Living near the coast means keeping an eye on the forecast. Between nor’easters, summer thunderstorms and the occasional tropical system, pools in Central Jersey and along the Shore take on a lot of wind and water. Gorlin Pools has been helping local homeowners through storm season since 1999, and the pools that come through best are the ones that were prepped ahead of time. Use this checklist the next time rough weather is headed your way.
The Day Before
Clear the deck. Wind is often the biggest troublemaker. Bring in patio furniture, umbrellas, cushions, floats, toys and anything else that isn’t anchored down. What stays outside can end up in the pool or get thrown into your equipment, fence or windows.
Look at your water level. If the water is sitting right at the coping or the top of the tile line, lower it a few inches so heavy rain has room to collect without spilling over and carrying debris in with it. A few inches is all you need. Emptying a pool before a storm does far more harm than good, since the water is what keeps the shell stable against the groundwater pushing up from below.
Give your chemistry a head start. Rain, leaves and runoff burn through sanitizer fast. Test your water and get it balanced before the storm so it has a better chance of staying clear.
Know how to shut off your equipment. Find the breaker that controls your pool equipment and show the rest of the household where it is. If the equipment pad floods, you’ll want to cut the power without hunting for the right switch.
During the Storm
Stay out of the pool area. Skimming, moving debris and checking the pump can all wait. Lightning, strong gusts and wet electrical equipment make the backyard a dangerous place to be, and nothing in the pool is worth the risk.
The Morning After
Check the equipment pad first. Before you switch anything back on, look for standing water around the pump, filter and heater. If the area flooded, turn off power to the equipment and call us once it’s safe. If the system is already running and something sounds unusually loud or just doesn’t seem right, shut it off and let a technician take a look before a small problem turns into a bigger one.
Get the debris out. Skim the surface and empty your skimmer and pump baskets before running the system so nothing clogs or strains it. Large branches and anything you aren’t comfortable removing can be left for our team.
Test, balance and shock. A big storm will almost always throw off your pH, alkalinity and sanitizer. Test the water once the debris is out, adjust as needed and plan on shocking the pool to bring it back.
Let us handle the cleanup. If the storm left more behind than you want to deal with, our team can take care of debris removal, water balancing, filter cleanings and getting everything running the way it should.
Automatic Cover Owners: Leave It Open
It feels like the right move to close an automatic cover before a storm, but we recommend keeping it open through heavy rain and high winds whenever possible. A closed cover ends up holding the rainwater, leaves and branches that land on it, and that weight puts stress on the fabric, tracks, ropes and pulleys. Cleaning the pool afterward is usually much easier and much less expensive than repairing or replacing cover components.
Gorlin Pools Has Your Back After the Storm
From Mercer and Middlesex to Monmouth and Ocean County, the Gorlin Pools team is ready to help when the skies clear. Reach out for a post-storm cleanup, a water check, an equipment inspection or anything else your pool needs. Stay safe out there!