Opening Your Pool: The Only Guide That Doesn’t Suck

You took the cover off. Congrats. Now what? If your pool looks like a science experiment gone wrong, you're not alone. Opening your pool isn’t just about removing the cover and skimming a few leaves. It’s about not screwing up the start of the season and giving yourself a fighting chance at crystal-clear water before Memorial Day.

Step 1: Don’t dump the cover gunk into the pool

Start by pumping off the water from your winter cover. Then, remove the cover carefully and rinse it off somewhere far, far away from your pool. If you just roll it up and dump all that murky winter sludge into your water, go ahead and block off the rest of your week for cleanup.

Step 2: Add water like a responsible adult

Your water level probably dropped during winter. Before testing anything, top it off to the right level. That’s typically halfway up the skimmer. Don’t test low water. Don’t add chemicals to low water. Just don’t.

Step 3: Reconnect and inspect your equipment

Put your pump, filter, heater, and chlorinator back together if you winterized them. Before flipping the switch, make sure everything is tight, dry, and not full of bugs. Turn the system on and check for leaks or weird noises. If it sounds like a blender full of gravel, turn it off. Fast.

Step 4: The first clean

Skim the surface, brush the walls, and vacuum the floor. You are not above brushing your pool. Even if it looks clean, it’s not. Algae spores and biofilm don’t care that it’s opening week. They’re already moving in.

Step 5: Test and treat

This is not the time to eyeball it. Use a proper test kit or test strips and check:

• pH
• Alkalinity
• Chlorine (or bromine)
• Stabilizer (cyanuric acid)
• Calcium hardness

Adjust one thing at a time. If your pH is off, fix that before anything else. Then alkalinity. Then chlorine. Do not panic-shock the pool and expect miracles. And yes, you should probably shock it, but do it at night and follow the instructions.

Step 6: Let it run

Once everything’s balanced, let the pump run for 24 hours straight. This isn’t a half-day project. Let your filter do the work and keep checking your chemical levels as they settle in. Don’t invite people over yet. Let your pool become itself again first.

Don’t guess. Don’t rush. Don’t be lazy.

Opening your pool properly now means fewer problems all summer. Do it right once and your future self won’t be Googling “how to fix swamp pool” in three weeks.

If you’re reading this and you only own a hot tub? You’re off the hook. For now.