Prepping Your Pool for Winter Storms

Winter may bring joyous holidays and hearty feasts, but it also brings winter storms. Homeowners may face a lot of costly repairs if their pools do not receive the correct preparation prior to an oncoming storm. Island Pools & Patios recommends routine pool maintenance and prep for Wildwood, Cape May, and all Jersey Shore pool owners.

Maintain Pool Water Levels

When you hear a winter storm is on the horizon, your first inclination might be to completely drain the pool to prevent overflowing and flooding. What you may not know is that this can cause serious problems for your pool. The best course of action is to leave the pool water as is. Sufficient water levels are essential in providing enough weight to hold the pool liner, especially if there are extremely high winds present.

Storms that bring heavy rain will cause the water table — the saturated ground between groundwater and land — to rise. As the water table rises, the pool will rise with it, and the storm could possibly dislodge it from its foundation. Not only that, but pool water will prevent large debris from damaging the pool walls and floor.

If you’re seriously concerned about flooding, you can decrease the water level by one to two feet at a maximum.

Turn Off Pool Devices

Certain pool equipment is built to be water-resistant, but no electrical systems or automatic devices can handle extensive water damage. Devices such as pumps, motors, filters, and heaters should be turned off and covered in plastic before the oncoming storm. It’s more costly to repair electrical pool equipment than to take a few moments to disconnect it.

Shock Your Pool

Winter storms can contaminate your pool with a host of bacteria. To maintain a healthy swimming environment, it is recommended that you shock your pool. The term “shock” refers to over-chlorinating your water so all germs are destroyed. Homeowners who use their swimming pools frequently should also be doing this at least once a week during open pool season.

Move Pool Furniture

Anything that’s not welded down or secured to the ground can be carried away by high winds. Heavy outdoor furniture and other pool accessories can cause serious damage to the pool walls, your home, vehicles, and others if they are flung around by the storm. Take care to secure all freestanding items in an indoor facility. Some homeowners opt to place their pool furniture in the pool. While this is safer than leaving unsecured objects outside, be warned that the chemicals in the pool water may be damaging to the furniture.

Vent Your Screens

Is your pool enclosed in a screened area? Storms can easily rip through screens and doors. Create a vent by removing any panels to possibly salvage your screen. If you have any questions about winter storm prep, give us a call. As a leading weekly pool service company in Avalon, our trained professionals can provide all the tips you need to enjoy a healthy pool environment.