Spring and summer are definitely the times to expect…well, the unexpected rains. So, no matter how much attention you pay to your pool, it may happen that you simply don’t manage to cover it in time, and the rain just destroys all your effort to keep it clean. Keeping your pool clean takes a lot of effort as it is, which is why a lot of people delegate the task to professionals like Payan Pools.
However, rain may spoil your pool fun even in between the regular cleanings. What to do in such a situation? Not only does the rain dirties your pool, causes the excess of water, but it also disturbs the pH of your pool, so there are a few aspects that need to be addressed. In any case, do not despair your pool has turned green, there is a solution to everything, you just need to go step by step.
Clean the Debris
The first thing you’ll notice will probably be the leaves, branches, dirt and debris, courtesy of wind. So try to clean this big mess first, after you continue with other, less voluminous work. You should do the skimming first, after which you can vacuum your pool. You can do this manually, or even better, use the automatic pool cleaner. After you’re done with this physical part, you can move on to testing the water chemistry as all this dirt often increases the levels of phosphorus and nitrogen which are really suitable for growth of algae and bacteria.
Check the Water pH Levels
Since rain is more or less acidic, it can easily disturb the delicate pH level which is actually essential to your pool’s chemical balance. Luckily, in case your pH level lowers, alkalinity will be there to fix the thing. This means that you may not experience such a change in the pH levels as much as in the level of alkalinity.
However, you should check both in order to know how to proceed and what to do next. In case the rain was really torrential, it is probably to best to look for pool professionals’ help. You definitely shouldn’t use shock in case the pH is low as this could damage your liner by causing to stretch and weaken.
Check Your Sanitizer Levels
Once the rain contaminates your pool water, the sanitizer, or chlorine, depending on what you’re using, will start fighting that contamination, which will, in turn, leave the sanitizer levels low. This is why it’s important you check that as well, and make sure you add more if necessary. The things you need not worry so much about are your cyanuric acid levels, as well as the level of calcium, as unlike the other chemicals, these are not crucially affected by the rain, except for the slight dilution.
Check Your Water Level
Obviously, there will be some excess water in your pool after the heavy rainfall. However, this shouldn’t be such a big problem. You should simply get rid of this extra water by using the “waste” option on your filter. In this way, just drain your pool to the normal level. Once you’ve checked all this and made sure your pool is drained enough, you can decide whether it actually needs a shock or not. It is not absolutely necessary, but if the rain has been really substantial, you should seriously take this option into consideration. However, as already mentioned, in case your pH level is too level, you should definitely avoid shocking your pool.
Additional Notes and Advice
No matter how attractive you may find it, you definitely shouldn’t be swimming during the storm due to the lightning. Also, if possible, take in all the equipment, pool accessories and garden furniture that aren’t tied. What’s more, if you notice the storm coming, unplug all the gas and electrical lines connected to the pool. Again, this is for safety reasons, because of the potential lightning.
Finally, even though storms can often take us by surprise, having a pool cover is still quite a good idea, so you can at least take some measures when it is obvious it is going to rain, thus minimizing the time and the effort needed to get your pool back in working condition.
