Homeowners with pools affected by the North Dallas tornado should take great care with cleanup efforts, experts say.

From Staff Reports

Homeowners with pools may be unaware of how dangerous the bacteria-filled standing water in their backyard could be.  According to Leslie’s Pool Supplies, a homeowner could face health and safety risks as well as expensive property damage if cleanup isn’t handled correctly. To help homeowners get their pools back to normal after the storm, here are a few tips to make the process easier.

Do not drain the pool.

Even if the water is saturated with dirt and debris, draining the swimming pool can lead the pool to “float” or “pop” out of the ground due to an elevated water table – an expensive problem to correct. The best bet is to clean the water currently in the pool, no matter how dirty it may look.

Skim debris from pool and clean pump strainer FIRST.

Remove the debris floating on the surface and at the bottom of the pool and clean out the pump strainer and the skimmer baskets BEFORE restoring power and running the filtration system, to avoid clogging or straining the system. 

If debris found its way into your pool after the North Dallas tornado, there are steps to ensure the health and safety of your backyard.

Next, check electrical equipment. 

Before turning the power to pool equipment back on, check for signs of water damage to your equipment. If the equipment is dry, turn the power back on and start running the circulation and filtration systems. If there appears to be any signs of water or water damage, consult a professional prior to turning power back on.  

Normalize the water level. 

During a severe storm, a good amount of water most likely found its way into your pool, so restoring water level is crucial. Use a sump pump or a siphonto remove excess water that can strain the system.

Shock and balance water chemistry. 

Microscopic and potentially harmful organic contaminants may be present even if the water appears clean. If left unchecked, this can lead to algae and bacterial growth. Use a powerful pool shock to raise the chlorine level to around 10.0 ppm until it subsides to 3.0 ppm. Then, balance the water chemistry with an alkaline product. (Leslie’s offers free pool water testing and expert advice for specific problems.)

After completing these steps, Leslie’s recommends running the pool’s circulation and filtration system for a few days until the water is clear and the pool is safe to use again.