Pool preparation for storms

[TravisD]

This is my first hurricane season with my pool.
There are a few storms lurking around in the Atlantic and we usually end up with at least one tropical storm / hurricane that gets pretty close to us here in Tampa. Close enough to take precautions anyway.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to prepare the pool for tropical storms or even hurricanes that may affect us here?
I was thinking of draining some water to allow for the rain and taking everything off my deck, but not sure what else I should do.

 

[anonapersona]

Stock up on bleach to the extent that you can store it without degrading too much. I'd add some cal-hypo to storage just to have that on hand as well. Taking down all the stuff that might fly around is the biggest chore, not sure how we will manage in this new house, so much more stuff outside to store now!

If a storm were near, I'd lower the water level a bit, but not much, until it was really a sure hit. Some storms are not that wet really. For an above ground pool with no power, you ought to be able to drain with a hose, I'd tie it to the level you wanted to drain to, then manually (that is, suck really hard) get the siphon started. Put the end of the hose where you can tolerate the water.

In preparing for our last storm, I actually took out the mower and set it to the lowest setting and scalped the grass in the swale that runs from the back yard to the side yard to the street. I didn't want to worry about 6 or 10 inches of rain getting clogged up trying to get through the grass as it flowed under the gate on the side. Grass grew back later on, no problem.

I expect that here we will be without power for 2 days unless it is a direct hit. Cleaning out debris then adding bleach and brushing a lot will be the key I expect. I know that in Ike, this house had a black pool several days later, not sure how long the power was out here since we didn't own it yet. I think they cleaned it, shocked, probably drained a lot, and I see floc and clarifier in the garage so they may have needed that as well.

I think the bigger thing is to make sure all trees have been trimmed that might drop stuff on the house and pool. Once there is a storm in range, you can't get an appointment with a tree trimmer. In fact, I am going out today to take a look at all the trees here to see if any need thinning out, enough to let the winds pass through without breaking anything. Ike took several down and I took out some more, but I do believe in trimming annually.

 

[TravisD]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I guess there isn't too much that can be done about the strong winds. Just hope for the best I guess.

 

[anonapersona]

I suspect, and we really do need to hear from someone with experiance, that you want to keep the pool as full as possible so that the wind won't bend it. But, leave room for overflow, which could undermine your support.

 

[TravisD]

Good point about the water level. I am more concerned with the structure itself and not necessarily the upkeep of chemicals.
Hopefully someone can chime in that has been through a strong storm with an AGP that can give some advice.

 

[zea3]

Hi,
I'm about 30 miles from Galveston and we took a major hit with Ike last year. My above ground weathered the storm just fine. I didn't do any prep on the pool before evacuating since there just wasn't enough time. We came back the day after the hurricane and found a black pool full of tree debris. Fortunately we did not get any tears in the liner from all branches we collected in there. We were without power for several days so all I could do was scoop out debris with the leaf rake. The excess water had already drained out through the skimmer by the time we got home, so I didn't empty any more water. Once we had power again I shocked the pool and ran the pump as usual. We bought our pool the summer after Katrina hit New Orleans and I asked the pool guy about above ground pools and hurricanes. He said they hold up well to wind and you may lose a pump and other electrical equipment if it floods. I didn't have a pool cover but I don't think it would have held up to all the wind and tree debris anyway. The only serious problems I know of are if there are large trees in the area around the pool. I saw an above ground pool flattened like a soda can by a 50 year old oak tree that fell on it.

Anyway, buy enough bleach to shock and hold for a couple of days. You can also use bleach to purify your drinking water!

 

[TravisD]

Thanks for the reply. It's good to know that they are sturdy enough to withstand the wind. I remember Ike very well. We were all watching that one closely around here when it got into the Gulf. There were actually a few models that pointed it in our direction. Glad to hear you made it through safely.