As winter becomes a memory, opening the swimming pool often becomes a top priority for many families. The good news is opening your pool and keeping it in top condition throughout the summer is easy. Here is a simple, easy way to open your pool this year.

It generally takes two days to open your pool properly, so make sure you have this amount of time available. Also, get all of your supplies ready. You will need the following:

• Chlorine powder or grain
• Water test strips
• Total Alkalinity (TA) Increaser
• Chlorine stabilizer
• pH Decreaser and/or pH Decreaser
• Calcium Hardness Increaser
• Algaecide
• Metal, Scale, and Stain Control Products

Step 1: Remove, Clean, and Store the Pool Cover

Remove the pool cover and wash it off. Check for damage and repair if needed. Let the cover dry before you put it into storage. Store the cover in a dry, cool place.

Step 2: Pool Prep

If freeze plugs were installed, remove them now. Replace the directional fittings that were removed. Replace the ladder and other accessories and then remove the skimmer guards.

Step 3: Check Filter and Pump

Before starting the pool pump, open the relief valve to let any trapped air get out. When water flows from the valve, close it off. Replace any mechanical parts that were removed for the winter. You can now open the return lines and skimmer lines. If needed, do required maintenance on the filter and pump (see owner’s manual). Once all of this is done, you can activate the filtering system.

Step 4: Clean Pool

Use your cleaning tools to remove debris from the surface, the walls, and floor of the pool. Let the filter run for at least 24 hours so it can circulate the water.

Step 5: Check Pool Chemistry

During the next day, use water testing strips to check the base line reading of the pool’s water. Make sure the strip goes below the surface of the water. Compare the strip with the color bar and make notes of the readings.

The first thing to adjust is the Total Alkalinity (TA). The appropriate range is between 80 and 125 parts per million (ppm). If the TA is high, add some pH decreaser; if the reading is low, add Total Alkalinity Increaser.

You will need to wait a couple of hours and then check again. Check pH levels to ensure it is between 7.2 and 7.6. Make adjustments if needed with either pH Increaser or pH Decreaser.

Wait one hour and check water again. Now, you can adjust the water hardness. If the hardness reading is low, add Calcium Hardness Increaser; if the hardness level is high, drain some water and replace with fresh source water to lower the calcium level.

Now, check the chlorine level. This is important as chlorine is what destroys germs, bacteria, and viruses, making the water safe for swimmers.

Start by adding a chlorine stabilizer which helps to protect the chlorine level from the Sun dissipating it. Add stabilizer for a reading of at least 30 ppm.

After the stabilizer is working, you can add the granular chlorine to the pool’s water. Make sure the pump is running; add algaecide per manufacturer’s instructions.

The next day, you can test the chlorine level again. You will need to adjust (with granular chlorine) until you get a steady reading of between 1 and 4 ppm of chlorine.

And that is all there is to it!