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How to open your pool for the season

Clear and remove the cover, bring the water back up, reconnect your equipment, and start the pump. Then clean the pool, balance the water, and swim only once your tests are in range.

Before you start

Important: Pump standing water off the cover as soon as you can. Children can drown in just a few inches of water, so watch children closely around the pool while you open it. When you handle pool chemicals, read and follow each label, wear eye protection and gloves, and never mix different chemicals together.

Steps to open your pool

  1. Clear leaves and debris off the cover with a skimmer net or leaf blower, and pump off any standing water.
  2. Remove the cover carefully, folding it inward so debris does not fall into the pool. Clean it, let it dry completely, and store it somewhere cool and dry.
  3. Refill the pool until the water is about three-quarters of the way up the skimmer opening before you start the pump.
  4. Reconnect the pump, filter, and heater. Remove any winterizing plugs and replace them with the proper fittings, lubricate o-rings and gaskets as needed, and put back the ladders, handrails, and skimmer baskets you stored for the winter.
  5. Prime the pump and start it. Check the equipment for leaks and listen for unusual noises. If you have a sand filter, the opening guide below explains how to set the multiport valve and backwash before regular filtering.
  6. Skim floating debris, brush the walls and floor, and vacuum the pool. Empty the skimmer and pump baskets afterward.
  7. Test the water, then add chemicals one at a time, following each product's label, including shock. Pools with a salt system still need to be shocked.
  8. Run the pump continuously for at least 24 hours, then test again and adjust as needed.

When can we swim?

Wait until your test shows chlorine, pH, and alkalinity are all within the recommended ranges, and follow any directions on your chemical labels. What are the ideal levels of my pool chemicals? lists the ranges.

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Still need help?

Didn't find the answer you were looking for? You can always contact us at support@royalswimmingpools.com or choose the category below to see our most frequently asked questions for that topic: