Poolmanual.com recommends that you contract your local pool professionals and pay them to open your pool, especially the equipment start-up. You can save money by removing your own winter cover and by installing your own hand rails and ladders (and perhaps the diving board and the in-pool light. Actually, the diving board and in-pool light should remain permanently installed; there is more wear-and-tear on the hardware with constant removal and installation). But, for putting the equipment back together and starting the equipment, it really is best to pay your local pool professionals to make sure that the pool is PROPERLY opened, started, and operational.
If you do decide to open the pool yourself, follow these recommendations:
TAKING OFF A SAFETY COVER: Here are the steps to removing a safety cover:
- With your Safety Cover removal tool, detach the springs from the anchors for ¾ of the pool.
- If you have a rectangle pool, detach 3 of the 4 sides-perhaps the two long sides and one short side.
- If you have any other shape of pool, leave ¼ of the springs attached to the anchors.
- Walk the cover to the side that is still anchored.
- Detach the springs from the remaining side.
- Take the mesh cover to a flat surface (like your driveway or an area in your backyard).
- Lay the cover out flat, and hose it off.
- Use your pool brush to loosen any apparent stains or discolorations.
- Rinse the cover off.
- Turn the cover over, and repeat the spray-brush-rinse procedure for this side of the cover as well.
- Fold the cover so it is manageable and easy to store.
- With your allen-wrench, or better yet, with a cordless drill, screw down all your anchors into the pool deck.
TAKING OFF A WATERBAG COVER: Here are the steps to removing a waterbag cover:
- Rain water and melted snow must be removed from this solid cover. Using a submersible pump will allow you to pump the water off the cover. You will also need to use your telepole and brush to remove the leaves and other large debris. Using the telepole and brush, pull all the leaves towards you. Then, scoop them up and place them in a trash bag. Be prepared to get dirty. Also, be careful not to step on the cover-secure yourself on the pool deck. Make sure the great majority of leaves and debris are removed. Waterbag covers are heavy and difficult to remove. If you drop the cover in the pool, you do not want the leaves and debris to fall in as well.
- Remove the waterbags (or sandbags, or whatever you used for weight), from ¾ of the pool.
- If you have a rectangle pool, remove the waterbags from 3 of the 4 sides: perhaps the 2 long sides and 1 of the short sides.
- If you have any other shape of pool, remove the waterbags from ¾ of the pool.
- Walk the cover to the side with the waterbags still intact.
- Remove the waterbags from the remaining side.
- Take the waterbag cover to a flat surface (like your driveway or an area in your backyard).
- Lay the cover out flat, and hose it off.
- Use your pool brush to loosen any apparent stains or discolorations.
- Rinse the cover off.
- Turn the cover over, and repeat the spray-brush-rinse procedure for this side of the cover as well.
- Fold the cover so it is manageable and easy to store.
- Remove the water from the waterbags.
- Clean all the waterbags.
- Store the waterbags near the cover.
TAKING OFF A "FOXX" COVER: "Foxx" pools is a national manufacturer of inground pools. They put a special track on top of the pool walls. This track holds the "Foxx" winter cover in place. The "Foxx" cover has a lip, which tucks into this special track. Here are the steps to removing a "Foxx" cover:
- Rain water and melted snow must be removed from this solid cover. Using a submersible pump will allow you to pump the water off the cover. You will also need to use your telepole and brush to remove the leaves and other large debris. Using the telepole and brush, pull all the leaves towards you. Then, scoop them up and place them in a trash bag. Be prepared to get dirty. Also, be careful not to step on the cover-secure yourself on the pool deck. Make sure the great majority of leaves and debris are removed. "Foxx" covers are extremely heavy and difficult to remove. If you drop the cover in the pool, you do not want the leaves and debris to fall in as well.
- Remove the "Foxx" cover from ¾ of the pool. Undo the lip of the cover from the track on the top of the pool walls.
- If you have a rectangle pool, remove the "Foxx" cover from 3 of the 4 sides: perhaps the 2 long sides and 1 of the short sides.
- If you have any other shape of pool, remove the cover from ¾ of the pool.
- Walk the cover to the side with the "Foxx" cover still intact in the track.
- Undo the lip from the remaining side.
- Take the "Foxx" cover to a flat surface (like your driveway or an area in your backyard).
- Lay the cover out flat, and hose it off.
