Prepping Pool For Vacation

by Cami
(Madison WI)

We have an above ground pool (the kind you set up every year), and we will be on vacation for 3 weeks. Last year when we went we put the winter cover on and never had anything done to it. We came back and it was green green green.

To prevent this from happening this year what suggestions do you have. We will have a neighbor come over and turn the filter on everyday. But I'm concerned what to cover it with. We have a lot of trees around and bugs etc. So I was thinking of putting a tarp over the top with poles so that the tarp would be about a foot off the water/pool and keep the sun and debris from getting in there.

Do you know of any kind of tarp/shelter that would work and would this be a good idea?

Hi Cami

I like your idea, that should help a lot.

Running the filter everyday is important. I would also shock the pool with chlorine just before leaving, and again upon return.

I would also leave a floating chlorinator full of tablets in the pool. Do all of this and you should be just fine upon returning.

Vinyl Pool While On Vacation

by Dawn McCoy
(Snow Hill, NC USA)

My husband and I have an 18x5 vinyl pool that we put up ourselves. We are having problems with hazy water, even after we've applied the correct amount of chemicals.

Also, we are going on vacation for a week and wondered what we could do to keep it as clean as possible while away. Should we add extra chemicals?

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Hi Dawn.

If your chemicals are balanced you probably just need to run your filter more hours per day. Some pool owners run their systems 24 hours a day in order to keep the pools clean, it all depends on the size of the system.

A pretty good rule of thumb to follow is if you ever have water clarity problems, leave the filter run non-stop until the water is clear. The hotter it gets the more the filter should run. It is also important to use vinyl shock treatment every couple of weeks, this helps a lot.

If you have your filter set up on a timer going on vacation for a week should not be a problem. Hopefully you have a floating chlorinator full of tablets, in which case, that is all you need. You may want to shock the pool before leaving, but with filtration every day, the pool should be just fine.

With a filter on a timer it is a good idea to have a neighbor check in on it from time to time. Flexible pool hoses have been known to burst at all the wrong times, causing the pool to drain below the skimmer and the pump to run dry, usually burning it out. A system solid plumbed with PVC pipe would not have this problem.

If you are leaving the filter off for a week I would recommend a double dose of vinyl shock before you leave. When you return, shock it again, and let the filter run a few days straight.