Learning how to open a inground swimming pool is basically the official signal that summer is finally here. There is nothing quite like peeling back that heavy cover and seeing the potential for backyard BBQs and late-night swims, even if the water looks a little questionable at first glance. If you're staring at your backyard wondering where to even start, don't worry—it's a process, but it's a manageable one. You don't need a PhD in pool science to get things running; you just need a bit of patience and a clear Saturday afternoon.
Getting your gear together
Before you even touch the pool cover, you need to make sure you have everything on hand. There is nothing more frustrating than being halfway through the process only to realize you're out of chlorine or that your pool brush is snapped in half.
You'll want to gather your basic chemicals: shock (usually calcium hypochlorite), pH increaser and decreaser, alkalinity increaser, and maybe some algaecide if things look particularly green. Beyond the chemistry, grab your telescoping pole, the brush attachment, your skimmer net, and—most importantly—your garden hose. If you have a DE or sand filter, make sure you have the necessary media to recharge it once things are running. Oh, and keep a little bit of silicone-based lubricant nearby for the O-rings; it makes a huge difference in preventing leaks later on.
Dealing with the pool cover
This is arguably the most annoying part of the whole job. If you have a solid cover, it's probably covered in a winter's worth of leaves, sticks, and "pool soup" (that lovely stagnant rainwater).
Draining the gunk
If there is water sitting on top of your cover, use a cover pump to get as much off as possible. Try your best not to let that swampy water tip into the clean(ish) pool water below. Once the water is gone, use a soft broom or a leaf blower to clear away the debris. If you have a safety mesh cover, you won't have the water buildup, but you'll likely have some fine silt that has filtered through over the months.
Cleaning and storage
Once the cover is off, don't just wad it up and throw it in the shed. It'll smell terrible and probably rot by next year. Lay it out on the lawn or driveway, give it a good scrub with some mild detergent or a specialized cover cleaner, and let it dry completely. Pro tip: Sprinkle a little bit of talcum powder on the cover as you fold it to prevent it from sticking together and growing mold.
Reinstalling the fittings
During the winterization process, you likely pulled out all the return jet fittings and skimmer baskets and replaced them with expansion plugs. Now is the time to reverse that. Go around the perimeter and pull those winter plugs out. You'll see the water start to rush into the pipes, which is a good sign.
Replace the eyeball fittings in the return lines. If you have a dedicated suction line for a cleaner, get that plug out too. If you used "Gizzmos" (those long hollow tubes) in your skimmers, twist those out and put your skimmer baskets back in place. This is also a great time to check the condition of your baskets; if they're cracked, they won't catch debris properly and could let junk get into your pump.
Priming the pump and filter
Now we're getting to the heart of the system. Head over to your equipment pad and make sure everything looks solid. Check for any obvious cracks in the pipes that might have happened if things froze over the winter.
Prepping the pump
Open up the pump lid and clean out any debris. Grab that silicone lubricant we talked about and lightly coat the O-ring on the lid to ensure an airtight seal. Fill the pump housing with water from your garden hose—this is called "priming." If you try to start the pump dry, you could burn out the motor or the seal pretty quickly. Once it's full of water, tighten the lid back on.
Setting the valves
Make sure your valves are set so that water can flow from the skimmers and main drain into the pump, and then out through the filter and back to the pool. If you have a multi-port valve on your filter, set it to "Filter." Turn the power on and keep an eye on the pressure gauge. You might hear some coughing and sputtering as air is pushed out of the lines, but eventually, you should see a steady stream of water moving through the pump lid.
Topping off the water level
Your pool probably lost some water over the winter, or you drained it down below the skimmers to winterize it. Grab the hose and fill it back up until the water level is about halfway up the skimmer opening. If the water is too low, the pump will suck in air and lose prime. If it's too high, the skimmer won't be able to skim the surface tension effectively to catch floating leaves.
The chemistry phase
Now for the part that makes everyone feel like a high school chemistry teacher. You shouldn't just dump a bucket of chlorine in and call it a day.
Testing the water
Take a sample of your water (reach down about elbow-deep for the best sample) and either use your at-home test kit or take it to a local pool store. You're looking at four main things: pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid (stabilizer).
Get your alkalinity right first (aim for 80-120 ppm), as this acts as a "buffer" for your pH. Once that's set, adjust your pH to somewhere between 7.4 and 7.6. This is the sweet spot where your chlorine works most effectively and your eyes won't sting.
Shocking the pool
Even if the water looks clear, there are likely microscopic spores and bacteria hanging out in there. You'll want to give the pool a "super-chlorination" or shock treatment. It's usually best to do this in the evening so the sun doesn't immediately burn off the unstabilized chlorine. Follow the instructions on the bag, but generally, you're looking to double or triple the normal chlorine levels for a short period to kill off any lingering winter nasties.
Brushing and vacuuming
The chemicals do a lot of the heavy lifting, but they can't do everything. You need to get in there and manually brush the walls and floor. This knocks loose any algae that might be starting to take hold and gets it into the water column where the filter can grab it.
After brushing, let everything settle for a few hours and then vacuum the floor. If the pool is really dirty, you might want to vacuum to "Waste" (if you have a multi-port valve) so the dirty water bypasses the filter entirely. It uses more water, but it saves your filter from getting clogged every five minutes.
Final touches and maintenance
Keep your filter running for at least 24 to 48 hours straight after the initial opening. You want to move all that water through the system as much as possible. Check your pressure gauge frequently; if it rises about 8-10 PSI above the "clean" starting pressure, it's time to backwash or clean the cartridges.
Once the water is crystal clear and the chemical levels have stabilized, you're basically good to go. Put your ladders back in, check the diving board bolts for any rust, and make sure your gate latches properly. Opening the pool is definitely a chore, but once you're floating on a raft with a cold drink in your hand, you'll realize the effort was totally worth it. Happy swimming!