Hurricane Milton: Preparing your pool before the storm

Here are some useful tips for preparing your swimming pool before a storm and taking care of it after the storm.

Don’t drain water from pool

• Leave water level alone. Draining, so it won't overflow, is pointless. If you drain it more than a few feet below normal and the ground gets saturated, the pool's shell could pop out of the ground (even with concrete pools). Water provides weight to hold the sides and bottom in place.
• Turn off power to the pump motor, lights and other equipment at circuit box. Disconnect gas from heater; if possible, have your gas supplier or pool service disconnect it to be safe.
• Consider removing diving boards or slides if you fear they won't be secure in high winds; if you decide to remove them, try to have a professional do it.
• If the motor is exposed and you live in a flood-prone area, remove the pump and store it indoors. Otherwise, try to wrap it up with a waterproof cover and tie securely.
• Remove automatic pool cleaners, pool blankets and covers, and take inside.
• Super-chlorinate or double chemicals you normally add to reduce contamination and infestation by insects.
• Stock up on chemicals to "shock" pool after storm.
• Move furniture, toys, etc. indoors. If patio furniture cannot be stored inside, you may gently place it in the pool (avoid scratching the pool finish and note pool chemicals may cause damage).

After the ‘all clear’

• Call gas company or a pool company to reattach gas line to heater.
• Don't reconnect electrical equipment until you've removed debris from the pool with a net and power has been restored. Make sure electrical equipment is dry.
• Do this as quickly as possible before bacteria starts to grow. Don't use your vacuum; debris will clog it and the pump. Then, if the area around the pool is dry, start the pump. When draining the pool to proper level, remove cartridge filter or bypass the filter system. Super-chlorinate again.
• Remove vegetative debris before treating water. Add 5 gallons of chlorine (based on a 15,000-gallon pool) and start pump after inspecting electrical equipment to be sure it's dry. Reset timers, if necessary.
• Closely watch the pump system through complete cycles for any problems.
• Wait 24 hours to see whether water clears and turns blue. If it does, test water and follow instructions. If water is darker or black, pool may need to be drained, or partially drained, treated and refilled. Call a professional
• Balance pool chemicals and monitor a few days.

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More resources: Florida Swimming Pool Association