By: Tom Morrone
After a wet and dreary spring, pool season is finally here. For what seemed an eternity, the weather forecast was the same, cool with either rain, showers, or clouds. We would have a day or two scattered around where we would have a tease of sunshine. Then the dreaded forecast went back into the cycle of the same old pattern of cool, more rain, showers, or clouds. Hopefully when summer officially arrives, we will be rewarded for our patience and have great stretches of warm, dry weather with plenty of sunshine. With that type of weather in mind, naturally we look forward to enjoying our pool. Historically, we open the pool May 15th so by the Memorial Day weekend we are ready to enjoy all the benefits of pool ownership.
Having a pool for over 30 years, I have seen it all. Each year brings a new surprise when first opening the pool. How clear will the water be? What found its way into the pool over the winter? How chemically balanced is the water so it is safe for swimming? Did the mechanicals survive the winter? Just because pool water is clear, does not mean it is safe for swimming or is chemically balanced. This year, I was pleasantly surprised when the loop loc cover came off that the water was clear. Of course, on the bottom of the pool, there were leaves, spiders, worms, and silt that accumulated over the winter. No big deal. Over the years, as I mentioned before, I have seen it all. One thing I learned is patience when first opening the pool. Rome was not built in a day. Getting a pool ready for swimming does not happen in a day either.
Day one is brushing down all the surfaces of the pool and letting everything settle overnight. Day two is getting as much of the debris with the skimmer net and letting everything else settle overnight once again. Day three is vacuuming the last remnants of debris. Lastly, I take a water sample to the pool store to determine what chemicals are required to make the water safe and chemically balanced. This year, that four step process worked to perfection and after only three days, we were ready to swim. Unfortunately, the chores of pool ownership do not end there. Being a fanatic, I am quick to poolside with the skimmer pole to remove any leaf, worm or other foreign objects that make their way into the pool. There is a daily check of the skimmer basket. There seems to be periodic surprises in that basket. Over the years in the basket, I have seen snakes, frogs, mice, moles, voles, chipmunks, and baby birds.
Weekly chemical maintenance for our pool consists of two pounds of granular chlorine shock, three tablets of slow-release chlorine, five ounces of algaecide and three ounces of water clarifier. Based on pool usage and weather conditions, more chemicals may be needed to keep the water safe and balanced. Is it work to own a pool? Yes, of course. Is it fun to have a pool? Yes, of course. We so enjoy sitting by the pool as well as being in the water. Watching our grandkids in the water makes me forget all about the work and puts a smile on my face and warms my heart. For my fellow pool owners, you can appreciate the details above and I am sure you have your own system. For non-pool owners, sorry for the anal information.
The swimming season is so short in CT. We are just opening the pool and already talking about scheduling the closing. It can be depressing, which is why you need to enjoy every moment of the swimming season. Life is Good!
Until the Next Tom’s Take………………
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