How to Open a Swimming Pool

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Jonathan Broga
Potomac Pool Service
www.potomacpools.com  
703-327-1833

Melanie and Jonathan Broga founded Potomac Pool Service, Inc. in 2003 to provide a higher class of service in the residential swimming pool market. While working in the commercial pool management industry over the last 12 years, it became increasingly clear that the residential market was lacking the professionalism that homeowners were expecting and deserving. For all too many pool owners, the pool had become a headache and a burden, and the problems most commonly stemmed from unreliable, uninformed service technicians.


Potomac Pool Service, Inc. technicians are friendly, knowledgeable, conscientious and reliable. We take pride in our appearance by maintaining clean uniforms and vehicles. We realize that a pool is an extension of one’s home, and may be the focal point of social entertainment, a private retreat for adults or a major part of family recreation. With this in mind we understand that the water must be clear and inviting, and equipment dependable and efficient. We work with a goal of minimizing surprises for the pool owner through routine preventive maintenance, and maintaining proper water chemistry. Water that is not carefully balanced can cause enormous destruction to a pool heating and filtration system in a short amount of time. Potomac Pool Service, Inc. only hires Certified Pool Operators and technicians trained by the National Spa and Pool Institute to ensure your water and equipment is adjusted properly.


If you are not happy with your current service provider, or if you are ready to stop worrying about the pool so that you can just enjoy it, call us at Potomac Pool Service, Inc. From major renovations to a one-time service call, we have the experience, knowledge, and equipment to provide a higher class of customer service.

How to Open a Swimming Pool

In this video, one of the owners of Potomac Pool Service demonstrates the process of opening a swimming pool that has been winterized. This video is designed to give an overall sense of the tools and techniques required to re-start a filter system and prepare the pool for the season. It includes instruction on cover removal, filter system assembly, initial cleaning and chemical balance.

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Transcripts

Jonathan Broga: Hello, I am Jonathan Broga with Potomac Pool Service. Today, I will be showing you how to open a swimming pool for the season. We will be going over removing the cover, removing the plugs from the system, putting the plugs in the filter system, starting and priming the filter, cleaning the pool and balancing the chemicals.

There are a few basic tools we are going to need for this project, such as a cover popper to remove the safety cover from the grommets, a drill to put the grommets down into the deck, basic hand tools to replace the plugs in the filter system, any pool equipment that was removed in the fall, such as skimmer baskets, or a cleaning system that goes in the pool.

You will want your cover bag to store the cover, basic pool cleaning supplies, such as vacuum hose, vacuum head, brush, net, pole, a blower is a good place to start to blow the deck off, before you even remove the cover, so that debris doesn't blow into the pool you have just cleaned.

As per chemicals, the first place to start is with a high quality test kit. You will certainly need chlorine, either liquid or granular form. Additionally, you may need soda ash, baking soda and calcium. Depending on the type of filter you have, you may need DE. Muriatic acid may be necessary as well to balance the pH.

A few words about safety. Today, we will be working with electricity, gas, flame, pressurized water and air. If your system is not in tip-top shape or you have any doubts about your ability to understand the risks involved with these issues, please call a local pool service professional.

As for my qualifications, I am President and Co-owner of Potomac Pool Service. We have been in business in the D.

C. metro area since 2003, opening several hundreds swimming pools every spring. So lets go ahead and get this pool ready for the season.

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