How to Prepare Your Pool For a Big Storm

Storms can be amazing. They’re fascinating to watch, can provide much-needed precipitation, and usually leave behind fresh, clean air. But they can also be destructive and result in quite a mess, especially when it comes to swimming pools.

Storms can cause your pool to be contaminated with debris such as dirt, mud, silt, and bacteria. Although there is no way to keep your pool debris-free when a storm rolls through, there are a few things a pool owner can do to protect their pool and equipment from damages, as well as potential bacteria and algae growth. We’ve put together a few guidelines to use to prepare next time the forecast calls for a storm.

Do Not Drain Your Pool Water

You might have the urge to remove the water from your pool to prevent the pool from overflowing and the water from becoming contaminated. However, you actually cause more harm than good if water is drained from the pool. Draining your pool leaves the pool walls and floor unprotected, susceptible to scratches or damage by flying debris. More importantly, a pool without water can potentially pop up and “float” on a rising water table.

Keeping the water inside your pool, despite the contamination after a storm, will provide an easier clean up.

Leave Your Pool Open

Installing any kind of cover across the pool will not do much to protect against dust and contaminants because storms often bring strong winds and heavy rain that can cause the cover to lift off your pool. Also, placing your cover over your pool leaves it vulnerable to sharp branches and other debris during a storm.

DIY TIP: By keeping the cover off your pool during a storm, you will prevent unwanted damage and avoid having to deal with a difficult removal if the cover is full of water and debris.

Balance and Control

During a storm, it’s inevitable that dirt, debris, and other contaminants will find their way into your pool. Even though you will most likely need to shock and balance your pool after any occurrence of severe weather, balancing and adding algae controller to your water 

beforehand will save you a lot of work after the weather has subsided.

By balancing your pool chemistry and adding a large dose of an algae controller such as Caribbean Blue Algae Defense 60, most of the organic contaminants that are blown into your pool will be quickly and easily eliminated. Any of the contaminants that do remain in your pool should be destroyed by shocking your pool after the storm.

Prepare for Some Routine Clean-Up

If you have time before the storm, remove as many toys, pieces of furniture, and other items as you can, and store them in a safe place such as a shed, garage, or basement. Much of the damage from a storm is caused by items that could have been stored out of harm’s way.

DIY TIP: Never put objects into the pool to protect them from a storm, as this could damage the objects and cause serious metal staining problems for your pool water.

If Possible, Trim Branches From Nearby Trees

If you have time, trimming branches and limbs from nearby trees will help protect your pool and possibly even your home. Large and overgrown branches can snap off easily and become dangerous projectiles during storms. A little routine maintenance can go a long way — especially when strong winds or storms are in your area.

Turn the Power Off

To prevent potentially dangerous electrical issues, it’s imperative that you turn off the power to your pool equipment — such as pumps, motors, filters, heaters, chlorinators, and lighting fixtures. Even if you turn off the power to your pool equipment, it can still be damaged by wind, rain, and debris. To avoid damage, we recommend covering pool equipment with a large plastic tarp or waterproof coverings. Ensure that the covering is tied down tightly to avoid water from getting to the equipment.

And even if you have prepared your pool for a storm, it’s almost certain that you will need to do some cleaning after it rolls through. We’ve got you covered there too with our tips for cleaning up after a storm.

If you have any additional questions about preparing your pool for a storm, visit or contact your Valley Pool & Spa to speak with an expert.