Summer is almost here and it’s time to make sure that everything is ready! Today’s topic in our getting your pool ready for summer series will be focused on making sure that all of your cleaning equipment is in tip top shape before the season rolls in.

After months in storage, the first thing you should do before summer rolls in is to visually inspect all of your equipment for damage. Give your cleaning equipment a good rinse with a garden hose to remove dust and any other residue from dried pool water from the surfaces of your equipment. Check for cracks, brittle parts, and other damage that might have occurred during storage.

While pool cleaning equipment is built to withstand corrosion from pool chemicals, the combination of time, cold air, chemical residues, and dryness can still cause brittleness and damage to your equipment, that’s why we always recommend to give all of your pool equipment a good hose down with tap water before putting them into storage.

The most common damage we see with pool brushes after a long period of storage is damage to the bristles themselves. Nylon brushes tend to become brittle if they’re away from moisture for extended periods of time. If the bristles have become brittle over the winter then get yourself a new one before the summer season starts! You’ll be using it a lot over the summer and it’s one of the essential pieces of pool cleaning equipment that you’ll be using during the summer!

These are pretty straightforward. Check for tears on the net and repair as needed so that when leaves and other debris fall into your pool you can scoop them up with no problems. If the tears are too big then it’s time to replace them with new ones in preparation for summer.

Check the hinges and locks of your telescopic pole as they might have become brittle or stuck from pool chemical residue over the winter. Broken locks mean that nothing will hold your pole in place and this will prevent you from vacuuming or brushing your pool without the pole randomly changing lengths as you go along.

Because of their accordion-style design, carefully check your pool hoses carefully for any damage that might have occurred during storage. A damaged pool hose can prevent you from getting a good vacuum when you’re manually vacuuming the pool so ensure that your pool hose is in top condition in preparation for summer.

Don’t forget to check your skimmer baskets and pump baskets for any cracks or damage. This is usually overlooked since it’s out of sight but it’s good to check up on these as they’re your pump’s first line of defense against large pieces of debris that may damage your impellers or clog up your pipes. Browse our selection of Skimmer Baskets Here and Pool Pump Baskets Here.

For automatic pool cleaners, the main thing that you should look out for, especially if they’ve been in storage for a while is to check their seals and O-rings. They might have become dry and brittle so if they look a little dry, just use some specially formulated silicone grease for your O-rings and seals to make sure that they hold a solid seal. For a complete list of automatic cleaner spare parts, make sure to check out our collection of pool cleaner spare parts here.

Since automatic pool cleaners are a whole different beast in themselves we’ve dedicated a whole post on how to make sure that your automatic pool cleaners ready for the upcoming summer.

We suggest that you bring in (or at the very least have someone qualified) to take a look at your robotic pool cleaners once a year. What better time to get your robotic pool cleaner tuned up and make sure that all moving parts are all greased up and ready to go than right before summer right? You’ll want your robotic pool cleaner to be in 100% condition once the summer heat rolls in as your pool is going to need it more than ever.

If pool equipment was properly rinsed and dried before storage then there shouldn’t be any damage once you uncover them for the coming summer season. But if for some reason there is damage, get them fixed or replaced as soon as possible so that once the season is in full swing, you’ll be fully armed for everything that your pool throws at you.

Check out the rest of our “Getting your Pool Ready for Summer” posts through the links below.

How to get your swimming pool ready for summer

Getting your Pool Pump Ready for Summer

Getting your pool filters ready for summer

How to get your pool lights ready for summer

Getting your Automatic Pool Cleaners Ready For Summer

Balancing your Pool water for Summer