- Use your pool brush to loosen any apparent stains or discolorations.
- Rinse the cover off.
- Turn the cover over, and repeat the spray-brush-rinse procedure for this side of the cover as well.
- Fold the cover so it is manageable and easy to store.
FILLING THE POOL WITH A GARDEN HOSE: Once you have removed your cover, you will need to take a running garden hose and fill your pool to the standard operating water level-half way up the skimmer.
WHAT TO DO WHILE THE POOL IS FILLING: These are items you can take care of while the water level is filling:
- Remove the winter plugs from the return jets.
- Install the eyeballs for the return jets. Manually move the eyeball toward the TOP of the water level and to the RIGHT (your right, while you are standing over the pool, looking down over the return jet). Having your return jets face this direction will keep your pool water turning counter-clockwise, which will allow your skimmer to work to its maximum capacity.
- Remove the gizzmo(s) (winter plug) from the skimmer(s).
- Put the skimmer basket(s) in the skimmer(s).
- Install your ladder(s).
- Install your hand rail(s).
- (If you removed your diving board, install the diving board). Due to the wear-and-tear on the hardware to remove and remount the diving board each year, manufacturers are now recommending to leave the diving board attached continuously.
- (If you removed your light, install the light). Due to the wear-and-tear on the hardware to remove and remount the light, manufacturers are now recommending to leave the light mounted continuously.
- Install the drain plug(s) on your pump-some pumps have 2 drain plugs.
- Install the drain plug/cap on your filter.
- Install the pressure guage on the filter.
- (If your filter is equipped with an air relief valve and/or a sight glass, install them on the filter).
- (If you have a heater, reconnect the pressure switch in the heater).
- Add your initial chemicals. For most regions, an initial dose of 2 LBS of shock (3 LBS for those pools over 35,000 gallons of water) and 1 quart of a super strength (polymer) Algaecide is plenty of chemical to hold you over until you can prime the equipment. Some regions also recommend a Metal Sequestering Agent, which really is a good idea for any region.
- Since the water level is still too low for start-up, and the equipment is obviously turned "off," this is a good time to move your multiport handle from its current position to "Recirculate" (or "Whirlpool"). Remember, "Recirculate" (or "Whirlpool") bypasses the filter. It will be easier to draw a prime by bypassing the filter.
ELIMINATING AIR FROM THE FILTER: If your filter is equipped with an air relief valve, open it up to eliminate some of the air from the filter. Once opened, you will hear the air releasing. Once water squirts out of the air relief valve, any excess air is eliminated. Close the air relief valve. NOTE: If your filter is not equipped with an air relief valve, then do not worry about this procedure-it is helpful, but not mandatory.
INITIAL WATER CIRCULATION: Your pool water has been dormant for many months. Regardless of your belief on "equipment run time," MAKE SURE the equipment is operational 24 hours per day and 7 days per week during this initial week or so. Again, poolmanual.com still sides with the continuous equipment run time at all times. But if you are an expert with your chemicals, as you all soon will be, and you side with the 8-10 hour equipment run time, during this initial week (or however long it takes you to transform your water from murky to clean, clear, blue, and sparkling), allow the equipment to run continuously.
INITIAL CHEMICAL ADDITIONS: You have already added your shock and an algaecide (and perhaps a Metal Sequestering Agent). Once the equipment is operational, add your chlorine (or its alternative). Allow the chlorine (or its alternative) level to run just a bit higher than normal (approximately 1.0 ppm ABOVE the ideal ppm reading) during the initial week (or so). After 24-48 hours of maintaining a slightly higher chlorine (or its alternative) level, take a water sample to your local pool professionals and have them test your chemicals-all of your chemicals-on the computer. Listen to their advice on initial and subsequent chemical additions. After the initial week or so, lower your chlorine (or its alternative) level back into the ideal range (2.0-3.0 ppm). Constantly monitor all of the necessary chemicals-as you should always do anyway.
INITIAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE: Once the shock and algaecide (and perhaps a Metal Sequestering Agent) have been added, once your equipment is operational, and once an initial dose of chlorine (or its alternative) have been added, brush the pool walls and floor-stir up any dirt, debris, or algae so that the chemicals can kill them and the filter can remove them. Monitor the chlorine (or its alternative) level, as well as all other chemicals daily. Once the chlorine (or its alternative) and the shock, as well as the water balancing chemicals (pH, Alkalinity, and Hardness) begin to allow you to see the floor of the pool, vacuum the pool. If you still cannot see the floor, even if it has not been a week, if you need to, add more shock (1 LB per 10,000 gallons of water). If the dirt and debris, and perhaps algae, on the floor are thick and heavy, then vacuum the pool to waste. With continual water circulation, the addition of chemicals, and routine maintenance, your pool water will turn clean, clear, blue, and sparkling in no time at all-this universal recipe is ALWAYS the best for achieving and maintaining water chemistry.
LIABILITY WITH OPENING YOUR OWN POOL: Your pool was a multi-thousand dollar investment. A pool opening is also an investment, versus a service call. Since the water has been stagnant for months, it is more difficult to prime your pump during the opening. You are much better off paying your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED pool professionals to perform your pool opening. Ask yourself this: Am I really better off saving myself a couple hundred dollars and risk the chance to do thousands of dollars worth of damage? Let poolmanual.com answer this question for you. NO, you are not-contract your local pool professionals and pay them to open your pool.
OPENING AN ABOVEGROUND POOL: Most aboveground pool owners will contract and pay their local pool professionals to open their pool. If you decide to open your own aboveground pool, keep these tips in mind:
- Remove the cover. Since an aboveground winter cover is a solid tarp, you may need a submersible pump to remove any rain water or melted snow from the cover. You may also need to use your telepole and your brush to remove any leaves or other large debris that may have collected on the winter cover. Using your telepole and brush, pull all these leaves and other debris to you so that you can scoop them up and place them in a garbage bag. Be prepared to get dirty. Once all water, leaves, dirt, and other debris are removed from the winter cover, remove the winter cover.
- Reinstall your plumbing and your equipment. You will need to reconnect:
- A hose from your skimmer to the suction side of your pump.
- A hose from the discharge side of your pump to your filter.
- A hose from your filter to the return jet.
- If you have a heater and/or an automatic chemical feeder, these will be attached after the filter.
- Make sure all of the drain plugs/caps are installed in the bottom of your pump and filter. If you have an automatic chemical feeder, make sure all the parts are re-installed. If you use a heater, make sure the pressure switch is re-attached and any parts are re-installed. Also, if you have either an automatic chemical feeder and a heater, or both, make sure the plumbing hoses attach every item together.
- With your garden hose, fill the pool to the standard operating water level-half way up the skimmer.
- While the water is filling, perform the following tasks:
- Install the ladder (or the in-pool step that is now available with aboveground pools).
- Add your initial chemicals:
- One quart of a super-strength (Polymer) Algaecide
- 2 LBS of a chlorine-based shock
- Perhaps a Metal Sequestering Agent. Some regions require the addition of a Metal Sequestering Agent. Actually, it is a good idea to add a Metal Sequestering Agent in any region.
- Clean your winter cover:
- Take your winter cover and lay it flat on your driveway or in the back yard.
- Spray off the winter cover.
- Use your brush to loosen any apparent stains or discolorations.
- Rinse off the winter cover.
- Turn the cover over and repeat the spray-brush-rinse pattern for this side of the cover as well.
- Fold and store your winter cover.
- Once filled to the standard operating water level, the water will gravity drain out of the pool, into the skimmer, down the plumbing hose, and into the pump. If you have any type of winterizing plug in the bottom of the skimmer, remove the plug. Also, if you have any type of winterizing plug in the return jet, remove the plug. Reinstall the eyeball (opening) in the return jet.
- Reinstall the skimmer basket in the skimmer.
- Turn the power to the equipment "on."
- Once operational, allow the equipment to run continuously-24 hours per day and 7 days per week-during the initial week or so.
- Once operational, add chlorine (or its alternative) to the pool. Allow the chlorine (or its alternative) to run about 1 ppm higher than normal during the first 4-7 days.
- After the first 1-2 days, take a water sample to your local pool professionals and have them test all of your chemicals. Then, listen to their advice on chemical additions.
- Once the water clarity is restored, vacuum any dirt and debris from the pool floor. It will be helpful to brush the pool walls and floor the day before you intend to vacuum. Then, the next day, when the water has resettled, vacuum the pool.
- Once the pool is operational and the water chemistry is in range, resulting in clean, clear, blue, and sparkling water, follow the advice of both poolmanual.com and your local pool professionals in order to maintain this clean, clear, blue, and sparkling water all season long.