Pools: What To Do After Hurricane Helene and Other Storms

A pool is one of the many home amenities that is greatly impacted by a hurricane or any tropical storm. But what about after the storm?

Here are a few tips to assure that your pool is clean, undamaged, and beautiful:

• Check out Your Territory: Do not clean your pool until you have evaluated the area to be safe of any downed power lines, snakes, or alligators, especially inside the pool. After the area is safe, then begin your clean up. 
• If You Didn’t Storm Prep Your Pool: Your pool may have murky water and low or no transparency post storm. To gain water clarity, add chemicals. 
• Remove Debris ASAP: Once the water is clear, remove all forms of non-dangerous debris before decomposition has a chance to cause staining to the pool finish. 
• Maintain Your Water Level: Once the area around the pool is dry of standing water, bring your water level back down to mid-way up the tile line or half-way up the skimmer. This will drain additional water into your landscape.  
• Pay Attention While Draining Your Pool: It is very easy to get busy with other tasks and forget to watch your water level. Never turn your back on a draining pool. Refilling the water again could be costly in your water bill and in treatment chemicals. 
• Be Patient with Your Pool Cleaning Service: Connect with your pool cleaning service as soon as possible to report damage, schedule a service call, and discuss any additional fees. They may not get to your residence and pool immediately. 

Get Connected. Stay Alert.
Make sure to have a plan. Residents and visitors are encouraged to register for HCFL Alert, Hillsborough County's official public notification system for emergency and urgent alerts. To receive messages by email, phone, and text, go to HCFL.gov/StaySafe.

Residents without digital access are encouraged to call (833) HC STORM or (833) 427-8676, the County's storm information line.