Get the app

How to open your pool for the season

Updated:

Opening a pool is mechanical first, then chemical: clean and remove the cover, reconnect and prime the equipment, top off the water, then balance the chemistry and shock. Then give it time to clear.

Step by step

  1. Pump off and remove the coverPump standing water off the cover first, then remove it. Clean and dry it before storing so it lasts another season.
  2. Top off water and reconnect equipmentRefill to the middle of the skimmer, reinstall drain plugs, baskets, and return fittings, then prime and start the pump.
  3. Test and balance the waterTest free chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium and CYA. Bring alkalinity to 80–120 ppm and pH to 7.2–7.6 first, following the Hayward and Pentair manuals and the MAHC Annex, then calcium to 200–400 ppm for plaster or 80–200 for vinyl and fiberglass. Use the pool calculator for the amounts.
  4. Check stabilizer, then shockCheck CYA before you shock, because it sets the shock level. Trouble Free Pool’s checklist starts with CYA between 30 and 70, shocks to 40% of it, and holds that level until the overnight loss is 1 ppm or less.
  5. Run, brush, and clearRun the filter around the clock and brush daily until the water is clear. Clean or backwash the filter when its pressure is 25% above the clean reading.

FAQ

When should I open my pool?

Early, while the water is still cool. Trouble Free Pool’s closing guide notes that below 60°F algae is unlikely to grow and grows slowly when it does, so opening before the water warms gets chlorine working before algae does.

My pool is green after winter, now what?

That’s normal. Balance pH, then shock to your CYA’s shock level and hold it there, brushing and filtering until it clears. See the green-pool guide for the full process.

Sources

  1. CDC, Model Aquatic Health Code, 5th edition (2024), Code Language. Section 5.7.4.4.1: alkalinity 60–180 ppm
  2. CDC, Model Aquatic Health Code, 5th edition (2024), Annex. Section 5.7.4.6: pH 7.2–7.6 and calcium by surface
  3. Trouble Free Pool, SLAM Process Checklist (V2). CYA range, shock level, filter cleaning and end criteria
  4. Trouble Free Pool, Closing an In Ground Pool. Algae growth below 60°F
  5. Hayward, AquaRite 900 Series Electronic Chlorine Generator manual (092623 Rev D). pH 7.2–7.8 and total alkalinity 80–120 ppm
  6. Pentair, IntelliChlor IC15/IC20/IC40/IC60 Installation and User’s Guide (P/N 520589 Rev. R, 2023). pH 7.2–7.8 and total alkalinity 80–120 ppm

Related

Pool calculatorShock calculatorWhy is my pool green?How to winterize a pool

Stop guessing. Get the exact fix

DoseMyPool turns your test numbers into the precise doses and the safe order to add them. Free on the App Store.

Download on the App Store