Getting set for a SWIM

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The winter weather is history, and it's finally time to get the backyard swimming pool ready for the summer.Even the most experienced pool owners usually can use some help opening their pools for the season, and again when it's time to close them in the fall, says Paul Wahler, general manager of Poolservice Co. in Arlington.

"If people try to do this all themselves, and they don't know what they're doing, they might have a problem," Mr. Wahler says. "You might need someone with experience that knows what to do."

Before a service call is made to open a pool, customers need to make sure the water is at normal operating level, Mr. Wahler says. The pool can't be opened if it isn't full of water.

"The rain does some of it, but most people use a garden hose to keep the pool topped off," Mr. Wahler says. "Let the hose run through the cover. By the time we get there, it should be full and ready to be started up.

"In the winter, homeowners should lower the level of the water, but you don't drain it completely," Mr. Wahler says.

During a service call, the cover is removed before the filter is started, Mr. Wahler says.

Although some people have mechanical covers for their pools, other customers have removable covers. When the cover is removed from the pool, it usually is folded and stored, Mr. Wahler says. If it is a solid material, as opposed to mesh, a deodorizer should be used to prevent mold growth.

"You can't dry the cover unless you have a tennis court," Mr. Wahler says. "If you lay the cover on the grass, it will burn up the grass. If you flip it over, you could flip it endlessly and never dry it."

After removing the cover, technicians reassemble the filter system. It should have been drained for the winter to prevent freezing, Mr. Wahler says.

Other accessories should be in working order, such as the heater and automatic cleaner. A water chemistry test should be performed at poolside, he says.