With summer on the horizon, pool owners in many regions are counting down the days until the first swim of the season. However, getting an inground or above-ground pool ready for summer fun is no small task – it takes planning and a fair amount of work. Keep these items in mind when opening your pool this season to help ensure a fun, low-maintenance summer in the water.

Clear the Cover

After months of rain and snow, most pool owners will need to clear water and debris from the top of their pool cover. Skip the bucket bails and DIY siphons and simplify this task by using an Intermatic cover pump to remove excess water.

Our WATERSPIDER® Series Cover Pumps remove water on the surface using a unique multi-legged design. A great choice for both above-ground and inground pool covers, these solutions pump an impressive 400 gallons per hour, allowing for quick removal of accumulated water in a wide range of applications.

Keep an Eye Out for Tears

Before restoring water levels to their in-season norm, inspect the pool cover and liner for any signs of damage, including rips, holes, and tears. By being proactive and making repairs at the start of the season (if needed), you can avoid extended ‘rest breaks’ during peak summer months when pool service professionals are most in demand.

Check Wiring and Reconnect Equipment

Once you’ve inspected the pool liner and cover, reconnect pumps, filters, heat pumps, and other pool equipment on the pool pad (or work with a pool professional to do so). Be sure to check the wiring and functionality of all connected equipment. Address any fraying or loose wires and look to replace receptacle covers that may have been damaged over the winter.

If you notice significant damage to electrical equipment, it may be the result of one or more power surge events. A simple, lasting fix to this is to install a reliable pool and spa surge protection device, such as the Intermatic PS3000, at the electrical panel. Even if there’s no damage present, it can be a great time to proactively install a high-quality, cost-effective SPD to avoid issues down the road.

Consider Ambience and Safety

Getting the pool ready also means getting the backyard ready for safe summer fun. May is National Water Safety Month, and keeping the pool area well-lit is a small but important piece of overall water safety efforts.

Enhance your outdoor aesthetic and promote pool safety by supporting low-voltage pool lights and landscape lighting with a robust Intermatic safety transformer, such as the COMBOCONNECT® Junction Box Transformer. The hybrid solution blends the simplicity of a standard junction box with the power of a 100 W low-voltage transformer and has a 20-30% smaller footprint than traditional solutions.

Verify Equipment and Lighting Schedules

In addition to checking the health of individual pool components, the start of pool season is a great time to review equipment and lighting schedules. This includes everything from pumps and filtration systems to nicheless in-water and landscape lights.

It’s also a great time to upgrade controls, such as installing a PE700 Series Wi-Fi Control. Available in 2- or 3-circuit models, the PE700 Series can be used to turn pool pumps, submersible lighting, auxiliary equipment, and more ON and OFF via the Intermatic Connect app. The versatile, all-weather control simplifies scheduling and is easy to retrofit into existing timer enclosures.

Get the Water Right

As a final step to the grand opening, it’s critical to get water chemistry right and flowing as it should. Intermatic offers a range of cartridge filters, sand filters, and filter systems that support both inground and above-ground pool and spa applications. Our flagship DE Series cartridge filters offer a low-maintenance filter solution that removes dirt and debris down to 5 microns.

Interested in upgrading your pool and spa this summer with Intermatic solutions? Check out our new pool and spa catalog for an overview of our essential pool equipment and related solutions.