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.