When to Open Pool
If you live in the south, it almost never seems too early to open your pool. If you're really lucky, you live in a climate where you pool can be open almost all year around.
The general rule of thumb for me, is that I can open the pool anytime after the nights stop dropping below freezing, and/or I'm willing to foot the energy bill to keep the water warm enough to use.
As one who is not among the climate privileged pool owner locations, this is the dead-winter time of year I get real itchy thinking about what a glorious day it will be when I take off the pool cover, visit the pump room and go to work opening the pool. I love all the tools, gadgets and equipment that go along with working on the swimming pool; Drain Plugs, Pump Baskets, Eyelets, Pump Plugs and the invigorating smell of fresh chemicals.
Unfortunately, that day seems like eons away right now, but while I'm daydreaming, here is what I can do to plan ahead.
Pool Tools
We hear so much about Pool Toys, why not Pool Tools?
Nearly every year I've opened my swimming pool, I've come up with the need for some new tools to get the job done.
Two years ago, I had to buy a super large, 16" pair of channel lock pliers to remove the Gismo that the previous pool closer screwed into my vacuum line. I don't regret it one bit. Those Channel locks have come in handy for many different jobs. This year, I'm looking into a tool to solve a new problem.
Last Spring when I opened the pool, my pool closing guy, unwittingly put a plug into my vacuum line that was apparently too small. I didn't see it or feel it with my hand when I opened the pool. When I was unable to prime the pump, I became suspicious and took a deeper look only to find the plug lodged deeply inside the hole. When I attempted to remove it with a small pair of needle nose pliers, the plug went even farther into the plumbing, leaving me with the fear all summer long, that the plug might get stuck somewhere in the pipes and shut down my pool! Fortunately, that wasn't the case. I used the same guy to close the pool and informed him of the problem. He located the plug and said it would be easy to pull out next spring with a 10-12" Pair of needle nose pliers. He could have done it himself, but didn't have such a long pair of pliers with him.
While I was at my local Harbor Freight store, I found an 11" Pair for just $6.99. I cannot wait to use them this Spring.. ..February, March, April and most of May..It's almost here!