OWe can finally say with certainty – warmer days are ahead of us! This means that pool owners will soon be enjoying fun and sun in the water for many months to come. But to get to that moment, you must first accomplish the very important step of properly preparing your pool for the swim season.
For pool owners who want a smooth and seamless pool opening – and we imagine that’s everyone – take a look at 5 things you can do to help your pool company provide you with top quality service and a well prepared pool.
1. Be proactive when scheduling your pool’s opening.
Keep in mind that pool companies start booking their pool services well in advance, especially for pool openings. When you’re ready to have your pool open, it’s likely most other people who own a pool in your area have the same idea. It’s smart to be proactive when setting the date for your service. Additionally, if you have a special event or occasion for which you want your pool to be open and looking its best, we recommend opening your pool at least two weeks prior to that date. This way any unforeseen issues can be corrected in time and the pool will impress your guests.
2. Make sure the pool is topped off with water before your pool service company arrives to open the pool.
When the pool is winterized and closed for the season, the water level is lowered and lines are blown out to prevent freeze damage. In the spring opening season, your pool company needs to have enough water back in the pool to be able to start up the pumps and filtration systems. Consult your service company to find out what the proper water level should be for your pool before they arrive to open the pool. If this step gets missed, it could result in the service company needing to schedule a 2nd trip to your pool to start the system up, which will bring an extra bill with it!
3. Have any necessary pool equipment and components available for the service company before they show up.
Typically, your pool service company will leave some items for you to store for the winter when they are done closing your pool for the season. These items might include skimmer strainer baskets, plumbing fittings and plugs, ladders and railings, and various other small items. An easy way to keep everything together is to place them all in a plastic tub or bin for storage. When you schedule your spring opening, make sure that your bin full of “pool stuff” is out by the pool or somewhere that is accessible to your pool technician. If it is locked in a shed and we don’t have access to it, we will have to reschedule and you may get hit with a “trip charge” for our lost time.
4. Do a general clean up around the pool area.
Take a broom or leaf blower and eliminate as much debris from around the pool as possible. Also, clean up after any pets that may have been walking around the pool area. Dodging doggy doo all day doesn’t make for a happy service tech! We want to open your pool and have it as clean and inviting (although maybe a little chilly to swim in yet) as possible. The more debris we have to clean up around the pool, the less time we are spending on the actual pool, and the higher your invoice will be!
5. Have reasonable expectations.
We pride ourselves on going “above and beyond” the call of duty at pool openings so that when we leave, the pool is sparkling and ready for the season. That being said, just because we leave an immaculate pool behind as we pull out of the driveway doesn’t mean a storm can’t roll through and blow a bunch of leaves into the pool. There are always a few circumstances beyond our control that can affect the status of a pool opening. We provide a full service opening for our customers which means we vacuum all debris out of the pool, adjust the water chemistry and start up all pool mechanicals to ensure everything is in proper working order. Other pools service companies may just pull the cover off and turn on the pumps…the rest is up to you! Different levels of services come with different costs. So if you are shopping around for quotes to open your pool, make sure you know what is included in the estimate for the service. Don’t make the mistake of comparing apples to oranges.
Are you preparing to open a swimming pool this season? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions or for some expert advice. Contract us today!