What to Do With Pool When it Rains?

Tips on how to take care of your pool before and after a storm hits, and some additional tips for keeping your pool clean and safe all summer long!

It’s no secret that storms can cause a lot of damage. When they pass through an area, they can leave behind downed trees, power outages, and flash flooding. One thing that often gets overlooked in the aftermath of a storm is your swimming pool. If you’re not careful, your pool can become a breeding ground for bacteria and algae after a rainstorm.

The pool is exposed to a variety of pollutants during a storm or flood, including mud, grass clippings, microorganisms, and waste. These pollutants can cause strain on the pool equipment, dirt or mud can accumulate on the bottom of the pool, and can cause staining on the pool walls.

It is important to take measures to prevent these problems from occurring by properly cleaning and/or protecting the pool during a storm or flood.

Take some preventative steps before a storm hits.

If you know that a storm is headed your way, there are some steps you can take to prevent damage to your pool.

1. Make sure that all of your pool toys and accessories are stored away in a safe place. This will help to prevent them from becoming projectiles during high winds. Additionally, you should remove any loose items from around your pool area. This includes things like potted plants, patio furniture, and grilling equipment.
2. If you have a cover for your pool that you can place over it (manually or electronically), it may be a good idea to do so to prevent any large debris from entering your pool during the storm. In the case that it is a major storm like a hurricane, it may be a good idea to remove the pool cover instead. High winds can be powerful enough to destroy a pool cover. If it does manage to stay in place and intact, there is a good chance it will accumulate large amounts of debris and water. It is easier to deal with removing debris from the pool and to sanitize the pool’s water than to try to remove large amounts of water and debris from on top of the pool cover.
3. If you have a saltwater pool, make sure that the chlorine levels are balanced and at the correct level. This will help to prevent bacteria and algae from growing in your pool after the storm has passed.
4. If you have time before the storm hits, you may want to run the pump in “waste” or “backwash” to lower the water level in your pool by a few inches. This will help to prevent any flooding or water damage that could occur during the storm.
5. A few hours before the storm hits shut off power to the pool’s motor, filter, pump, chlorinator and control system. This can be done from the pools breaker. That also goes for any other equipment the pool may have, such as a heater or lighting. This will help prevent damage to these electrical components and automation systems.
6. If there is ample time before the storm hits, trim back or remove tree branches that are close to the pool area. Removing them BEFORE the storm hits is the best way to prevent fallen tree branches and limbs from causing personal injury or from seriously damaging the pool.
7. Remove your pool cleaner and store it in your garage or shed.

Clean your pool after a storm passes through.

Once the storm has passed, it’s important to clean your pool as soon as possible. This will help to prevent any bacteria or debris from contaminating your pool water.

1. Turn off your pool’s pump and filter to prevent any further flooding.
2. Remove any large debris that may have blown into your pool during the storm.
3. Brush the sides and bottom of your pool to remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated.
4. Vacuum your pool to remove any small particles that may be floating in the water.
5. Clean your pool filter to remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated there.
6. Test the pH levels of your pool water to make sure that they are balanced. It is ideal to keep a pools pH level at around 7.5. The reason for this is because the human eye also has a pH level of 7.5.
7. Once the pH and Alkalinity are adjusted shock your pool with chlorine to kill any bacteria that may be present. If there is too large of debris in your pool or something has gone wrong, you may need to drain your pool.

How to Drain Water From Your Pool After a Storm

If your pool has become flooded as a result of a storm and there is too large of debris to pull out yourself or some other reason to drain your pool, it is important to take steps to drain the water as soon as possible. This will help to prevent any further damage from occurring.

Before you do anything, consult with your local water authority first because many municipalities have their own rules about how, when, and where someone can drain their pool. According to thisoldhouse.com, most municipalities will require you to run your pool water through your home’s sewer clean-out line so it will flow to a water treatment plant. Others might allow you to send all that water down the storm drains that line your street. Municipalities may also have water chemical composition regulations. Some may require the water to be chlorine neutral, which would necessitate a lot of chlorine neutralizer.

There are two types of pools you may need to drain: Above-Ground and In-Ground.

Above-Ground Pool

• After making sure you have a water disposal plan, you will need to bring down your pools chemical levels. Regardless of where you dispose of the water, making sure your pool isn’t full of chemicals is a vital step. Make sure it is chlorine neutral and refrain from adding any additional chemicals in the days before draining your pool. According to swimuniveristy.com, if you need a way to speed up the process, consider using a chlorine neutralizer.
• Plan for draining your pool on a day that is not too hot, preferably temperatures below 85 degrees, in order to prevent damage to your pool liner.
• If you have any pool equipment with automatic timers, such as pumps, consider turning them off before you start draining. If the water level falls below the skimmer line and the pump turns on, there is a chance that it could overheat.
• The method in which you drain your pool will depend on how much water you need to drain. If it is only a small amount of water then siphoning it out with a garden hose is a simple and easy option. However, if you need to completely drain the pool, you will want to use a sump pump to speed up the process.

