Believe it or not, spring is on its way!

The weather is warming and the snow is thawing, which means pool season is almost here.

If this is your first year with a swimming pool, you should familiarize yourself with swimming pool opening protocols now so you’ll be ready to open your pool come spring time.

Here is the ultimate guide to opening you swimming pool this summer:

When Should I Open my Pool?

You have a higher chance of developing algae in your pool if you keep it closed long after the weather warms up. This is because algae loves to bloom in warm, stagnant water.

To decrease the chance of this happening, open your pool as soon as the weather stays consistently warm. Around April or May is an ideal time. This may seem early–especially if the weather is not necessarily swimming weather–but it’s well worth it to keep your water clean.

What Chemicals do I Need to Put in my Pool?

After sitting stagnant for months on end, the water in your swimming pool come spring will likely to be pretty gross. To clean it up, every pool will need to be treating with chlorine shock and algaecide.

Shock is unstabilized chlorine that is used to deep clean swimming pools by gassing off any impurities in the water.

The amount of chlorine shock you need depends on the size of your swimming pool, but usually the first shock of the season is a big one. For example, a 80,000 litre swimming pool typically requires 4-6kg of Aqua Super Shock upon opening.

You will also need to use algaecide when starting up your pool for the season. Aqua Wham-O is used to treat existing algae blooms and to prevent any future blooms from forming. A 80,000 litre swimming pool typically required 1 litre of Aqua Wham-O for the first dose.

Besides chlorine and algaecide, your swimming pool will most likely require other chemicals to balance the water. Every pool is different, so bring a water sample to Valley Pool & Spa for a water test. We will let you know which chemicals you need to make your water safe for your equipment and safe for swimming.

What Opening Services Does Valley Pool & Spa Offer?

We offer many services here at Valley Pool’s when it comes to your pool opening. 

Our base pool opening services:

• Remove winter plugs and install returns
• Assemble all pool equipment and install plugs
• Install ladder(s) and grab rail(s)
• Prime pump and start pool circulation
• Check system for leaks
• Add start up chemicals

Extra services we offer:

• Remove pool cover
• Fill pool
• Install deck jets
• Start solar heating system
• Start vanquish system
• Open vanishing edge
• One-time pool scrub and vacuum
• Water cleaning and balancing (multiple visits)

How Much Will Opening my Swimming Pool Cost?

This is what everyone wants to know: how much will it cost? The price varies depending on the options you choose. However, here at Valley Pool and Spa, we always give our customers the best possible prices! 

To get a quote for your pool opening, call us at Valley Pool & Spa. We are glad to answer all of your pool related questions.