After the storm, heavy rainfall, or flood pool has been extremely affected, it is important to take the necessary steps to clean a dirty pool as soon as possible. It is essential to prevent the pool from bacteria, dirt, leaves, and debris after a storm, In order to get your pool back to normal.
Such kind of natural hazards destroys the well-maintained pool. Moreover, Severe weather makes water contaminated which makes it more cloudy. Due to this, It seems more troublesome to clean it.
There are different ways of cleaning underground and above-ground pool cleaning after storms or floods. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind during severe weather.
Main Issues we Encounter after a Storm or Flood
A storm or flood can be problematic for cleaning your pool. The very first thing you can do to rectify this damage is to check whether all the pieces of equipment are functioning or not. Once you know they are working you can start the process of cleaning.
Here is the list of problems that you may face after the hellish attack of natural disasters.
- Environment-related debris
- Muddy water
- The production of algae
- Unbalanced pH and ORP
- A rise in phosphate levels
For coping with such an unpleasant experience you can follow the following steps to clean a dirty pool and get back to the normal crystal-clear pool water.
Read Also: Best Above Ground Robotic Pool Cleaners
9 Steps on How to Clean A Dirty Pool
It’s a huge pain to clean a dirty pool after severe weather, You need to take steps to get rid of pollutants as soon as possible. Here’s a list of steps you should follow.
- Do not Drain your Pool
- Check the Water Level & Remove Water as Necessary
- Remove Leaves and Storm Debris from the Pool Surface
- Clean Pump Strainer & Skimmer Baskets
- Check Electrical Equipment & Restore Power
- Clean & Backwash Your Pool Filter after the Storm
- Vacuum & Brush the Pool Walls & Floor to Remove Storm Debris
- Run Circulation & Filtration Systems Until the Water is Clear
- Balance Water Chemistry and Shock the Pool
1. Do not Drain your Pool
The storm has dirt, leaves, and branches which travel to the pool water. To clean such things it’s not a wise decision to drain out all the water from the pool.
Draining all water from the pool is not required, you only need to focus on removing dirt and pollutant. In case you are late to cleanse pool water, all the pollutants get set in the bottom which is harmful to swimming.
So what will be the smart decision to clean a dirty pool? You only have to manage its cleanliness. You should only have grain water if the level of water increases due to floods or heavy rainfall.
That should be a clever decision because now you have saved a large amount of water from wastage and after cleaning you can reuse water.
2. Check the Water Level & Remove Water as Necessary
Checking the water level after a flood or severe rainfall is compulsorily required. After flooding, if the pool is left uncleaned, contaminants become more difficult to remove.
Along with making the pool free from dirt, you should maintain the water level. One should decide what is the suitable level of water according to the size of the pool.
In order to reduce the water level submersible pump works wonders it helps you to bring the water level down as per requirement.
Vacuuming the water can also help to remove contaminants and reduce the water level. You can use both ways cautiously as well.
3. Remove Leaves and Storm Debris from the Pool Surface
The debris floating after the storm caused an unpleasant look at the pool. If you are not likely to remove this pollutant immediately.
It may settle down which makes water unhealthy to use for swimming. A leaf net can help you to remove leaves from the water.
Moreover, an extendable telepole, helps to remove larger amounts of debris from pool water.
Don’t allow yourself to be puzzled by small particles of leaves and dirt, after this process you can vacuum the water surface which makes the water crystal clear.
4. Clean Pump Strainer & Skimmer Baskets
If you don’t use a water pump strainer and skimmer basket for a long time. It is obvious it may not function well.
Before starting the process of cleaning you should clean out the Pump and Skimmer Basket. The size of the net, skimmer basket and the pump is based on the size of the pool and the amount of water the pool has.
If the pump is powerful you can do it easily in no time. for scoping out leaves net and skimmer work as magic, it saves your time.
5. Check Electrical Equipment & Restore the Power
Electrical equipment functioning is essential to check before using it after a flood or storm. First, you should uncover its plastic and double-check its leakage, and then you go on.
If you cannot check it properly before use it may cause electrical equipment to malfunction which leads to a financial burden.
The power supply and machine of such equipment should work in order to use them to clean a dirty pool.
