Protecting Your Pool


  • Pool Covers - If you have a cover that is held on by water tubes or some other type of weights, do not put it on. These types of covers will be easily blown off into the yard or the pool by high winds.
  • Attached Safety Pool Cover - If you have a safety cover (this cover is attached to anchors in the deck around the pool), put it on. These covers are designed to hold even in the winds of a hurricane. Make sure that your straps are taut but not so tight that the spring (if you have this type) is completely compressed. It is also a good idea to put some padding between the cover and the edge of the pool. This will prevent the cover from being abraded by the edge of the pool, as it moves with the wind. You can use old towels, water tubes, etc. for this.
  • Remove your skimmer lids (these make good Frisbees) and any other loose items.
  • Super-chlorinate your pool (shock it). This will help prevent the pool water from becoming contaminated. Add a shock dose of liquid or granular chlorine.
  • Turn off your filter system before the storm hits, but do not drain the system. This will prevent the motor from burning up if the system becomes clogged or the line voltage drops. By leaving the water in the filter system, the extra weight will help hold down the equipment.
  • Do not drain your pool. A pool shell can float like a boat. They can literally “pop out” of the ground if emptied. 
  • Turn the pump, and any other power supply, off. 
  • Do not store pool furniture in your pool, but do remove and store all pool furniture. Storing the furniture in your pool can damage the pool and the pool chemicals can in turn damage the furniture. Only do this if you have no other place to store them.
  • Protect the screen enclosure. Some damage to the frame of the screen structure may be prevented if you provide a vent for the wind to flow through. Consider removing screen panels on opposite sides of the enclosure by pulling out the vinyl spline that retains the panels.
pool after hurricane.jpg

After the Storm

  • It may be tempting if your pool is a disastrous mess, but, again, do not drain it.
  • If you covered your pool, remove the pool cover and replace the pool furniture.
  • Remove the debris from the pool first. Remove large objects by hand and use a pool rake or skimmer net to remove smaller debris from the pool. Do not attempt to use the pool’s vacuum system for debris that is likely to plug the plumbing.
  • Let the motor dry for at least twenty-four hours. If you couldn’t remove your equipment before the storm and it was underwater, get it checked out. When electricity has returned, call a licensed, insured pool repair company to thoroughly inspect your pool and equipment.
  • Clean the filter and run the system 24 hours a day. When the water has attained proper clarity, then reset the time clock for a normal daily cycle.
  • Balance water pH, super-chlorinate or shock your pool, and run the filter until the water becomes clear.
  • Lower the water level to the middle of the skimmer and test the water and make any necessary chemical adjustments.
  • Monitor the Pool Operation: It is important to monitor the overall operation of the entire system for several days after the storm to be sure everything is operating properly.