When Should You Open Your Pool?
You’re probably wondering, as many pool owners do, when the best time to open your pool is. Of course you don’t want to open your pool too early and risk freezing your lines, but you also don’t want to open it too late and discover that your pool is an ugly black algae lagoon. So when is the prime time to open your pool?
When the temperatures are consistently about 60 degrees, you should open your pool.
In Utah, temperatures are an average of 60 degrees beginning the middle of April. Even if you won’t be swimming in the pool until the weather warms up a bit more, it is a wise idea to open your pool as soon as possible. If you’re wondering why, read on for 5 reasons why you should open your pool as early as mid April.
Algae
Algae loves warm weather. Too much sunlight in your pool without the proper chemicals can allow algae to grow, giving you quite the headache when you open your pool later in the season. If you open your pool and maintain the chemicals early on, you can eliminate algae growth. Many pool owners who open their pools in the middle of May find that they have to battle algae for two to three weeks! Instead of wasting precious time in May (when you’d rather be in the pool swimming), take time in April to do what is necessary to open your pool.
Pollen
Even if you have a nice cover on your pool, pollen can sneak in and sit on your water. If your pool water is not circulating, that can have disastrous consequences. Trying to open your pool when it is a yellow pollen-filled pond does not sound appealing. Instead, open your pool early and get ahead of the pollen.
Your Kids
If you have kids, chances are they are begging you to let them go swimming. The moment they are running around outside in shorts and a t-shirt, they want to be in the pool. If you open your pool early, they will be excited to jump in every chance they get. They also will stop bugging you about opening the pool. They don’t really care that it’s a little bit cold, they will love swimming anyway.
You Need Time to Prep
You can’t open your pool and expect to be able to swim in it that very day. It takes a few weeks to clean the water, balance the chemicals, and get rid of any algae. Plan to start the pool opening process three weeks before you want to start swimming.
