On April 25th, we celebrated National Pool Opening Day, but this year was different in the Tri-Cities and Southwest, Virginia. Our Temps soared to the mid 80s in early April and customers opened pools at least a month earlier than in years past. For those who are extending their season and for those about to open, we want to help you have a great season, so here are 10 pro tips for achieving success during your pool opening:
- Open your pool early. The longer your cover stays on the pool, the warmer the water gets. Because the pool is not circulating and being treated, the water is more likely to grow algae and turn cloudy, green, or even black.
- Once the cover is removed, cleaned, folded and stored, set the circulation and filtration system into operation as soon as possible.
- Install all handrails and ladders. If the pool has a vinyl liner, make sure the rubber bumpers are installed on the ladder before installation.
- If the pool has cartridge filters, make sure they are clean (degreased) or if they are old, replace them. As the pool begins to clear up, you may need to clean the filters regularly until the water is clear.
- If the pool has a sand filter, backwash regularly as the pool clears up. If the sand has not been changed in the last 3 to 5 years, it may be time to change it.
- Keep an eye on the skimmer baskets and the pump basket. Empty them and clean them as necessary.
- Once the pool is circulating with good, clean filtration, oxidize the water. For most people in the Tri-Cites, oxidizing is done with chlorine shock. If you do not know which oxidizer to use, please reach out to us and we can guide you through that process.
- Bring your water to our lab for a free computerized water analysis so we can help you balance your water.
- From there, monitor your water chemistry and filtration for the first week or two to make sure you have a residual of oxidizer/sanitizer and the filter stays clean.
- If your pool needs to be vacuumed, it’s best to vacuum by hand the first time. Automatic pool cleaners are designed to keep a pool clean, not clean one up after being closed.
This list is certainly not exhaustive, but should help you get off to a good start with your pool for the 2026 season. If you don’t want to tackle the pool opening, we can take care of it for you. You can call 423-542-2391 option 4 or go to our website at www.isaacspools.net, go to services, and schedule a pool opening there.