Getting Your Tampa Pool Ready for Hurricane Season
By Aquatec Pool Service
Living on the Gulf Coast means hurricane season is part of pool ownership. A storm can drop debris, dilute your chemistry, and threaten your equipment — but a short prep routine makes a big difference in how your pool weathers it and how quickly it recovers.
Before a storm, do not drain your pool. This is the single most important rule. A full pool is heavy and stays put; a drained or half-drained pool can float up out of the ground when the water table rises from heavy rain. The water is your pool's anchor — leave it in.
Do bring in loose items. Patio furniture, toys, planters, and pool cleaners can become projectiles in high wind. Anything you can't secure should come inside, including the automatic cleaner, which should be removed from the pool entirely.
Protect the equipment pad. If flooding is expected, turn off power to the pump and heater at the breaker and, if you have time, wrap the pump motor to keep it dry. Motors that get submerged often need replacement, so a little plastic and tape can save a costly repair.
Balance and shock the water beforehand. Add an extra dose of chlorine before the storm arrives — the rain will dilute your chemistry and the debris will consume sanitizer, so going in strong buys you a head start on the cleanup.
Skip the pool cover. It might seem protective, but flying debris can tear it, and a cover full of storm water and branches is a heavy, awkward mess to deal with afterward. An open pool is easier to clean.
After the storm passes, skim the surface, empty the baskets, run the filter, and re-test everything. If the water looks rough or you'd rather not deal with it, that's what we're here for — we handle post-storm recovery for pools across Tampa, Wesley Chapel, and Zephyrhills every season.
