Spring. Every pool owner's favorite time of year! The days are getting longer and the warm weather will soon follow. But opening your pool requires more than just peeling back your pool cover. Spring pool maintenance is a necessary step in ensuring a clean and safe pool that you can enjoy throughout the summer season.

There are a number of steps that must be performed to prime your pool for the season including:

• Checking your chemicals: Ensure your water treatment supplies haven't passed their expiration date.  Replace those that have.
• Pool Cover: After removing the cover from your pool, clean and ensure it is thoroughly dried before folding it for storage to prevent mildew.
• Pool deck and accessories: Check your pool deck to ensure it's intact and safe for bare feet. Reinstall any accessories including diving boards, ladders and any other fittings. 
• Pool plumbing, equipment and electrical check: Check, clean and reassemble the pool pump, pool filter and other equipment. Remove the plugs from the plumbing and reinstall the return outlet fittings. Turn circuit breakers, switches and time-clock trippers to their on positions.
• Refill and clean: Scrub the walls and bring the water level up to normal. Restart the circulation equipment.
• Balance the water chemistry: Treat your pool water and test and follow the chemistry levels for a few days until they stabilize.

New pool owners opening their pool for the first time, less experienced pool owners or those who prefer to have their pool opened for them, will want to ensure they hire a well-trained and certified technician to do the work. A certified pool technician will know what to look for and ensure everything is in proper working order so that you can enjoy your pool throughout the summer season.