If you have a swimming pool with a safety cover in Michigan, we have a few recommendations that will help you enjoy a clear pool when you open in the spring.
This pool had a safety cover, and is located in Howell, MI. The pool was opened in mid-May, and from the looks of it, algae has already had a chance to grow.
Safety covers are awesome, and they have many benefits to their use. A safety cover on a pool allows water to pass through (if you have a mesh version), so no need to fill the pool with a hose or water truck in the spring. They keep major debris out of the pool, though they will let in very fine particles of sediment that will settle at the bottom of the pool. The amount of this will vary with your conditions, ie do you have a lot of trees, organic material, dirt road, or other sources of debris around your pool.
We recommend a few things if you have a safety cover on your pool, in Michigan.
- In the fall, make sure to add chlorine and algaecide to your pool for over the winter.Don’t add too much chlorine though, if the chlorine level is too high over the winter, you can bleach the liner)
Smart Pool Aqua Pill – Kills & Controls Algae
- As soon as the water thaws in the spring, pop open a corner of the cover and add liquid chlorine to the pool. You can do this yourself, or hire Pietila Pools Services to do this for you.
- When your pool is opened, vac on waste to help remove the debris from the bottom of the pool. If you try to vac the sediment from the bottom of the pool and run it through the filter system, you may find that the sediment is so fine that it goes right through your filter.
- If you do find that your pool is what we commonly refer to as pea soup green in the spring, add bunches of liquid chlorine, allow your filter to do it’s work, and monitor the progress. Some customers call asking why the pool isn’t clear an hour after our service crew has been there. Turning a pool from pea soup to clear isn’t magic, and sometimes there is a time delay in progress. Be patient, and let us know if you don’t see progress in several hours. Repeated doses of chlorine, and algaecide may be in order, and your pool may benefit from an extra vacuum session.