19 Common Pool Opening Mistakes

common pool opening mistakes

Ah, spring. The time of year when the weather heats up, the days get longer, and algae blooms in pool water faster than you can say, “Daylight Savings Time.” It’s time to pull back those winter pool covers, and get to work opening your pool!

Trying to cut corners and save time when cleaning, balancing pool water chemicals, and preparing equipment will cost you down the road. Opening your pool is a marathon, not a sprint! We’re here to help you kickoff pool season with ease and peace of mind. Keep reading to learn about the 19 common pool opening mistakes, and the simple ways to avoid them!

1. Not Cleaning Your Pool Deck First

The first pool opening mistake you might make doesn’t have anything to do with your pool water. It starts on the outside, with your pool deck! Take time to clean off the months of dirt and grime that has built up on and around your deck. Cleaning your deck will keep debris from getting into your pool. And it won’t dirty up the pool cover you are about to clean…

2. Not Cleaning Your Pool Coverpool cover

In the midst of wrangling the winter cover or safety cover off your pool, you realize too late that you’ve doubled your workload. All the leaves and debris on the cover are now in your pool water. Ugh! Take a few minutes to remove as much debris as possible before attempting to take off the cover. Use a leaf blower to clear off the top layer of rubble, and scoop the remainders away with a leaf rake.

If you already cleaned your deck, it will be much easier to fold and clean your cover after it’s removed from the pool. You can use a hose and brush on solid covers, or a leaf blower for mesh covers. The cover should be completely dry before folding it up for storage.

Be mindful of where you store your cover. Keep your cover in a dry, clean area to avoid mice and bugs taking up residence in the cozy folds.

3. Missing the Opportunity to Raise Water Levels

Once you start removing the cover, take the time to refill pool water levels while you’re working. It takes a while to refill the pool, so you might as well multitask. Don’t get all the way to the point where you’re ready to fire up the pump, only to realize the waterline is too low for the skimmer. Depending on the water level, you may move topping off your pool water level to the first step, and just tuck the hose underneath the cover while you work on the deck and cover.

4. Not Cleaning Water Tubes or Bags

If you use water tubes on a solid pool cover or to close safety cover gaps, they are usually pretty dirty and gross after the long off-season. To get a few more seasons out of them, lay them all out on a flat surface, such as a driveway, then hose them off and scrub them clean. Let them dry before rolling or folding up, and store them in a safe location for next year. You can patch any holes with a vinyl patch kit so they’ll be ready to go when you need them.

5. Missing a Safety Cover Anchor

If you have a safety pool cover, you may have fallen victim to stubbing your foot on a rogue, forgotten deck anchor. After you’ve worked your way around the perimeter of your pool, turning down all the anchors back into their homes to hibernate for the summer, do yourself a favor and double-check. Odds are, you’ll find one or two brass anchors were missed, or a few might require a little more elbow grease to turn them down flush with the pool deck. Better to do it now, than for them to find you later.

6. Forgetting to Pull All the Pool Plugs

Forgetting to pull your winterizing plugs can potentially damage your plumbing when you are finally ready to fire up your pump and filter. Do a quick re-count to make sure you retrieved all plugs from your pool skimmer, returns, spa jets, cleaner line, or any other plumbing lines you plugged in the fall.

7. Not Opening All the Valvespool filter valve

This is another easy-to-forget pool opening mistake, and it’s a great way to damage your system or possibly injure yourself. Make sure all the valves are open, so your pump isn’t exerting itself in vain, as you scratch your head and try to figure out why the pump isn’t priming or why the filter lid just blew 20 feet into the air.

8. Not Being Ready for Prime Time

If your pump has a basket with a locking tab inside, lock it into place. And if you removed the drain plugs on your pump, be sure to tightly secure them back into place. Remove any old Teflon tape, and replace with new. Also, make sure to clean (with a rag) and lubricate (with silicone or Teflon pool lube) the pump lid o-ring. Then, tighten the lid snugly after filling the pump with water.

