In a country with a climate as lovely as Australia’s, pools rarely stay covered for longer than a couple of months during winter. When the temperature starts climbing above 20 degrees, we Aussies love nothing more than a hot, sunny Saturday in the pool. That’s why we recommend  preparing your pool for summer as soon as spring rolls around. To help you get your pool balanced, safe and sparkling-clean, we’re sharing a simple, five-step process of how to get a pool ready for summer.

Getting your pool for summer: four steps

Step 1: Clean the pool and filter

Once you’ve taken the cover off, you may find that the water has taken on a green tinge. We’ll deal with that soon – for now, use your leaf catcher to skim leaves and debris out of the water. Then, open the pool filter and remove the leaves from the skimmer basket. It will need to be clear to ensure it won’t get clogged with debris once you turn it on in the next stage. If the walls have stains, brush them down. 

[If the pool is green, give the walls a brush down and wait until all the algae has settled at the bottom. Add some chlorine or increase the production rate on your chlorinator and run the pump for 24 hours to kick off the algae removal process. Then continue to step 2.]

Related: Fixing a green pool

Step 2: Balance the water

Now it’s time to restore balance. To balance pool chemicals, test the water – either with a test strip or by taking a sample into your local pool shop – and add the amount of each chemical recommended on the label or by your pool technician. The aim is to balance the pH, free chlorine, calcium and alkalinity levels, as well as salt for salt water pools. 

Step 3: Run the pool pump

Fill your pool up to the desired level if the water has fallen. Add the recommended dosage of chlorine and turn the pump on, leaving it to run for at least 24 hours. Continue to fish out leaves with your net whenever they show up and check and clear the filter and skimmer basket throughout.

Step 4: Monitor colour and chemical balance

Before you jump back in for a swim, monitor the chemical balance and water colour for a week or two. It may take a while for the water to clear and the chemicals to balance, especially if the pool was green.

Once the water is clear again, it’s time to finish preparing your pool for summer.

Step 5: Final vacuum and scrub

Get back out there with your cleaning tools and give the walls and floor a good scrub. Put the pool vacuum in for a thorough clean. Then, add the creepy crawly and your pool is ready to go.

Great work – you’ve officially finished preparing your pool for summer! Now, go and enjoy the first swim of the season.

Too time-poor for the above? You’re not alone. We help hundreds of Aussies get more out of their pool with pool maintenance services, and we’ll prepare your pool for summer quicker than you can say “crystal clear!”. Get in touch on our website and one of our friendly technicians will call back to arrange a booking.