Hurricane Irma has come and gone, yet it seems storm season is far from over. As soon as Irma passed, eyes turned to Hurricane Maria, a storm that was growing stronger in the Atlantic and heading our way. Luckily right now it seems it will miss Florida, but what about the next one, or what about next year’s storm season? It’s important to know how to prepare for these events. While you might know how to board up your windows and put sandbags by the door, what do you do about your pool? That pool is an investment and you need to protect it. Will it be okay on its own or should you take some action to make sure no damage comes to it? Fortunately, you don’t have to do much to get a pool ready for a hurricane. There are just a few vital steps you need to take, such as:
Don’t Drain It: You might think it would be a good idea to drain a swimming pool so the backyard doesn’t flood, but the water in the pool weighs it down. Empty the pool and the groundwater combined with the wind can actually cause damage to it.
Don’t Cover It: It might also be tempting to place a cover on the pool to protect it from debris. The truth is it’s better to leave it open and let debris fall into it. Pool covers are mostly to keep people and small debris like leaves out of the water. During a hurricane, the debris that flies around can be significantly larger and hit with more impact, damaging the cover. It’s cheaper and easier to remove debris from a pool than it is to replace a pool cover.
Turn Off Electronics: Turn off the pool pump and any other electronic part of the pool. It is best to shut them off completely from the circuit breaker. While they are meant to handle pool water, damage from the storm can harm the electronic parts inside if they are running, or overload a breaker and damage them.
Wrap Up Important Parts: Any exposed electronic part should be securely wrapped in a waterproof material. Make sure the material is securely tightened and won’t fly off in the wind.
Add Extra Chlorine: With the pumps off, storm debris can contaminate your pool. Add a little extra pool cleaner before the storm to help keep it protected.
Have a Pool: It’s hard to protect your pool when you don’t have one. Contact Artesian Pools today to get started on your own custom designed pool.
Artesian Pools has been building pools in central Florida for years now, and our pools have survived a number of different Hurricanes and will survive plenty more. Create your own custom designed pool today when you hire the recommended pool builders in Orlando Fl.