9. Forgetting the Filter Details

Before turning your pump on for the week (we’ll get to that part shortly), you’ll need to put the pressure gauge and drain plug/cap back in place on the pool filter. Hopefully, you stored these and other small, easily misplaced filter parts somewhere safe last fall. Be sure to check that the filter tank clamp is fully tightened and completely covers both tank halves.

If your filter has a multiport valve, set the valve to the “waste” setting to start with, and roll out your backwash hose. Starting the pump on waste for a minute or so will clear out any antifreeze, bugs, dirt, or other undesirables that may have accumulated in your plumbing over the winter. You can then switch to the “filter” setting afterwards. For DE filters, add the DE powder immediately through the skimmer. Open the air bleeder valve on top of the filter tank to bleed off any air trapped inside the filter.

Once the pump is primed, and the water is flowing freely in filter mode, take note of the psi reading on the pressure gauge. This clean filter reading will help you benchmark the optimal running pressure, so you know when to backwash or if you are losing pressure. With a permanent marker, you can write the psi on the filter tank or mark directly on the gauge dial.

10. Not Running the Filter Long Enoughpool filter

You might not want to hear it, but it’s normal to leave your pool filter system running 24/7 until the water has cleared. It may cost a few more energy dollars, but it certainly won’t hurt anything! You’ll save money on chemicals, and you’ll also save time clearing the pool, by letting the system run continuously for a few days after opening the pool. It shouldn’t take much more than that for most filter systems. Unless, of course, your water chemistry and sanitation are lacking. Which brings us to our next point…

11. Not Adjusting the Total Alkalinity and pH First

We could probably dedicate an entire blog post to the pool water chemistry mistakes one can make while opening a pool. The biggest pool opening mistake, however, is not balancing your pH and Total Alkalinity first. It’s probably the one thing you’ve heard the most: pH levels should be 7.4–7.6, and Total Alkalinity is best in the 80–120 ppm range for most pools. Having your pH a little on the low side of this range will help your chlorine shock work more effectively.

12. Ignoring Cyanuric Acid Levels and Calcium Hardness

Even if your pH and Total Alkalinity levels are perfectly balanced, your pool water quality will suffer without the proper levels of Cyanuric Acid (CYA), also known as stabilizer or conditioner. Ideal CYA levels are between 30–50 ppm. If your pool is freshly filled, you may need to add a bit to bring the levels within range. One treatment in spring is usually all that’s needed, and only if the CYA level is low. If CYA levels are too high, treat with Bio-Active CYA Reducer.

Paying close attention to your pool’s calcium hardness is just as important as monitoring CYA levels. Ignoring the calcium levels can lead to cloudy water, staining, and scale. The recommended calcium range is 150-400 ppm. After initially adjusting the calcium hardness, you shouldn’t have to worry about it again for the rest of the season.

13. Adding Multiple Chemicals at the Same Time

Once all your water is balanced with correct pH, Alkalinity, Calcium and Cyanuric levels, pause. It can be tempting to add shock, algaecide, clarifier and a stain & scale treatment, or an entire Spring Start-Up Kit, all at once. But that is not beneficial to your pool.

For the best results, add pool chemicals gradually over time.

Shocking can deplete or deactivate other pool chemicals. Always shock first, then add the other chemicals over the following days, once the chlorine level drops.

14. Not Monitoring Chemical Levels

not monitoring chemical levels is a pool opening mistake

It’s relatively easy to properly balance the chemicals mentioned above. Follow the instructions to a tee, and you should be right on target. Spring pool chemistry can be affected for numerous reasons. Keep an eye on your pool’s chemistry levels by testing the water several times during the first opening week, and making additional adjustments as necessary.

15. Not Vacuuming to “Waste”

Once you’ve shocked your pool, or if you’ve used a Floc treatment, you will need to vacuum out the algae and debris. With the use of a multiport valve, which lets you backwash a sand or D.E. filter, set your vacuum to “waste”, and remove any algae or debris from your pool water. Setting your vacuum to “waste” sends the material through the backwash line, and not into the pool filter. If you don’t have a multiport valve, you can install a 3-way valve between the pump and filter.

