Summer is right around the corner. Now is the perfect time to think about making an appointment to open your residential swimming pool. This helps to ensure it’s ready to go when warm summer weather hits. If you are a new pool owner, you may wonder what is involved with opening a pool for the season. Here are a few of the steps our pool professionals follow when opening your home’s swimming pool.

Removing the Pool Cover

The first step to opening your residential swimming pool is removing the pool cover. This may sound simple enough, but keep in mind, your cover may have debris and puddled water sitting on it after a long winter. A professional will carefully remove the cover, keeping as much debris out of your pool as possible.

Removing Expansion Plugs

When your pool is closed for the winter, expansion plugs, also called freeze plugs, are placed in skimmers and wall returns. They help to protect the plumbing in the pool and keep these elements from expanding when temperatures dip below freezing outside. When your pool is being opened for the season, these plugs need to be removed.

Inspecting Your Pool and Pool Equipment

The next step is to inspect your pool and equipment. A professional will check everything to ensure it’s in good condition. If there are cracks or issues, those issues will need to be repaired before the pool can be used.

Turning the Pump On

If the inspection goes well, our team will replace or clean the filter in your pool pump. We will then turn your pool pump on and get the water circulating. When we first turn the pump on, we will carefully watch the pump to ensure there are no leaks. Pumps can freeze in the winter, leading to cracking.

Cleaning the Pool and Adding Chemicals

The final step to opening a residential swimming pool is cleaning the pool and adding the chemicals. Our team will clean the pool by scrubbing the walls and removing debris. Once the pool is relatively clean, we will add chemicals. A higher amount of chemicals will be needed, as most of the chemicals used prior to winter will have worn off. Calculating the right amount of chemicals is tricky, which is why this process should be left to the pros.

Are you ready to have your residential swimming pool opened and prepped for the summer? At Royal Pool & Spa, serving the Twin Cities area, we can help you with both pool opening and pool closing services, when needed. Contact us today to schedule your appointment to have your pool opened so it will be ready for summer.