Pool Opening Season is Almost Here!

Believe it or not, the official start of spring is just over a month away! And although it might not look like it right now, your swimming pool is hiding somewhere under all that frost in the back yard, and it’s getting ready to come out of hibernation. Before you know it, the birds will be chirping, the kids will be playing outside, parents will be firing up the grill on the patio, and everyone will be wondering one thing: when will the pool be open?!

At Red Rose Pool Service, we know what customers care about this time of year: first-class service. That means showing up when we say we will, getting your equipment running and your water chemistry balanced, and fixing any problems long before that first pool party of the season.

Read on for more details on what we can do for your pool during the spring opening process.

Cover Removal and Storage

The first thing that needs to be done when your pool is opened for the spring is the most obvious: taking off the cover. This step seems simple enough, but the most important thing to remember here is that a pool cover is a big investment and it needs to be treated with care and protected during the season!

First, we use a team of 2-4 technicians (or more for commercial pools) to carefully remove the cover, which can weigh hundreds of pounds. Our team is trained in the most efficient way to detach and remove the cover without causing any damage to the cover, its springs, or the anchors.

Once the cover has been removed, it needs to be washed and folded properly so that no damage will occur while it’s in storage, and so that it’s ready to go in the fall.

Finally, the “fun” part: we’ll wheel the whole cover to a cool, dry storage space away from corrosive pool chemicals where it’s out of sight and out of mind for the rest of the season. Whew! That was hard work! But we’re just getting started.

Inspecting and Starting the Pump, Filter, Chlorinator, Heater, and other Pool Equipment

Whether it’s a small residential pool or a massive commercial pool, all pools have a lot of complicated equipment that’s been sitting idle through a harsh winter. Getting it all started back up and running smoothly can be a difficult process.

If you hired us to do preventative pool motor maintenance in the off-season, your motor has already been tested and it’s ready to go. If not, the first thing we need to do is prime your system and test the motor.

Once the motor and pump are up and running, we move on to the filter. Whether it’s a sand filter, cartridge filter, or D.E., we’ll check your filtration medium to make sure it’s in working order, and we’ll check your filter pressure and set your backwash threshold for the season.

Next, it’s on to the sanitizing system (chlorinator, brominator, salt cell, etc.). Your pool will be unsafe to use if the sanitizing system isn’t working properly, so it’s important to ensure that the valves are functioning and you’re getting the right rate of flow through your sanitizing system.

Finally, we can inspect and start up add-on systems like your pool heater, pool cleaner, and water features.

So that’s it, right? Time to jump in? Well, not quite…

Balancing your Water Chemistry and Cleaning the Pool

At this point in the process, the cover is off and all of your equipment is running properly. But the water is probably brown and filled with algae, harmful bacteria, and debris. Before you dive in, you’ll need to balance your water chemistry and clean the pool. It’s best to let the filtration system run for 1-2 days before doing your first cleaning, so we typically do this work on a second visit.

When it comes to dirty pools, our team has seen it all. We measure your water chemistry and use calculators developed by pool chemists to ensure that you have the proper levels of:

  • Sanitizer (Chlorine, Bromine, Salt)
  • pH
  • Alkalinity
  • Calcium
  • Phosphates
  • and other minerals

Balancing the levels of these chemicals in your pool water is important because otherwise:

  • Your water will be unsafe. Swimmers could get sick or otherwise harmed if chemical levels are not managed properly.
  • Your water will be corrosive and could cause damage to your expensive pool equipment, pipes, and the surface of your pool.

So to ensure the health of your family (and your wallet), it’s important to make sure your water chemistry is balanced at the start of the season!

Finally, while we’re there, our team can use high-powered commercial vacuums and skimmers to remove all of the dirt and debris that has built up in your pool since the fall and get your water sparkling and ready for swimmers!

Experience the Red Rose Difference

Give us a call or submit a service request online to schedule your spring opening today! Sign up early to ensure that you get your pool up and running and any problems fixed well in advance of your first pool party of the season.

We take pride in trying to provide the best customer service in our industry, which means showing up when we say we will and getting your pool safe to use ASAP, so that you can relax and enjoy the fun. You’ve earned it!