Protecting Your Swimming Pool from Weather-Related Problems

When it comes to protecting your investment of your swimming pool, we can’t overstate the importance of regular maintenance — but that’s not what this article is about. Like your home itself, your swimming pool requires ongoing TLC to protect it from regular wear and tear in order to catch any issues early on and keep it in good working order and avoid safety issues or costly repairs. But if your swimming pool is outdoors, it also requires protection from the elements. Unlike the pool toys and lawn chair cushions, you can’t simply fold it up and put it in a shed when a storm is coming. But you can still take steps to help prevent the worst of weather-related hazards.

Let’s take a look at what you’re up against and the ways you can protect your pool from the potential problems each element can cause.

Rain Showers

While a major storm may give you enough warning to go grab the pool cover, you won’t be able to do that every time there’s a sprinkle. But you need to realize that even that refreshing, short-lived little spring shower is going to carry all kinds of algae and other impurities into your swimming pool. The first thing you can do in response to that is to add an algaecide to your pool water. The second thing you can do will need to wait until the sun is out again. By conducting your usual pH tests, cleaning the pool, and super-chlorinating it, you’ll equip your filter to do its job well, ridding your pool of the added impurities brought from the rain water.

Wind Damage

Often, it’s actually the wind that causes the most damage during storms. You can take some preventive measures to protect your pool and the surrounding area before the storm begins to rage. You’ll want to secure any items in or near your pool that you can’t put away, ensuring that they won’t become projectiles causing broken windows, injuries, or worse.

Potential Flooding

As long as no flood alerts are accompanying the storm, test the balance of your pool water and keep the pool filter running. If there is an issue with the water level noticeably rising, you’ll want to turn off the pool pump in order to protect it; you can do so safely from indoors by simply flipping the breaker associated with the electrical panel that it’s on.

If there are flood warnings, you can prepare by lowering the pool’s water level before the storm begins. The reason for this is that when the water level is close to the rim of the pool, it’s more likely to end up pulling in contaminants from the area surrounding it, such as soil. You may need to consult your pool contractor or local pool supply store in order to learn how to properly perform this task for your individual pool.

Improper Drainage

Even if flooding isn’t an issue, the same kinds of contamination can occur if the area surrounding your pool doesn’t have proper drainage. If the way your deck is built off the slope of the land creates regular flooding into your pool, you will definitely want to consult a professional about finding a solution; otherwise, over time this kind of chronic flooding will cause erosion. Typically, a French drain can be installed to solve this kind of problem. Essentially, it consists of a perforated pipe that runs underground and is topped by gravel. The water drains easily through the porous gravel and into the pipe, which then carries it away.

Lyon Financial

Since 1979 Lyon Financial has made the backyard resort dream come true for over 400,000 families across the U.S. Through our solid relationships with more than 3,000 pool contractors and our continued commitment to putting our clients first, we have built a reputation as the first choice in providing pool financing solutions. For more information, visit lyonfinancial.net or call (877) 754-5966 today.