Swimming pools, by their very nature, are designed to withstand what Mother Nature has to throw at them. There are, though, some weather events — blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. — that try the boundaries of what your pool can withstand. How to protect your pool from rain damage is something the pool contractors from Imperial Pools in Champaign, Illinois talk with their customers about.
Any kind of storm, and its impact on your swimming pool and outdoor living space may hinge on how well you have prepared it and the outdoor space before the storm arrives. In many cases you will know a storm is coming and have the opportunity to prepare and protect your pool.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to live in a bad-weather-prone area to be prepared in the event of a heavy rain storm and wind. When you’re prepared you can minimize the damage the storm may bring and will make it easier to clean up after the storm has passed.
How to protect your pool from rain damage
What can you do to prevent a storm from wreaking havoc on your pool and outdoor living space? Here are a few steps to take:
- Drainage matters. When your swimming pool was constructed your pool contractor should have looked at the slope and drainage of your yard. You certainly don’t want the dirty water running downhill and into your swimming pool. Nor do you want to have rainspouts and downspouts draining into an area that can negatively impact the pool and its equipment. If you have deck drains you will want to assure they are always clean so water can easily be moved through them.
- Batten down the hatches! If you know a storm is coming, put the pool cover on. Also take care of loose items on the outdoor living space area. Put chairs and cushions away. You don’t want to have furniture and other deck items picked up and tossed into the swimming pool. Cover and move grills and other large items out of the line of the wind and keep them protected and from getting toppled over. Cover pool equipment and unplug it in case there is flooding or a power surge. Don’t plug the equipment back in until the pool equipment has been inspected by an electrician or your pool contractor.
- Look up to the trees in your yard and take care of any dead or overhanging branches. When a storm comes through those dead and dangling branches can get snapped off and can damage the swimming pool (or house, or car, etc.)
Following the storm you may need to drain the pool if it’s been overtaken by additional rainwater. Once you’ve drained it and thoroughly cleaned it you will want to test the water. Chances are, if there was a huge storm the water chemistry has been thrown out of balance and you will need to add chemicals to bring it back to balance and to help assure any organic materials that were blown into the water won’t lead to algae or bacteria growth.