For a more detailed step-by-step guide on draining an above-ground pool, refer to swimuniversity.com article on draining an above ground pool.

In-Ground Pool

• The best way to drain an in-ground pool is with a subversive pump. If you don’t already own a subversive pump, there are places that rent them. Make sure that the power cord is long enough to reach from the bottom of your pool to the outlet. Place the pump on the floor of the pool in the center of the deep end.
• Stay as safe as possible and avoid using any kind of extension cord.
• The submersible pump will have a hose attached to it, make sure that the other end of the hose is placed wherever you will be draining out all of the water. Make sure that the hose reaches all of the way, or you will have thousands of gallons of water flowing into places that you don’t want it to be.
• Turn on the submersible pump and start the draining process. Make sure to supervise this process and remain in the area. It may take several hours or even all day, so be patient! Keep an eye on the cords and hose to ensure that the process runs smoothly.
• Once the water reaches a level even too low for the submersible pump, turn it off and remove it from the pool. It is normal for there to be a little bit of water remaining in the pool, and what is left isn’t enough to mess with the chemical balance of your pool in the future.
• Finally, make sure to open the hydrostatic pressure relief valves and keep your pool from popping up.

How to prevent algae and bacteria growth in your pool

One of the most common problems that can occur in a pool is the growth of algae. Algae is a type of plant that can form a film on the surface of the water and can lead to bacteria growth. This can make the pool unsafe for swimming and can be difficult to clean. There are several ways to prevent algae from growing in your pool, and it is important to take steps to maintain a clean and healthy pool all season long.

• Remove all debris from the pool area, including leaves, branches, and any other objects that may have blown in to prevent this debris from developing algae.
• Clean the filter and skimmer baskets regularly to prevent any bacterial growth before it starts.
• Shock the pool with chlorine to kill any bacteria or algae that may have grown during the rainy weather so it cannot grow any farther.
• Run the pump and filter for at least 24 hours after shocking the pool to ensure that the water is circulating properly.
• Test the pH levels of the water and adjust as needed so that the water is neither too acidic nor too alkaline.

Keep Your Pool Clean and Safe all Season Long!

Maintaining your pool with the right chemicals is essential to keeping it clean and safe for swimming. It is important to use chlorine to shock the pool and keep bacteria levels under control.

Additionally, you will need to use an algaecide to prevent algae from growing in the pool. You can either purchase a pre-mixed algaecide or you can create your own by using a 50/50 mixture of liquid chlorine and household bleach. Be sure to follow the instructions on the algaecide bottle carefully, as using too much or too little can be harmful to the pool.

In addition to cleaning your pool before and after a storm, there are also some things you can do to keep your pool clean all summer long.

• Brush the sides and bottom of your pool at least once a week to remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated.
• Vacuum your pool at least once a week to remove any small particles that may be floating in the water.
• Clean your pool filter at least once a week to remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated there.
• Test the pH levels of your pool water at least once a week to make sure that they are balanced.
• Shock your pool with chlorine at least once a week to kill any bacteria that may be present.

Swimming Pool Professional Looking for Advice?

If you are in the swimming pool business we also have some advice for you! If you feel like you’re drowning in product orders, timesheets, and other administrative tasks, it’s time to go digital. The right technology stack can help you automate the tedious, time-intensive areas of your pool service business. This will save you time and allow you to earn more revenue by fitting more billable work into every work day.

Smart Service pool and spa service software helps pool service companies handle scheduling, dispatching, and every other aspect of their business.

With the Smart Service app, techs receive work orders on their mobile phones every morning. That means zero confusion about who’s supposed to be where at the beginning of the day.

Once employees complete a job, the Smart Service app sends the finalized paperwork and payment info back to the office, generating an invoice automatically. Digitize your current forms, save everything electronically, and you’ll never have to worry about illegible handwriting again.

The best thing about Smart Service? It’s a QuickBooks add-on! That means all the work done in the system gets duplicated in QuickBooks in real time. Forget about double data entry, forever. Smart Service offers a free demo, so be sure to check it out.

Pool service work is complex. Remove the question marks and headaches from your business by using the right pool service software. You’ll become a more organized, modern business, saving tons of time and earning more money.