually do more harm than good. If something falls on your cover, it can not only damage the cover, but also cause it to sink to the bottom of your pool, which is no fun to clean up.
Pool Prep After the Hurricane
After the storm passes, don’t be alarmed if your pool looks like the swamplands! While it might seem overwhelming, the faster you can start cleaning debris and sanitizing the water, the easier your pool will recover. Here are a few tips on recovering your pool.
Do Not Drain the Pool
Once more, while it might seem easier to just drain the dirty water out of your pool instead of cleaning it, it can actually cause some serious damage. Like before, since the water table under your pool has probably risen, by draining your pool, you can actually lead to the entire pool popping out of the ground. If the water in your pool is above the skimmer line though, you can drain it a little to get it back to an appropriate level.
Skim, Brush, and Vacuum the Pool
Use a skimmer to try and remove as much debris that may have fallen into your pool as possible. After this, brush your entire pool to loosen the dirt from the walls and floor. Then, either vacuum your pool or turn on your automatic cleaner. If you need help with this, call us at Crocodile Pools so we can get your pool brushed and vacuumed as soon as possible!
Clean Skimmer Baskets
Empty your skimmer baskets before turning your pump back on because if the baskets are clogged, they will end up restricting water flow to your pump and filter.
Balance and Shock the Pool Water
Once you have rid your pool of debris, start looking at balancing and sanitizing the water. Even if your pool looks clean at this point, the debris from the hurricane probably left a lot of organic contaminants and bacteria in the water, so adding a strong dose of pool shock is a good idea.
Run the Pump and Filter Until the Water Is Clean
Finally, let your pump and filter run continuously until the pool water is completely clean. If your pool was extremely dirty, this process can take a few days, so don’t be worried if the water doesn’t clear up in only a few hours.
In the case of a hurricane, contact us at Crocodile Pools to help clean your pool up to take the stress off you! We’ll get your pool back to the peaceful oasis it was before any big storms!
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