6. Clean & Backwash Your Pool Filter After the Storm
Make sure before running your water pump, you will likely need to clean or backwash your filter due to the large amounts of dirt, dust, and small particles in your water. According to the harshness of the storm, you may need to repeat this process a couple of times during the pool rescue process.
Remove the cartridges if you have a cartridge filter, and clean them individually, otherwise replace them if the cartridges show signs of damage or a loss of filtering ability if you have a cartridge filter.
In case you use a D.E. system for your water filtration, it might be a good idea to replace your D.E. media as soon as possible.
7. Vacuum & Brush the Pool Walls & Floor to Remove Storm Debris
For vacuuming the pool you need a vacuum head and hose that are designed for pools. Your pool’s filtration system must be connected to the hose before the vacuum head can be lowered into the water.
Take your time moving the vacuum head around the pool, being careful not to miss anything. As soon as you’ve vacuumed the entire pool, it’s time to brush the walls and floor.
This will help loosen any debris or dirt stuck to the surface. Moreover, Brush the pool surface with a soft brush to prevent damaging it. Make sure you should brush all sides of the walls and floor of the pool, beginning at the shallow end.
After completing the vacuuming and brushing the pool, let’s move to give it a good rinse. If any dirt or debris is left behind, this will help remove them. Rinse the pool thoroughly with a garden hose.
8. Run Circulation & Filtration Systems Until the Water is Clear
The process of circulation and filtration system is not complicated but there are a few key steps you’ll need to take to ensure everything is working properly.
Just think if you have a basic understanding of the individual components of a circulation and filtration system you are good to go.
Circulation systems help to circulate the water in your pool. To get your pool ready for swimming, you’ll need to run both the circulation and filtration systems until the water is clean.
The circulation system also helps to evenly distribute the chemicals in your pool, which is important for maintaining a balanced pH level.
9. Balance Water Chemistry and Shock the Pool
To keep your pool safe and clean, you need to maintain the water chemistry. To ensure your pH, alkalinity, and chlorine levels are within the optimal range, test and adjust your water chemistry regularly. Bacteria and algae can grow if the chloride levels are too low.
Having a pH level that is too low can cause irritation to the skin and eyes if it is too low. Additionally, if the alkalinity of the water is too low, it can cause the water to be more acidic which can cause corrosion to the surfaces and equipment of the pool. There can also be irritation of the skin and eyes as a result of this.
The best way to keep your pool in top condition is by testing and adjusting its water chemistry. To test pH, alkalinity, and chlorine levels, use a pool test kit. The levels should be adjusted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Following are the ideal pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness values:
- pH: 7.4-7.6
- Alkalinity: 80-120 ppm
- Calcium hardness: 180-220 ppm
It is very important to maintain the alkalinity levels because they stabilize the pH level. Having too much alkalinity in your water can make it cloudy. If the alkalinity is too low, the pH can fluctuate wildly, making it hard to maintain the pH level at the ideal level.
Conclusion
Therefore, it is important to take the essential steps to clean a dirty pool after a severe storm or flood. By using the right ways and following the proper efforts you can prevent your pool from natural hazards. It is necessary to make sure your pool water is free from any impurities. For swimmers, it is crucial to know the pH level along with the level of chlorine in the water. These proven 9 steps will help you to get back a clean pool.
FAQ
How do you clean a pool after heavy rain?
Heavy rain results in a lot of dead leaves, branches, and pollutants. For removing them you can use a skimmer and vacuum. That makes your task easy and you can be able to reuse water as well.
What do you do with your pool after a storm?
You can not leave the pool after a storm without cleaning it, it may harm the water purity and pH level. Vacuuming and cleansing the water surface is a must after a natural hazard.
Should I backwash my pool after a storm?
Cleaning or backwashing your filter after heavy rain, flood, or major storms is recommended. Certainly, you can keep your pool from becoming cloudy or green. Make sure all of your baskets are clean of debris. You can get all debris out of the pool with a net or vacuum.
How do you clean a brown pool after rain?
Liquid chlorine you can use to clean a brown pool after heavy wind and rain. That helps to keep water away from harmful micro organism and make water reusable.
