There’s a short list of things to do BEFORE and AFTER the storm to protect your pool. Should you need assistance in preparing for, or recovering from a hurricane call the Pool Doctor at (239) 574-1133.
Before the storm
- Don’t drain your pool. Properly constructed pools have overflows that drain excess water. Code requires that pool decks be constructed to drain water away from the house. Emptying the pool is dangerous because it can “pop” out of the ground by floating on the ground water.
- Turn off power to the pool equipment. Turn off the circuit breaker to the pool equipment. If the motor starts while sitting in a puddle of water, it’s a good bet it will be destroyed.
- Secure the pool area. Remove or secure all furniture, toys and anything else that can blow around. Don’t put metal furniture or glass tops in the pool; they may stain the finish or break.
- Add extra chlorine if possible. Super chlorinating the water will prevent algae from forming. Servicing the pool may be delayed following the storm.
- Prepare your portable spa. Store the spa cover inside or in the garage, because it will blow away. Otherwise, prepare your spa as if it were a pool, using the steps listed above.
After the storm
- Inspect the area. Make sure there are no downed electrical wires or other dangerous hazards. Damaged pool cages have very sharp edges and may collapse. Exercise caution! Call a licensed professional if you have any questions.
- Check and balance the pool water. If you don’t know how to do this, bring a water sample to a pool store. Then you can carefully remove objects or debris in the pool. Again, you may want the help of a professional.
- Check out the electrical system. If the equipment was damaged or underwater, have a licensed professional review it before restarting.
- Reset the timer. If we have an electrical outage, the timer will need to be reset to the correct time or it may run at night instead of the day.
- Monitor the pool for the next few days. You will want to make sure everything is running properly.