As the ground (finally) begins to thaw, we all begin to anticipate the long, warm summer days that lie before us. It’s perfectly natural to start dreaming about long nights laughing with friends on a patio and afternoons lounging beside the pool, ideally with a crisp, cool drink in our hands. Unfortunately, before you can make those dreams a reality, some work needs to be done.
Before your pool is ready to be enjoyed, you need to help it shake off the winter blues and get ready for the demands of summer. After all, your pool has been sitting for months, waiting for the sun and warmth to return, just like you, and just like you, it needs a little TLC before it’s ready to soak in that sunshine once more. The good news is that the experts at D&D Pools in Orangeville are ready to support you throughout the season, whatever your needs may be.
The other piece of good news is that you won’t have to wait long to get started. As soon as the ice melts, you should remove your pool cover. The longer that your pool sits covered and forgotten as the temperature rises, the more likely that algae will grow, welcoming you with a green and murky pool when you finally do remove that cover – not fun.
No matter what your water looks like when you get that cover off, your job is going to be the same – clean up the water and balance your pH levels. The good news is that you don’t have to do this on your own if you don’t want to. As long as you ensure that your water level is above the jets, D&D Pools will open your pool for you; they will also help you get a head start on balancing your water. All they need is a sample of your pool water to get started, leaving you free to spend your time on more important matters, such as deciding what you’re going to wear when you can finally invite people to your pool again.
However, if you’ve already got all your outfits planned and like to do things yourself, D&D Pools has shared their quick guide for opening your pool to help you get started, and it starts with one word: chlorine.
At the end of the day, the only thing that is going to clean your pool of winter algae and growth is chlorine. Once your cover is off, you’re going to check that your water level is above the jets (true whether you’re doing things yourself or calling D&D Pools), and then you need to shock your pool with chlorine. To properly shock your pool, you will need 40L of liquid chlorine or 4 packs/cups of crystals for every 40L of water in your pool. If your water is particularly green this spring, you can double this amount.
As the chlorine does its work, don’t be surprised if some organic matter you couldn’t see before begins to appear. Be sure to skim and remove this – algae will continue to grow so long as organic matter remains in your pool.
Only once your water is clear, which will take several days, can you start balancing your pool. Again, even if you choose to shock your pool yourself, D&D Pools can help with this as long as you provide them with a water sample.
Even once your pH levels are balanced, your work isn’t done. It’s important to stay on top of chlorine and keep your pool balanced all summer long to get full enjoyment out of it. Again, if you’d rather enjoy your pool without the hassle, D&D Pools is available to provide regular maintenance checks throughout the season, leaving you free to enjoy the sun and water.
Regardless of whether you want to be a hands-on or hands-off pool owner, D&D Pools is here to support you throughout the swimming season. Their store is fully stocked with any product that you might need to maintain your pool. One of their more popular items includes Low and Slow, a product that helps manage acidic water. Low & Slow is so popular because local water tends to have a high acidic level, requiring a larger volume of product to manage it. If you’re looking to stock up on products like Low and Slow for the season, be sure to check out D&D Pool’s annual sale. This year, it will take place on Saturday, May 2nd.
The warm weather will be here before you know it. As long as you keep these tips in mind, you will be in the perfect position to enjoy your pool from the first warm days of spring until the last lingering days of fall.
WRITTEN BY: JILLIAN KENT | RESOURCES/PHOTOS: D&D POOLS & SPAS
