You’re at work and you remember you forgot to cover the swimming pool. That may not always be a bad idea, but the weather reports are calling for a stom. Do you need to leave work or call someone to take care of the pool? It depends on whether it’s a typical storm or if the weather forecaster is calling for a monsoon or a powerful storm or a hurricane.
The type of storm you are faced with in the area of the country in which you live will dictate the level of concern you need to have about your swimming pool.
If you have enough notice that a storm is brewing, you can take steps to cover and protect the pool to keep the rain and debris from getting in. You can also take care of the furniture and pool toys and close up and remove any umbrellas. Keeping debris that could damage the pool and its lining is one of the most important concerns because if debris falls into the pool it could lead to costly repairs.
Do I Need A Pool Cleaning After It Rains?
If you can’t make it home to cover and protect the swimming pool, here are a few items to think about that will help you decide whether an additional swimming pool cleaning from your service pro is in order.
- Clean it. When is your pool service contractor scheduled to pay a visit? If it’s within a day you may just want to skim out debris, remove any large branches or items that have fallen in and ride it out. If you’re not certain, give him a call and ask his advice on whether a service visit should be scheduled sooner than the one that’s planned. If you clean the pool yourself, you will want to remove debris, brush the pool walls and floor then vacuum up any dirt and small debris.
- Test it. Once you’ve cleaned out the debris — or your pool contractor has — test the water chemistry. If the cover was off and the pool is filled with rainwater, the chemistry will most definitely need to be addressed. You need to assure the pool chemistry is within proper levels at all times. Even a day of improper pool chemistry can lead to algae and bacteria growth. Rain in the pool can “water it down” and that will mean you need more chemicals to get it back in balance.
- Pump it. If your pool has too much water in it, you will want to grab your pump and pump out additional water. A pool with too much water leads to the equipment working harder than it has to and also means you need to use more chemicals than you necessarily would.
Weather to worry about
If light showers or a drizzling rain is predicted, you probably won’t have too much to worry about. If, however, heavy rains and high winds that could lead to flying debris is predicted you will want to consider covering the pool, removing any potential flying objects and perhaps calling your pool contractor for an additional service visit.
Preparing for the storm
If a major storm is predicted, here are some steps to take:
- Remove pool furniture and cushions from the pool space so it doesn’t blow into the pool
- Move potted plants out of harm’s way
- Cover the swimming pool
- Store all pool toys, games and pool floating toys
- Disconnect the electrical power from the pool — this is especially true if an electrical storm is predicted. Turn the power off at the pump before the storm hits.
- Add algaecide to the pool to prevent algae growth after the storm.
Stay out!
Some people love to swim in the midst of a rain storm but that may not be safe. You may not know when lightning will accompany the storm and that could come unexpectly and lead to dangerous conditions. Stay indoors and out of the water until the storm has passed.