Situational · 9 steps · August 2026

After a Storm

A storm dumps debris, dilutes your chemistry with rain, and often washes contaminants into the pool. Work safe first, clear the mess before it sinks, then shock and rebalance from a fresh test.

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Safety & power

Check for downed power lines near the pool before anything else, and do not enter the water or the equipment pad until the area is confirmed safe. Storm water plus electricity is the one hazard that outranks the pool itself — clear this first, every time.
Once it is safe, inspect the pump and equipment for water intrusion or damage before switching anything back on.

Remove debris

Scoop out leaves, branches, and heavy debris by hand or net before it sinks and stains — do not vacuum large debris through the system.
Empty the skimmer and pump baskets, which a storm fills fast, then brush the walls and floor.

Restore chemistry

Test the water — storm runoff and rain dilute chlorine and knock pH and alkalinity around. Water balance calculator
Shock the pool: heavy rain, debris, and washed-in contamination usually crash free chlorine. Shock calculator
Rebalance total alkalinity and pH once chlorine is back up and the water has circulated. Alkalinity calculator

Filter & recover

Run the filter continuously and brush daily until the water clears, cleaning or backwashing as pressure climbs.
Return the water to mid-skimmer — top it up if the storm dropped it, or drain down if rain overfilled it past the skimmer. An overfull pool skims nothing, so lower it back to the middle of the skimmer opening.

Exact amounts for your pool

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