16. Not Brushing the Pool

After vacuuming the pool, give your tile, walls, floors and steps a good brush. We recommend brushing your pool walls twice a day during the first week of opening (and once a week thereafter). This may seem excessive, but it helps clean the pool faster, improves circulation and filtration, and is a killer upper body workout, too!

17. Forgetting to Add Chlorine to Your Chlorinator

One of the worst pool opening mistakes to make is not chlorinating your pool. If you have a floater, chemical feeder, or even a salt system in your pool, be sure they are locked and loaded with the right amount of chlorine. After you shock the pool initially, chlorine levels will be sky-high, but they can quickly deplete, giving algae the chance to bloom again. Keep your test kit handy, and use it frequently for the first few weeks.

18. Forgetting to Set the Time Clock

forgetting to set the time clock pool opening mistakes

If you live in a state that observes Daylight Savings Time, don’t forget to reset your pool pump’s time clock. If you have the classic Intermatic timer with the yellow dial, pull out on the dial and turn it so that the current time aligns with the down-arrow (located at 6 o’clock).

After the water clears, place the timer dogs (trippers) on the dial, and use pliers to tighten down the set screw, so they don’t slip out of place.

19. Forgetting to Yell Cannonball

After all your hard work preparing your pool for the season, it’s finally time to open for business. Put on your favorite suit, slather on some sunscreen, and hit the deck. It’s time for the first cannonball of the season. Don’t blow it by forgetting to yell, “CANNONBAAAAAALLLL” as you fly through the air. Happy swimming, everyone!

21 thoughts on “19 Common Pool Opening Mistakes

  1. Hi, We bought a 10 ft above ground pool. After 1 day of fun we covered it and only 3 days later uncovered it to find the water murky, the sides slimy. Will running the filter restore the water. Or do we need to start over, empty pool, refill it, and be more diligent in its care – brush, skim, filter daily. I should add I know nothing about maintaining pools but want to learn. Thank you!
    Ferran

    • Yes, you can bring it back, with chemicals and filtering – start right now! First test the pH and lower to 7.2 range if it is higher than 7.6. Then add 3 oz of granular pool shock, or one cup 8 oz of unscented household bleach. Filter already is running. Then brush the pool, every hour or so, Check chlorine and pH every 12 hours, and keep the chlorine high and the pH low, and run the filter 24/7. Get some 1″ tablets and a chlorine floater, for the daily chlorine level (minmum 1-2 ppm), and then use pool shock weekly 2-3 oz, to super-chlorinate or shock the pool. Extra insurance against this happening again, if you use weekly doses of algaecide and clarifier, just a few capfuls of each, per label. And don’t shut off the filter, keep it running all the time, and clean the cartridge when flow slows. Replace the cartridge every 2-3 months with new.

      • Thanks very much for your quick, clear, thorough response!

  2. Leya Morales

    My son and husband went in pool after diamond brite and while it was filling up. What is going to happen?

    • Probably nothing! Diamond Brite can be a bit soft at first, but by the time it was filling, it should be hard enough not to leave any footprints

      • So yo are saying that the blotches I See are not from them, not necessary foot Prints, and those areas they walked, ran and played on wont be peeling in years to come faster than they would have ?

        • Well then if you see blotches, that is different. I would ask you applicator, as I am more familiar with plaster and not Diamond Brite, which I understand is a very thin product, and so yes they may have ruined the pool finish.

  3. I accidentally used winter shock in my pool this morning can I still swim in it?

    • HI Janie, sure no worries. Not sure what ‘winter shock’ is – but I’ll bet it is just regular shock, labeled ‘winter’.

  4. Benjamin Steinkamp

    I was wondering if I have to drain my pool because I accidentally added (prevent) cartridge filter cleaner by mistake thinking it was defoamer?

    • Hmm, well if you have a very large pool, and you added only a few ounces, probably no worries. But, if your pool is foamy, and you have other water problems as well… fresh water is easier to manage than aged water.

