Protecting Your Pool from Storm Damage: What to Do and What to Skip

Here in southern Maine and coastal New Hampshire, the weather can turn quickly. A calm afternoon can become a night of heavy rain and strong wind, and your pool sits right in the middle of it. The Northern Pool & Spa team has put together the steps that matter most, along with a few common mistakes to avoid, so your pool and equipment come through in good shape.

Do This Before the Storm

Make room for the rain. Check where your water sits. If it’s already up to the top of the tile line or the coping, take it down a few inches. That extra space helps prevent overflow and keeps yard debris from washing into the pool.

Tie down or store loose items. Furniture, umbrellas, toys, floats and planters should come inside or be secured. Strong gusts can carry them into the water or into your equipment, fence or house.

Top up your sanitizer and balance the water. Stormwater brings in dirt, leaves and other contaminants that use up sanitizer quickly. Water that starts out balanced is much easier to bring back afterward.

Learn where your pool breaker is. If water collects around your equipment, the power needs to go off quickly. Find the breaker now so you aren’t searching for it later.

Skip These Common Mistakes

Don’t drain the pool. It might seem like the safest way to avoid overflow, but an empty pool is at real risk. The water’s weight holds the structure in place, and without it, pressure from saturated ground can cause serious damage. Lowering the level a few inches is plenty.

Don’t work on the pool while the storm is active. Leave the skimming, debris removal and equipment checks until the weather has fully passed. Lightning, wind and wet electrical equipment are not worth the risk.

Don’t close your automatic cover. If your pool has an automatic cover, we recommend leaving it open during major rain and wind whenever possible. Rainwater, debris and falling branches put heavy strain on a closed cover, and damaged fabric, tracks, ropes and pulleys are costly to fix. A pool full of leaves is a much easier and less expensive problem to solve.

After the Storm Passes

Look over your equipment. Start with the equipment pad before turning anything on. If there is flooding or standing water around it, shut off power to the equipment and call us when conditions are safe. If the system is running and you notice a loud or unusual noise, or something simply seems off, turn it off and have one of our technicians check it.

Remove what the storm left behind. Skim out leaves and branches, then empty the skimmer and pump baskets before you run the system. If there is large debris in the pool, or anything you aren’t sure about, our team can remove it for you.

Test your water. Rain and runoff will change your pH, alkalinity and sanitizer levels. Test at home or bring a sample to our store in Eliot, and expect to shock the pool to get it back to clear.

Schedule a cleanup if you need one. Our team can help with debris removal, water balancing, filter cleanings and overall recovery once the weather clears.

Northern Pool & Spa Is Here When the Skies Clear

If a storm leaves you with a mess or a question, give the Northern Pool & Spa team a call. We’re happy to help with cleanup, water balancing, equipment checks and anything else your pool needs. Stay safe!