Is Your Pool Ready For Hurricane Season?

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

• 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.