Last week, I opened my swimming pool up for the season and was surprised to find the results-- it was green...REALLY GREEN.
Despite the fact that it was only March, the mild winter has made it feel like spring in many parts of the US, with Virginia certainly falling into that category.
Now granted, after giving the pool a serious chlorine shock and filter for the last few days, the water is looking good and all the algae is gone, but had I waited until mid-April or later to do the opening, I honestly can't imagine what that water would have looked like or how many days it would have taken to get it beautiful and clear.
To tell you the truth though, I've never understood why some pool owners wait until late April or even May to get their pool opened up...at least in this part of the country.
For my family, an open swimming pool is the mark of spring. The beautiful water and cascade are not only a pleasure to listen to and watch, but it's also nice to know that the water is ready if we by chance experience a really hot day and the kids decide to jump in.
Plus, with salt chlorine generators and low speed pumps, the cost of an additional month of having the pool open is very, very low considering that an extremely messy pool that's opened up late will require more chemical expense and work as well to get it ready.
So, think about this as you consider the best time to open your swimming pool in 2012. Depending on where you live and the weather you've been experiencing, it may be already time to get her up and running.
Either way, enjoy the spring everyone and have a tremendous swimming season!
Note*** If you're a River Pools client looking to schedule your pool opening, you can request a service call, and we'll take care of that for you.