How To Clean My Pool After A Storm Or Flood?
🌧️ How to Clean Your Swimming Pool After a Storm or Flood
✅ 1. Turn Off All Equipment
Turn off the pump, filter, chlorinator, and heater at the breaker if needed.
Avoid running equipment with heavy debris or dirty water—it can cause damage.
✅ 2. Remove Debris Manually
Use a leaf skimmer or net to remove:
Branches
Leaves
Toys or trash
Avoid using the pool vacuum until large debris is cleared to prevent clogging.
✅ 3. Clean Skimmer and Pump Baskets
Remove all debris to ensure good circulation once you restart the system.
✅ 4. Check and Clean the Filter
Cartridge filter: Remove and hose it off.
Sand or DE filter: Backwash thoroughly.
Repeat cleaning daily if the water is heavily contaminated.
✅ 5. Test and Balance the Water
Storms can wash contaminants into the pool and dilute chemicals:
pH: 7.2–7.6
Alkalinity: 80–120 ppm
Chlorine: 1–3 ppm
Adjust as needed before shocking.
✅ 6. Shock the Pool (Superchlorinate)
Use a chlorine shock or non-chlorine oxidiser.
Run the pump for 24–48 hours continuously.
Shock again in 24 hours if water is still cloudy or smells bad.
✅ 7. Brush and Vacuum
Brush walls and floor to remove dirt or algae.
Vacuum manually (or use a robotic cleaner if safe).
For flood-contaminated pools, vacuum to waste if possible to avoid recirculating muddy water.
✅ 8. Run the Pump Until Water Clears
Keep the system running non-stop until the pool is clear.
Clean or backwash the filter regularly during this process.
✅ 9. Add Clarifier or Flocculant (Optional)
Use a pool clarifier if the water is just cloudy.
Use a flocculant if the water is very dirty and full of fine particles (requires manual vacuuming after settling).
✅ 10. Final Water Balancing
Once clear, recheck water chemistry.
Add necessary chemicals to restore proper balance.
Reinstall automatic chlorinators or salt cells if removed.
⚠️ If Flood Water Entered the Pool:
Assume contamination from sewage, pesticides, or bacteria.
Drain partially or fully (if permitted) and refill.
Use high-dose chlorine and test for phosphates or bacteria before swimming.
Better yet, if you are unsure of the extent of the damage give us a call and we can help assess your pool and provide a quote for recovery.