Pools are waking up from their winter nap. The water is starting to warm, the cover is coming off, and the excitement is real.
Before you jump into your pool opening checklist, there is one step almost everyone forgets. Skipping it can throw off your water all season.
🧪 Don’t Forget to Flush Your Lines
You shocked the water. You balanced pH. You cleaned the filter. You’re almost ready. One often-overlooked step is flushing the plumbing lines.
Over winter, stagnant water can collect debris, bacteria, and even algae spores. When the pump starts, all that gunk gets pushed into your clean water.
How to flush lines: ✅ Run your pump with the waste setting if available ✅ Use a line flush cleaner made for pool openings ✅ Circulate with fresh water for a few hours before final balancing
It is like giving your pool a fresh start behind the scenes.
📌 Early Season Pool Tip Add a phosphate remover right away. Winter debris and organic matter can lead to phosphate spikes, and that is algae’s favorite snack. Removing them early helps keep algae away before it starts.
🛁 Hot Tub Owners Winter Shifts Ahead
Even if pools are just opening, your hot tub needs attention too. Cold weather can affect sanitizer and water balance. Now is a good time to:
🔹 Lower your hot tub temperature if you are using it less 🔹 Increase water testing frequency 🔹 Keep your cover clean
Monitoring your hot tub now helps avoid surprises later.
📊 Poll: Did You Flush Your Pool Lines This Year
✅ Yep! I never skip it 🤔 I have heard of it but did not do it 😬 Wait we are supposed to do that
Vote and leave a comment. We will feature the results in a future Weekly Pool & Spa issue.
🌍 Random Water Fact There are over 10 million residential pools in the U.S., but only about 30 percent of owners properly clean circulation lines during openings. No judgment we just like being in that 30 percent.
✔️ Here’s to a smooth start to pool season
We will be back next week with more tips, trivia, and pool and spa reminders. Next article drops January 11, 2026
