How to Prepare Your Pool for the Summer in Bryan-College Station, TX
Summer’s almost here in Bryan-College Station, and that means pool season is right around the corner. Whether you're hosting backyard BBQs or just looking forward to relaxing swims after work, now is the perfect time to get your pool ready. Here’s how we recommend preparing for a stress-free, crystal-clear summer.
1. Clear Out All That Winter Debris
Over the winter, leaves, dirt, and debris love to find their way into your pool—especially if you don’t use a cover. Start by removing large debris with a leaf net or skimmer. Then give the walls and steps a good scrub. We see a lot of buildup around the waterline in this region due to tree pollen and dust, so take your time here.
Pro Tip from Our Techs: Don’t forget to clean out your skimmer baskets and pump baskets, too. We find those are often packed this time of year.
2. Inspect Your Pool Equipment
Before you power everything on, give your equipment a once-over. Check the pump and filter for leaks or cracks, and make sure hoses and seals aren’t worn out. In our experience, a lot of damage goes unnoticed during winter—especially with pumps that sit idle for a few months.
Need help? We offer a full inspection service to make sure everything’s working before it’s too late.
3. Rebalance Your Pool Chemistry
This is one of the most important steps. After months of sitting, your pool water’s chemistry is likely out of whack. We typically find low chlorine, unbalanced pH, and high calcium hardness during early summer openings in BCS.
Start by testing:
Chlorine – Aim for 1–3 ppm
pH – Target 7.4–7.6
Alkalinity – 80–120 ppm
Calcium Hardness – 200–400 ppm
If you’re unsure how to balance it, we’re just a call away. We can handle the startup chemistry for you and get it dialed in fast.
4. Shock the Pool with Confidence
Even if your pool looks clean, it’s smart to shock it to kill off bacteria and leftover contaminants. Use a chlorine-based shock and follow the instructions carefully. We usually recommend doing this in the evening and letting your system run overnight.
Bonus Tip: Keep swimmers out of the pool for at least 24 hours after shocking—it gives the chemicals time to do their job.
5. Vacuum and Brush Thoroughly
After shocking and balancing, it’s time to really clean. Brush down the pool walls, steps, and corners—algae loves to hide there. Then vacuum everything up (manual or automatic). In this area, we often see dirt from nearby landscaping blow into pools—so don’t skip this part.
Have a robotic vacuum? Now’s a great time to clean the filters and check the brushes before you send it in.
6. Test Your Water Weekly Going Forward
Once your pool is ready, keep it healthy with regular testing. We recommend at least once a week, or twice if you're swimming daily or after a heavy rain. This helps you avoid green water surprises (trust us—we’ve seen some swampy pools!).
Need help staying on top of it? We offer weekly service plans that take care of all this for you.
7. Call in the Pros (That’s Us!)
Getting your pool ready for summer can be a lot—especially if it’s been sitting for a while. If you'd rather relax and leave it to the experts, we offer affordable weekly maintenance that include everything from debris removal to full water balancing and equipment checks.
Summer’s too short to waste time dealing with a dirty, unbalanced pool. Whether you need a quick cleanup or full-service maintenance, we’re here to help.
