8 Steps To Get Your Pool Back After A Storm

After Storm Pool Care

Heavy rain, strong winds, or natural disasters like storms can take a toll on even the most pristine and well-maintained pools. Rainwater can wash dirt, debris, and contaminants into your pool, leaving the water cloudy and unbalanced. Once the storm passes, it’s important to act quickly to restore your pool to a safe, healthy, and crystal-clear condition.

Here are 8 tips to get your pool back in top shape after heavy rain:

1) Excess Water

Do not drain your pool or remove too much water. Doing so can cause the pool shell to pop, shift, or crack, which can be extremely costly to repair. Never adjust the water level until groundwater around your pool has fully subsided.

2) Safety Check

Before doing anything else, make sure your pool area is safe. Check for any hidden dangers left by the storm, such as fallen branches, damaged equipment, or exposed electrical hazards. Inspect your pump, filter, and other pool equipment to confirm they are functioning properly and that the power supply hasn’t been compromised. If you notice anything concerning, stop immediately and have it checked by a professional before moving forward.

This is also a good time to confirm that your pool fence is still secure and that no climbable objects or debris have been pushed up against it.

3) Scoop Out Debris

Start by emptying your skimmer and pump baskets. Next, use a leaf rake or pool net to remove as much surface debris as possible. If a large amount of debris has sunk to the bottom, scoop out what you can before vacuuming. This extra step will save time later, especially if visibility is low and you can’t clearly see the pool floor.

4) Scrub the Pool Down

After clearing debris, take the time to scrub your pool’s waterline, steps, and step-outs. This helps loosen and remove any dirt, algae, or deposits that may have built up during the storm.

5) Get the Water Moving

If your pool equipment is in good shape and the power supply is safe, it’s time to get the system running again.

• Cartridge Filter Systems:
  Remove the filter element and give it a thorough clean. If your pool has taken in a large amount of dirt and debris, you may want to leave the filter element out temporarily. Reassemble your cartridge filter without the element, set your system to manual, and begin the shock process.

• Sand Filter Systems:
  Backwash and rinse the filter to clear out dirt and debris. After that, set the filter to bypass for the first 24 hours, then start the shock process.

6) Shock the Pool

Next, shock the pool with a fast-acting, non-stabilized chlorine. We recommend using liquid chlorine for this step, as it works more quickly than granular chlorine. If you have a saltwater chlorinator, turn it to maximum output and leave it there until the recovery process is complete. (Need guidance? Contact us for our detailed pool shock guide.)

7) Add Floc

If your pool water looks more like a muddy pond, you may need to add a flocculant (“floc”). This chemical binds to dirt and fine particles, pulling them down to the pool floor so they can be vacuumed out more easily.

8) Clean and Balance the Pool

Depending on the severity of the storm, you may need to repeat the shock and floc process more than once to fully clear the water. Once your pool is clean, balance the water chemistry, return your system to automatic mode, and reset it to your normal schedule.

Use this easy checklist to ensure that you have followed all the steps to get your pool back to 100% clean and healthy again:

After-Storm Pool Recovery Checklist

• Do NOT drain the pool. Never remove too much water, as this can damage the pool structure.

• Perform a safety check. Confirm there are no electrical hazards or other dangers.

• Inspect the fence. Make sure it’s intact and nothing climbable is within reach.

• Clear baskets. Empty the pump and skimmer baskets.

• Clean the filters. Backwash sand filters or clean cartridge filters as needed.

• Remove debris. Scoop surface debris and any large items from the bottom of the pool.

• Scrub surfaces. Brush the waterline, steps, and step-outs.

• Run the system manually. Set the equipment to manual mode.

• Shock the pool. Add chlorine to sanitize (this may need repeating).

• Add clarifier or floc. Help bind fine particles for easier removal.

• Vacuum and clean. Remove remaining debris from the bottom.

• Balance the water. Adjust chemicals once the pool is clean.

• Return to auto mode. Reset the system to normal operation.

Before & After Storm Pool Recovery

If you’re in the Marion County or Ocala area, we can come directly to your home and get your pool back to normal—just book a pool maintenance service with us! We also specialize in professional green pool recovery, restoring even the most neglected pools to clean, healthy, swim-ready condition.

📞 Call (352) 779-8304

📧 Email service@vitalpoolsolutions.com

📍 Proudly Serving Ocala & Marion County, FL

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