  5. Stephanie

    We totally forgot to pump the anti-freeze out our bottom drain pipe before we filled and turned the pool pump on. It has been circulating since Monday. No one has been in it. It is an above ground pool. We used 1 gallon of anti-freeze and our pool is 15,000 gallons. Is it safe to swim in?

  6. Trevor Young

    My pool was opened by a local pool company and they forgot to remove two of the plugs. later in the evening I found my liner had lifted around the pool. Would this be caused by the plugs?

    • Trevor, you mean that you saw the liner ballooning, or with water behind it? Very interesting, and yes it would be related, my guess is where the gaskets are for those wall returns. Get a #3 philips and make sure those return screws are tight, and if you start to leak, might need to replace those wall return gaskets.

  7. Tancy Kellysawyer

    Hi- Novice pool owner here. I screwed up & didn’t shut off when I took out the skimmer. A frog got sucked down. Pool is fine, frog did no damage. I then opened the pump filter to get frog out of that & all the water was sucked away. I added a pitcher of water. When I turn on my pool will it be good?

    • Poor Frog! Yes, in most cases the pump will start right up again, without having to prime the pump, or add water. Just be sure the pump lid is tight, and the o-ring gasket is in place (and lubed). In cases where the pump does not catch prime (within 60-90 seconds), shut it off and as you did, add a pitcher of water, or bucket of water, and then try again. If it still won’t catch, close the incoming valves (skimmmer/main drain) and fill full until basket is overflowing, then put lid on tight, open valves, and turn pump on again. Opening the air bleeder on the filter can help, or starting up on Recirculate or Waste, and switching to Filter position after the pump catches prime (but turn off pump always before switching filter valve).

  8. Filter was down for two months
    Now dirt is thick on the bottom have changed filter 6 times but there is still a lot of dirt
    How can it be removed without over working filter

    • Hi Linda, very thick silt or dust that clogs a filter fast is best “vacuumed to waste”, or directly out the waste line. If you have a cartridge filter, that is not normally an option, unless you do some modifications, or remove the filter and let the filter tank overflow, or use a portable pool pump, not attached to the filter system.

  9. I have been trying to clear my green 25,000 gallon pool for 7 days, and it barely looks any different. My most recent water sample readings *before backwashing* are:

    FC 6.57
    TC 6.57
    CC 0
    PH 7.7
    ALK 78
    CYA 8
    CA 74
    NO copper, iron, nitrates, mang
    TDC 1100
    Phos 200 (4 days ago this was 0)

    Per the instructions from a local pool supply store, I have been adding 5 lbs of liquid chlorine daily for 4 days in a row, pumping 24-7, backwashing once daily, brushing 2-3 times a day. I was also instructed to add mustard algae treatment 4 days ago. These readings are from yesterday, and I have since been instructed to add 32 oz bottle of algae-break 90, brush well, and add 5 gallons of liquid chlorine daily until clear. The pool is still green after over 24h. Today, (against their advice) I added 12 oz of pH reducer and doubled the liquid chlorine.The staff was so nice and seemed genuinely interested in helping, but I’m between jobs and this is my first pool, and I’m now hesitant to go back and spend more $$. 🙁

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Leah, low pH will definitely make the chlorine more active. At 7.8, over 50% of chlorine is inactive. The calcium reading (74) is quite low, (should be 150 ppm minimum), and the CYA is also low at 8 (20 ppm minimum). If the pool is still green-ish, keep adding chlorine (with a pH of around 7.2), until the water turns a blue-ish color. Backwash only when the pressure gauge reads 5-10 psi higher than the clean pressure, and keep running 24/7. The pool store advice doesn’t sound wrong, yet I’m surprised your water is not clear with (20?) gallons of bleach. Phosphates at 200 ppb is rather low, so likely not a problem there. I suspect the filter is old and tired, using a clarifier (closely following dosage instructions), may be the ticket, or new filter media (sand or cartridges). Good Luck – keep at it!

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