One of the things that you need to do after a hurricane is to conduct a thorough swimming pool cleaning. Unless your pool is indoors, it is most likely filled with dirt and debris after the onslaught of a strong hurricane.

A hurricane is a force of nature that brings a lot of destruction with it. You have the heavy rainfall and strong winds. If you live along the coast, you are also in danger of storm surges. There are also times when the hurricane can trigger a tornado to bring more destruction into your community. When it is strong enough, a hurricane can level an entire neighborhood.

Flooding is another effect of a hurricane. When the neighborhood is submerged underwater, your swimming pool will be a part of what is underneath. Even if the water already receded, you cannot expect your pool to just go back to normal. There are so many bad bacteria, dirt, and debris that came with that flooding. The strong winds of the hurricane caused a lot of branches and leaves to land on your pool.  You can also expect a mixture of salt water, sand, algae, and even phosphates and sewage in your pool. All of these is an indication that you need to go through some serious swimming pool cleaning before you can use it again.

For flooded swimming pool

When the whole pool is flooded, there is no way to salvage the water. You need to drain it and clean the tiles of the pool. Scrub the tiles to make sure there will be no algae or bacteria left. You should also clear out the debris that was left around the pool. Get rid of the leaves, branches, and other dirt. Only then should you refill it with fresh.

Make sure you stay tuned for the news as well. There might be another storm coming in. You might want to leave your pool empty until the hurricane season is over. That way, you do not have to repeat the swimming pool cleaning process.

Tips to clean the water in your swimming pool

In case the swimming pool was not flooded and you were able to cover the water before the hurricane hit, you might not need to drain the water.

Here are a couple of steps that you can follow to make sure that your pool is cleaned after the destructive effects of a hurricane.

Start with the physical dirt.

Remove all the debris in and around the pool. Sweep the surrounding area to keep the leaves and small branches from landing in the pool. Once the outside is clean, you can use a net to remove the leaves and branches that are in the pool.

Check the circulation and filtration.

Look at the skimmer and pump baskets. Make sure they are all free of debris. When there is debris lodged in it, the circulation of the water will be compromised. It will also compromise the filtration and cleaning process in the pool.

Make sure the chemical levels are correct.

This is probably where you will have to be careful and precise. You need to make sure to super chlorinate the pool to at least 20 ppm. Then, you have to maintain the pH level between 7.2 to 7.4. After the chlorine is added, the two-stage clarifier should take place. When the filter system runs, the first stage formula should be added.

After 6 hours, the second stage of the two-part clarifier should be added as the pool filter continues to run. Within 24 hours, the pool water should clear completely.

Clean the filter.

Backwash the filter to keep it clean. Do this after 24 hours. Once everything is done, test the chemicals in the water and ensure that the levels are all correct. Test for phosphates and use a remover when necessary. If the phosphate is down to 200 ppb, you can add algaecide.

This should be the end of your swimming pool cleaning process. You can now use your pool as if it was good as new.