What Am I Supposed to do with My Pool in the Atlanta Winter? Part Two

In the last post, we discussed how pool owners often neglect their swimming pools during the Atlanta winter months. This causes algae buildup, unsafe water quality, and often time’s equipment damage or failure; leading to possible exorbitant costs when it comes to the spring opening of your outdoor pool.

Everyone gets excited when spring comes around because they are already getting ready for bathing suit season. No pool owner wants to find out their opening is going to be put off because they have to spend a lot of time on cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and possible replacements to ensure the pool is in good working order for swimmers. In “What Am I Supposed to do with My Pool in the Atlanta Winter? Part One,” your local Atlanta Pool service went over the first three steps in preparing your pool for use after neglecting it all winter. Here are the remaining steps.

Top Off the Water

Evaporation happens in pools, even during the cold Atlanta months. You will most likely need to top off your pool, after checking to see how much the water level has fallen. After topping it off, go ahead and turn on your pool cleaner. A professional Atlanta pool services technician should test your water before chemicals are added.

Test the Water

There are multiple ways you can test your water. You can take it to a pool store, get a pool testing kit, or use the experts to determine the chlorine, alkalinity, mineral content, and other chemical levels. This will give a precise picture of what is needed for addition to the pool in chemicals. It is critical to ensure you know exactly what levels of chemicals are needed for your specific pool type. Unbalanced chemicals can cause respiratory problems and skin issues with swimmers, posing severe dangers to their health.

Adding Chemicals

Calcium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and chlorine are just some or all of the pool chemicals that may need to be added to the pool depending on the type of pool you have and the current state of the pool water. The pool test results and specifications for your pool will determine what quantities and which chemicals need to be added in.

After you begin to get Clear Water

After your water begins to get clear, don’t jump right in to swimming quite yet. When a pool has been neglected all winter long, the process of truly cleaning it takes longer than expected, sometimes up to a week or more. Be patient and tend to the pool filter daily until the water is totally clear. The pool will need to be adequately cleaned and have balanced chemicals before anyone should enjoy the waters.

There are many steps necessary to get your pool into the condition required for safe, healthy swimming waters. The structure and equipment need to be in top condition and working order to ensure for the best possible pool operation. Consult a professional Atlanta pool services expert to help with your pool before, during, or after the winter.