When to open
Open your pool between mid-April and early May in Pennsylvania. Waiting past mid-May usually means the water has warmed under the cover, creating an algae explosion that takes days to clear.
The 8-step open
1. Add water to the middle of the tile before doing anything else. 2. Remove the cover — carefully. 3. Fold and store the cover on the property. 4. Install jets, handrails, ladder, diving board, and pool cleaner. 5. Start up equipment — pump primed, filter back-flushed, heater tested. 6. Test water chemistry and dose stabilizer, chlorine, and pH. 7. Brush the walls and vacuum. 8. Run filtration continuously for 24–48 hours.
When to hire it out
If you don't have the winter cover storage, don't have equipment know-how, or don't want to spend a Saturday on it — book a Premium opening ($550) and it's done in one visit by a certified pool operator with photo report.