Well, its FINALLY that time of year again, and after the winter we had here in NJ, I say “GOOD RIDDANCE!” But with the warmer weather, the “swimming bug” will soon hit all of us. In fact, as I sit here and write this article the temperature is already 63 degrees and scheduled to be in the high 70’s tomorrow April 12, 2014! This is the spring I have been waiting for!!!
During this time of year, most pool owners are debating when to open the pool. When is too early? When is too late? This is definitely a valid concern, and in this article I shall share my thoughts on the matter. Keep in mind, the answers to the questions depend on your region of NJ, so I have tried to keep this to the general “rule of thumb”.
When the temperature is 70 degrees or over during the day , its time to open the pool.
Why so early you may ask? Let me give you a few reasons.
1. Warmer temperatures breed algae in a swimming pool. Pools with a mesh cover are allowing too much sunlight in and this spells days of work to get the pool up to ideal conditions. Personally I’d prefer to open my pool early than to wait an additional month to be welcomed by a mountain of work, algae and chemical expenditures.
2. Mother Nature. She is a funny lady, whom loves to play tricks. This could be the case if this upcoming weekend is to become the norm very quickly. Days with temperatures well into the 70’s can start any day now (yesterday) and if you have a heater, you and your family can be enjoying your pool.
3. Pollen. In NJ, pollen is a massive pain in everyone’s tail the months of April and May, I know as this past week has warmed up my allergies have kicked up a notch. The problem with pollen and your pool is not sneezing or watery eyes, it wreaks havoc on the uncirculating water by allowing it to build up, thus making it more difficult to clean the pool later. For pools that are open and circulating, the pollen will simply be sucked into the skimmer, caught by filter, and thereby keeping it from turning your pool into a lagoon.
4. Expense. Many pool owners feel that opening the pool early can be expensive. But considering that most swimming pool owners have 2 speed motors on their filter systems, the chemical and electrical costs are nominal. In fact, on the average if a pool owner runs their pump on ow speed for a month, they on average spend about $50-$60 in total expenses. Now compare that to the extra chemicals and cleaning required with a late opening, doesn’t opening earlier make more sense?
5. Beauty. I can’t speak for you, but for myself there is nothing better than firing up my grill in April and having great food and fun with family & friends. And NOTHING says “SUMMER is HERE” like having a beautiful swimming pool running and open to complete the scene. Most pool owners send more time on their pool patio than in the actual pool,, so the sooner the pool is open for the season, the sooner they can enjoy the beauty of their backyard investment.
So those are my top reasons for not waiting too long to open your pool.
Elite Lawn Sprinklers, Pools & Spas hopes you have a terrific summer in your pool and if you have any questions or comments regarding your pool, please do not hesitate to leave your thoughts or comments below. If at anytime you need assistance with your pool do not hesitate to contact our office, our certified personnel are happy to help.
