What to Do with Your Pool After a Heavy Rain

Is there anything better than having a pool on a sunny summer day? Hardly! Whether you’re hosting kids, adult friends, or just spending a day relaxing, a pool is a wonderful thing.

But some summer days bring heavy rains and those downpours can create a challenge for pool care. In addition to debris being blown into the water by the wind, the rainstorm can dilute the previously in-balance chemicals, impacting your pool water’s pH and alkalinity.

If it’s just a little rain, you’ll test your water, treat it with chemicals, and be swimming again in no time — but a heavy rain is a different story.

A Post-Rainstorm Pool Checklist

1. Remove debris from your skimmer and pump baskets. Leaves, small twigs, and who-knows-what-else can get caught in there during a storm.
2. Skim your pool to remove any debris on the water’s surface, including bugs.
3. Brush and vacuum your pool.
4. Lower the water level if needed. The ideal water level is halfway up the opening of the skimmer. There are several ways to reduce the water level, depending on your equipment.
   1. If you have a Sand Filter: Set it to ‘pump to waste’.
   2. If you have a Cartridge or D.E. Filter:  Open the drain plug to drain excess water. You can also purchase an attachment for your filter that allows easily drain water away from your pool using a hose.
   3. Invest in a Submersible Pump: These pumps vary in price depending on features, like how many gallons of water are pumped out per hour.
5. Have your pool water tested. Bring a water sample to your nearest Zagers Pool & Spa location for free water testing.
6. Rebalance the water. When you bring your water sample to the nearest Zagers Pool & Spa location, we’ll give you personalized step-by-step instructions for adjusting your chemicals and getting them exactly where they should be.

Common Rainstorm-Related Questions & Answers

Should I run my pump while it’s raining?

Zagers says yes! We recommend that our customers run their pumps rain or shine UNLESS you have an electrical storm. In that case, lightning could strike an outside circuit, which could damage your pump and other equipment. If you’re worried about lightning, turn the pump off or shut off the breaker.

When should I shock my pool in the event of a rainstorm?

A big rainstorm is going to add lots of contaminants to your pool, so it never hurts to shock your pool before an anticipated storm. However, there’s no harm done if you aren’t able to do so. After the storm passes, you can shock your pool and then bring us the water sample so you can rebalance it.

If you have any questions following a heavy rain, don’t hesitate to visit one of Zagers’ locations or contact us. Our pool and spa experts are here to help!