If your pool was closed right, opening it should be straightforward. We handle cover removal, equipment startup, water chemistry, and a full clean — so you're swimming in days, not weeks.
A pool that sat under a cover for five or six months isn't just a pool with low water — it's a system that's been dormant, exposed to freeze-thaw cycles, and filling with organic material under that cover all winter. Before it's safe to swim in, every component needs to be inspected, every line needs to be reconnected, and the water needs to be brought back to balance from wherever it drifted over the winter.
How well this goes depends almost entirely on how your pool was closed. A proper closing makes opening a few-hour job. A bad closing — missed line plugs, untreated water, a cover that let in light — means you're fighting algae and equipment issues from day one. Either way, we've seen both and we know how to handle them.
The winter cover is removed, cleared of any standing water or debris, cleaned, dried, and folded for storage. Covers that go back into the bag wet or dirty develop mildew and don't last. We handle this properly so you're not dealing with a ruined cover next fall.
Winter plugs removed from all returns and skimmers, drain plugs reinstalled in pump and heater, filter reassembled, and all equipment primed and restarted. We check for leaks at every connection as the system comes back online — winter damage to seals and fittings shows up here if it's going to show up at all.
Water level was dropped at closing to protect the skimmer and plumbing — it needs to come back up to the operating level before the system can run properly. We get the fill started and confirm the level is correct before moving to chemistry.
We test pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, stabilizer, and chlorine levels — then treat accordingly. Winter chemistry shifts significantly and the starting point varies widely depending on how the pool was closed and what the cover allowed in. We don't use a standard "spring startup" package; we test first and treat based on actual readings.
Even well-closed pools benefit from an opening shock to oxidize winter buildup and give sanitizer a clean starting point. If there's algae present — visible or not — we treat it at this stage before it gets established. Addressing it at opening is far easier than chasing an algae bloom once the season is underway.
Bottom vacuumed, walls and steps brushed, skimmer and pump baskets cleared. Any debris that settled over winter is removed before circulation is fully established, so it doesn't end up distributed throughout the system. We leave the pool clean and circulating — not just chemically dosed and running.
Ladders, handrails, diving boards, and any seasonal equipment reinstalled, tightened, and checked. We clean these off before reinstallation — anything that was stored improperly can carry algae or mold spores back into the fresh water.
Opening is the first chance to see how your pool came through the winter. Most homeowners don't know what to look for — a trained eye catches problems that would otherwise go unnoticed until they cause a breakdown mid-season.
Freeze-thaw cycles stress PVC fittings, return jets, and skimmer bodies. Hairline cracks often don't leak until the system is pressurized — we check every fitting as the pool fills and starts up.
Pump seals that sat dry or partially frozen over winter can fail when the system restarts. Catching a worn seal early is a $30 fix. Ignoring it until water gets into the motor is a $500 fix.
Heater heat exchangers are vulnerable to corrosion from off-season chemistry imbalance. We check for scale, corrosion, and ignition function before you need the heater on a cold May morning.
Sand filters can develop hard clumps, channeling, or bacterial growth over winter. DE grids can crack. We inspect and backwash or clean the filter before the season starts in earnest.
A cover that sagged, tore, or let in light over winter allows algae to develop under it. We assess the water condition at opening and tell you honestly what you're dealing with and how long recovery will take.
Winter water that went acidic can stain plaster and tile surfaces. Calcium-heavy water leaves scale deposits at the waterline. We note what we see and advise on treatment before it gets worse.
The instinct is to open as early as possible — understandable after a long winter. But opening too early creates its own problems, and the right window is more specific than most homeowners realize.
For the Denver metro, we recommend opening once overnight lows are consistently staying above freezing — typically mid-April to early May depending on your specific location and elevation. Water temperature matters more than air temperature: once it's consistently above 60°F, algae becomes active and you want sanitizer running.
Waiting until Memorial Day weekend is a Colorado tradition, but it means you're behind from day one. We typically recommend opening two to three weeks before you plan to swim — that gives chemistry time to stabilize and lets you catch any equipment issues before they ruin a weekend.
Book early. Spring openings are our highest-demand service. By mid-April, our schedule fills quickly. Reaching out in March gives you the most flexibility on date and timing.
No contracts, no surprises. We'll give you a straight quote, confirm the right timing for your pool, and handle everything from cover to first swim.