How to Prepare Your Pool for an Incoming Storm

Imagine this scenario. You turn on the news and learn that a major storm is coming your way. As a pool owner, what should you do?   

If your answer was to run and take cover, you’re partly right. You do need to protect yourself in the event of a storm. But, you also need to protect your pool! So, before you duck and hide, follow these helpful tips.

Do a Quick Clean Up

First things first, understand that anything in your pool area can become a hazard in the event of a storm. Those lovely lounging chairs can fly into your pool and get ruined. Worse yet, some heavy objects could potentially damage your pool or your home if the winds are strong enough.

Thus, as you prepare for the storm, consider anything and everything a potential hazard. Take any items you can indoors and secure others. The more you put away, the lower the risk of damage to your pool and home.

Remove Your Cover

You might think that putting your pool cover on tight is the right thing to do when a storm is coming. However, in the case of severe storms, you’re just setting your cover up for damage.

Thus, if you have a nice, expensive cover and you want to keep it nice and functional, go ahead and remove it.

Savvy pool owners may have a cheaper cover, such as a tarp cover, they can use in this situation. If you do and you don’t mind the cover potentially getting ruined, go ahead and put it on. If you don’t, then put away your cover and prepare to clean up after the storm has passed.

Do Some Last Minute Landscaping

Finally, if you have the time, go ahead and do some quick landscaping of the trees and bushes surrounding your pool.

Low-hanging limbs and weak shrubbery can easily make their way into your pool in the event of a storm. This could lead to a mess if you’re lucky and to severe damage if you’re not. Thus, a little last minute pruning and trimming can do a world of good.

The bottom line is that storms happen, and they often happen unexpectedly. However, if you can prepare for them, then you can prevent a lot of damage and hassle, at least as far as your pool is concerned.