How to reopen your Keys pool after a tropical storm
Short answer
Work in order: check the equipment pad and power before anything, clear the big debris by hand, then run filtration hard while you rebalance and shock the water back to clear. Do not drain it, the water is holding your pool down against a high water table, and do not switch on equipment that sat underwater until it has been checked.
After a tropical storm passes the Keys, the pool that was crystal clear last week is green, full of leaves and branches, and cloudy to the bottom. That is normal. A storm dumps organic debris, dilutes your chemistry with rain, and usually knocks out the power that runs your filtration. Reopening it is not hard, but the order matters, and one step is about safety, not water clarity.
Safety and equipment come first
Before you think about the water, look at the equipment pad:
- Do not energize flooded equipment. If your pump, motor or panel sat in storm water, do not switch it on to “see if it works.” A motor that flooded can be a shock hazard and is often already ruined. Have it checked first.
- Check for damage and debris in the equipment area, the breaker panel and any exposed wiring.
- Do not drain the pool. This is the big one in the Keys. A storm raises the groundwater, and an empty pool can crack or float. Leave the water in, even green water is holding your pool down.
Then clear and rebalance
Once the equipment is confirmed safe and powered:
- Scoop the big debris by hand. Leaves, branches and anything that will clog the skimmer or pump come out first, before you run equipment.
- Run filtration hard. With the pad cleared, run the system continuously. Clean or backwash the filter as it loads up, because it will load fast.
- Test and shock. Rain and runoff will have wrecked your balance. Shock the pool to knock back the organic load, then bring chlorine, pH and alkalinity back into range over the next few days.
- Be patient. A badly hit pool can take several days of running and rebalancing to clear. Chasing it with more chemicals rarely speeds it up.
When to call
If the equipment flooded, if the water will not clear after a few days of filtration, or if you simply want it handled while you deal with everything else a storm leaves behind, that is what we are here for. Reopening storm-hit pools across Key West and the Lower Keys is part of the season for us.
Related questions
- Should I drain my pool after a hurricane?
- Is it safe to run pool equipment that flooded?
- How long does it take to clear a green pool after a storm?