Maintaining Your Pool During Monsoon Season | Leak Science

Despite the fact that Arizona’s environment is known for its dry heat, the Monsoon season is the one wildcard that drastically alters weather patterns. Monsoon season, which begins in mid-June and lasts until the end of September, brings high temperatures, high winds, and significant moisture to the valley. When all three of these factors occur at the same time, the result can be catastrophic—not only for your home, but also for your swimming pool.

Maintaining Your Pool During Monsoon Season


After a Monsoon storm, it’s vital to inspect the state of your swimming pool. Your filtering system will work better if you remove any debris as soon as possible. In the water, large branches or other foreign objects will begin to disintegrate. If not addressed immediately, these particles will block your filtration system and may damage the pump.

During the summer months, the Arizona monsoon season brings high winds and heavy rain, as well as debris, dirt, and the risk for pool overflow. Leak Science can help with maintaining and cleaning your pool so you can enjoy it all summer long. Read on to learn about how to maintain your pool during monsoon season.
 

Filtration Tips for Monsoon Season 

In the Phoenix area, most of the Monsoon activity happens in the afternoon and early evening. To avoid the build-up of sand and dirt in your pool water, reset your pool filtration system to operate during this window. You should also extend the operating time of your pool filter to make sure it cleans out any lingering dirt and debris.

The dust in the air will continue to permeate your pool water, but extended filtering will help to keep your pool water clean and healthy. You should also be aware that during the Monsoon season, your filtration system will require more maintenance and attention. This may necessitate more regular backwashing or even the total disassembly of the filter to ensure correct cleaning and alignment.
 

Other Pool Maintenance Tips for Monsoon Season 

During monsoon season, the skimmer basket and pump leaf baskets, in addition to the pool filter, might fill up faster. By regularly inspecting and emptying these baskets, you can help reduce the additional pressure on the pool filter and pump. Remember that when a basket fills with leaves and other debris, the water flow will stop. The pump will immediately burn out if this happens because water is the pump’s primary source of cooling. Your only alternative at that point is to replace the pump, which might be a costly fix.
 

After monsoon storms, super chlorinate 

After a dust storm, pools that use chlorine or an Ozone system for cleanliness should be hyper-chlorinated to help avoid algae growth. You can take a proactive approach by using a preventative algaecide and stain preventer before the storm hits. Even in the event of a dust storm, your pool equipment will have already been properly treated. Remember that algae grows on phosphates in your pool water, so it’s critical to keep the water chemistry in check during the Monsoon season to avoid any algae problems.
 

Keep your water chemistry balanced

Water chemistry is critical whether you use a pool service or manage your own pool. Make sure your carbonated alkalinity is in the proper range (80–120 ppm), your pH is set correctly (recommended range is 7.4–7.6), and you have plenty of active chlorine on hand. An algaecide that isn’t based on copper can also be a helpful preventative step.

Algaecide of this sort disrupts the cell membranes of algae, making chlorine destroy it easier. As part of the clean-up after the storm, be prepared to super chlorinate or shock your pool. This will kill microorganisms brought on by rain, dust, and debris. To eliminate the dirt, run your equipment for 24 hours or longer if necessary.
 

Prepare your filtration system to deal with the storm’s aftermath

Your filter will likely take a beating after a monsoon. The best way to prepare your filter is to clean its cartridges and grids so it can run as efficiently as possible. Expecting your filter to sufficiently clean the pool if it is already polluted may be frustrating, and it may even damage your filter and its components.
 

Do not drain the water from your pool ahead of time

Contrary to what most homeowners think, you should actually refrain from draining your pool before monsoon season. Keep your pool filled at its normal level, which should be near the center of the skimmer opening. This enables optimal water filtration and circulation throughout your system. However, be prepared to drain huge volumes of water if several inches of rain falls during a storm, especially if it reaches the top of your waterline on the tile (or, in the worst case, it overflows!).

If nothing else, try to make sure your pool doesn’t overflow. Allowing water to reach the pool deck may cause damage to your deck or perhaps your house. Even if you have insurance, most warranties will not cover this type of damage.
 

You don’t have to cover your pool

When a monsoon storm approaches, your first instinct may be to cover your pool. The cover can help keep dirt and debris out of the pool during a storm. It won’t assist in heavy winds, and it may even make removing anything flown into the pool more difficult. After a storm, removing the pool cover usually dumps everything, so be sure to clean it thoroughly before removing it.
 

Trim your yard’s trees and bushes 

Trimming loose branches off of trees and bushes will protect both your home and your pool from damage. Additionally, this will minimize the amount of dirt and debris that will fall into your pool, making cleanup much easier. Also, be sure to examine the health of larger trees near your house or near your pool. During a storm, some trees—particularly those with shallow roots—are prone to blowing over.
 

Keep your pool equipment safe

Before a storm, protect your equipment by turning off breakers or covering the equipment. Electrical surges are prevalent during monsoon storms, and they can harm your devices. Make sure all of the breakers in your equipment control panel are turned off. The light circuit or a separate breaker, not the pump circuit, is used to control most automation systems.
 

Have sufficient drainage in your yard

If you have experienced monsoons before, you know how hard the rain falls. During monsoon season alone, Phoenix receives 33 percent of its annual rainfall, averaging 2.71 inches. To avoid floods, make sure you have sufficient drainage away from your deck construction, your home, and your pool equipment. A sloping grade is often used to do this, allowing water to flow naturally away from your home.
 

Swimming Pool Safety 

Focusing on storm cleanup is critical…for us. It’s playtime for your kids. Monsoons can leave a large mess to clean up, which will demand your full attention and time. Always keep an eye on the most important things in your life by keeping a close eye on your children when they are near your pool. To avoid accidents and injury, make sure to clear out all debris before letting them use the pool.
 

Make sure your pool is swim-ready this monsoon season. Contact Leak Science Today!

Remember, swimming pools are a lot of fun! We enjoy a longer swimming season in Arizona than most other states do. It can be aggravating to deal with the aftermath of a monsoon storm, but it’s worth it to be able to relax in the pool. If you can take the precautions we mentioned above before a storm strikes, cleaning up should be a breeze!

Summertime storms can damage your pool. If that happens and your pool develops a leakcontact Leak Science right away. We offer professional pool services during Monsoon season and throughout the year to ensure that your pool remains algae-free and as clean as possible. Plus, we can locate and repair leaks so you can get back to enjoying the water. Our team of professionals will come to your home to ensure that your pool is ready for you to use, so you don’t have to waste time conducting pool maintenance. Call us at 480-794-0959; we are happy to help maintain your pool!