How to Clean Your Pool after a Monsoon

Anyone who has lived in the Valley through an Arizona summer knows that monsoons are likely to wreak havoc on the backyard and pool at some point. With aggressive rains, wind and blowing dust, monsoons come in hot and fast — and are gone in much the same fashion. But they can lead a real mess in their wake. Aquaman Pools LLC offers pool owners tips for cleaning the pool after a monsoon storm — as well as preparing the pool before a storm blows through.

Valley residents generally anticipate and welcome the monsoon season with open arms as it provides at least a little reprieve from the heat. However, along with the much need rain, which can actually interfere with the pool water’s pH balance, the monsoons also bring dirt and dust, flying debris — from organic load like leaves and flowers to plastic bags or other trash that took flight with the wind. All these things can affect the pool in various ways, but they shouldn’t have too much damage on the pool if a homeowner can take care of it right away. Check out these tips to clean the pool after a monsoon storm:

Assess the Situation — After a storm, take a look around and check for any damage the monsoon has caused — debris floating on the surface, mud or dirt collected at the bottom of the pool, lose tiles, etc. Even a brief monsoon storm can cause some damage so it’s a good idea to check it out and then determine what needs to be done to clean up the pool.

Skim the Pool — Remove any large items that may have drifted into the pool and then with the skimmer, remove any of the aforementioned debris floating on the surface of the pool and brush or vacuum the bottom of the pool. If there is an excessive amount of dirt or mud that has collected at the bottom that can’t be removed with a simple brushing to loosen it enough to be vacuumed up, it’s time to call a professional pool care expert to remove it.

Check the Baskets and Test the Chlorine Levels — Clear out the skimmer basket and the pump basket so they don’t become clogged with debris, which can lead to overheating and burnout. Also, as mentioned above, rain water can impact the pool’s chemical balance and even lead to algae growth, so it’s a good idea to take a quick assessment of the water with a pH test kit. If needed, shock the pool or add chlorine tablets to the floating dispenser. Once the pool has been cleared of debris, run the pool’s automatic cleaning system, preferably overnight. In most cases, the pool will be clean and ready for use the very next day.

Fill it Up — If the pool’s water level has gone down due to a storm, be sure to refill it to its usual level. Keeping pool water’s level consistent is an important part of regular pool maintenance.

Prior to a storm, set the filter time to run longer and preferably during the afternoons and evenings when monsoons tend to make their arrival. If possible, cover the pool before a storm rolls in and remove all pool toys and floats and store them safely or tie them down so they don’t end up in a neighbor’s pool three houses down. With a little pre-storm precaution and after-storm care, the pool can remain crystal clear and clean despite a wild monsoon! If a storm brings in more damage to a pool than a homeowner feels they can handle, the professional pool care technicians at Aquaman Pools are standing by and always ready to lend a hand!