Being that hurricane season is about half the year, it makes sense to know how to protect your pool. A pool is a big investment, and one worthy of protecting. 

Hurricane season begins June 1^st, and runs through November 30^th. An average hurricane season conjures up an average of 12 tropical storms, and about three will become hurricanes. Your home, and your pool, are at the mercy of tornados, high-force winds, storm surge flooding, and flooding caused by heavy rain. 

It pays to prepare your home before a storm, and that includes your pool and your outdoor living spaces too. You may think you should lower the water table in your pool to prevent flooding, but your pool won’t flood any worse than your patio, or plot of grass. In fact, keeping the water level in your pool can help prevent problems from occurring. 

Water in your pool provides the necessary weight to hold your pool in the ground. An empty pool is at risk of coming out of the ground, due to the excessive ground pressure that is caused by heavy rains. Setting up a siphon hose, prior to a storm hitting, can help with any pool overflow. 

Remembering to turn off the electric that powers your pool equipment is also vital. To prepare, turn off circuit breakers at your main electrical panel. Pump motors, lighting, heaters and chlorinators should all be powered down during the height of a storm. When the weather calms down, turn the pumps and filters back on. To protect your equipment while it’s off, use a plastic waterproof membrane to wrap the time clock, pump motor, and light transformers. This will help prevent sand and water from entering ,and causing irreparable damage. 

Before the storm, be sure to remove all patio furniture, pool tools, and pool equipment from your outdoor spaces. These items can turn into dangerous projectiles when they are subjected to hurricane-force winds. Instead, store them inside until after threatening winds subside. 

Putting your patio furniture in your pool should only be done as a last resort. Pool water can harm your pool’s finish, and can also cause staining. Check that skimmer lids are screwed tightly into place, and also check fencing for any loose posts or signage. You probably already know that your screen enclosure is at risk during a storm. To help prevent damage, consider removing panels of screening that oppose each other. This helps create a vent for wind flow. 

You may want to cover your pool in the hope of adding an extra layer of protection. This can actually create a bigger problem. With the high winds that accompany most storms, branches and other flying debris can severely damage, or even destroy, your pool cover. It’s much safer, and easier, to remove any debris that fell into your pool, than it is to replace that expensive cover.