How to Prepare Your Pool Before a Rain Storm

How to Prepare Your Pool Before a Rain Storm 

Keep the pool full – Never drain the pool before a rain storm. The weight of the water will help hold the pool in place in case the ground around it becomes heavily saturated with rainwater, which could cause the pool to lift out of the ground. If you’re afraid the pool will overflow, lower the water level no more than 2 – 3 inches and close the skimmer valve to prevent damage to the pump.

Remove loose items from the pool area – High winds can blow items such as floats, lounge chairs, and other patio furniture into the pool which can cause major damage. Place pool floats, toys, and other items in a safe place, such as a garage, shed, or storage bin. Cover patio furniture or tie it down if you’re not able to bring it indoors.

Turn off power to the pool equipment – Turn the power off at the circuit breaker for the pump, motor, filter, heater, and lighting to avoid dangerous electrical problems due to flooding.

Protect the pool equipment – Even with the power turned off, your pool’s equipment are vulnerable to damage from high winds and heavy amounts of rainwater. It’s best to remove the pump motor and bring it indoors, or cover it with a plastic tarp and tightly tie it down to prevent water from getting inside.

Balance the water and add algaecide – Rainwater carries many organic contaminants from the atmosphere. Balancing the water and adding algaecide or extra chlorine before a storm will help ease contamination and save you a lot of trouble during the clean-up process.

If you have a mesh safety cover, put it on – A lightweight solar pool cover can easily be blown off or into the pool during high winds and a solid tie-down cover can tear if it accumulates too much rainwater; in most cases, it is best to leave these covers off of the pool. Mesh safety covers are better equipped to withstand harsh winds since they are tightly anchored to the pool deck with minimal gaps where wind can enter and blow the cover off. The mesh material also allows rainwater to filter through the cover and into the pool, so it will not collect on top. [Cover Concerns: Some pool owners prefer to leave their pool uncovered during storms fearing that fallen tree branches or other harsh debris will destroy the cover; however, these items can cause considerable damage to the pool's interior, which can be more difficult and expensive to replace than a pool cover. Decide which investment is more important to you.]