Alright. Deep breath.
You rolled off the winter cover expecting a few leaves, maybe a little cloudiness, but nothing you couldn’t fix in a day. Instead, the pump won’t prime, your chlorinator looks like it exploded, and the water smells like salad dressing left in the sun.
Happens every year. You’re not alone.
Step one: stop panicking
Seriously. Don’t start throwing every chemical you own into the pool like it’s a witches’ brew. Most problems look worse than they are. Step back. Take stock. Do a lap around the pool. Hydrate. Then start methodically.
Check your gear before turning it on
That pump? Don’t force it. Check for cracks in the housing. Open the lid and see if it’s got water in the basket. No water? That’s an airlock or low pool level. Fill it and try again. Still no dice? Might be a suction line issue. Don’t get mad, just work down the checklist.
Heater blinking like it’s haunted? Turn it off for now. One problem at a time.
Start filtering immediately, even if you can’t swim for days
The number one reason pool openings get delayed is waiting until everything is perfect before running the pump. Nope. Just get the water moving. Circulation is king. Dirty water can’t get clean if it’s just sitting there marinating.
Even if the chemistry is still way off, just let the filter do its thing while you troubleshoot.
Test before you treat
Everyone wants to dump in shock and walk away. But if your pH is too low or too high, that chlorine’s just going to sit there sulking. Always test first. Fix pH and alkalinity. Then shock. Then wait. Then test again.
It’s not hard, it just takes time.
Give it three days before you despair
A good pool opening is 30 percent elbow grease and 70 percent chill. If your gear’s intact and your filter’s moving water, you’re gonna be okay. Don’t expect magic overnight. Pools are stubborn. They’ll come around.
And if something’s truly broken? That’s what pool stores and YouTube are for. You’ve got this.
Need help testing your water? Here’s our quick pool water test guide after a party.
