The residents of Charleston, SC are no strangers to storms and other adverse weather, including intense floods. Flooding is not only a hazard to your home, but potentially to your pool, as well.
There are a few important steps that Charleston pool owners can take to address the damage, and to ensure that their pool is once again swim-ready. Here are some suggested steps from the team at Davis Water Service.
How to Service Your Pool Following a Flood
1) Assess the damage.
First and foremost, take a minute to assess the extent of the damage. Look around for any cracks or fractures in the pool itself, as well as any flooding that might extend to your home or crawlspace.
2) Clean the area around the pool.
Is your patio area covered in debris? Do you have inflatable pool toys and porch furniture strewn across your yard? It’s best to tidy up and provide yourself some room to maneuver. This will make pool servicing go much more smoothly.
3) Skim the surface.
A major flood is probably going to leave some significant debris on the surface of your pool. Take some time to clean up as many of the big branches and leaves as you can.
4) Vacuum to waste.
The next step is to hook up your vacuum and suck up as much of the debris on the bottom of your pool as you can. Remember to set your vacuum to the WASTE setting so that any mud you suck up goes out of the pool, rather than into the skimmer, where it can really slow things down.
5) Brush and filter.
Next step? Brush your pool as meticulously as possible. We’d recommend brushing it at least twice. Your goal should be dislodging as much mud and gunk as possible from the sides of the pool. Then, leave your pool filter running for a good long while. You might even leave it running through the night, just to ensure ample time for it to do what it’s supposed to.
6) Test and balance the water.
A major flood is almost sure to throw your chlorine and pH levels out of whack. This significantly raises the risk of contamination and the spread of bacteria. You’ll want to get out your test kit to see just how imbalanced those levels are, and then apply whatever chemicals are required to restore it to the correct balance.
7) Shock the pool.
Once you’ve got the pool balanced, it’s time to apply major chlorine. We recommend doing a triple shock, which can eradicate any organic stains left over by dirt, mud, and silt.
8) Apply stain treatments.
You may need to brush the pool daily, and continue shocking it, in order to remove all the stains. If that still doesn’t do the trick, head to your favorite pool supply store and get some specialized stain removal chemicals.
9) Clean the filter.
Your filter is really going to be put through its paces as you undo the ravages of the flood. Make sure you’re vigilant in keeping it clean.
10) Consider replacing your water.
If your water is simply too contaminated, and none of your clean-up efforts can get it right, you may need to drain and refill. Companies like Davis Water Service can send you a truckload of clean, clear, sanitary water ASAP.
More questions about cleaning up after a flood? We’re here to help. To chat with us about your pool needs, reach out to Davis Water Service in Charleston, SC at your next opportunity.