Hello, I could use some guidance on determining the right time to open our pool. We've had it for a couple years but last Fall is the first time I've gotten it covered before the leaves fell. I've peeked under the cover and it looks worlds better than it did last year at this time (it was black and loaded with leaves). There's a few handfuls of leaves that snuck under the cover when the wind was lifting up the edge of the cover, but doesn't look too bad overall. We're in SW Michigan and have had a few days so far of mid-60's temps, even hit 70 a day or two. We're in the upper 50's today, but the forecast for next week is low-to-mid 40's for daytime highs. In other words, we're still some way out from it being warm enough to swim. I'm concerned that the water quality will start to decrease with every passing day though, with the sun hitting the cover, and the presence of some organic material in the water. I pulled the hoses and pump out today and started hooking them up with the intention of opening it today, but discovered that one of my PVC unions cracked over the winter. Trying to abide by our state's stay-home order as much as possible, and not sure if it's important enough for me to open the pool soon that I should go get a replacement part, or if I should be okay to hold off another week or two, or maybe even until May gets here.
When to open in Michigan
- Thread starter jessman1128
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,324
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Monitor the water temperature and open the pool when the water temperature a foot down is approaching 60F. You can open it earlier if you want.
- Jun 13, 2017
- 450
- Pool Size
- 9600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I'm in SE Minnesota and I'd be opening today if it weren't for the stupid blizzard that's supposed to hit tomorrow followed by overnight temps to as low as 15F forecast for the upcoming week. I believe I will never again even think of attempting to open before the last or 2nd to last weekend in April. But for certain, I won't wait longer than Mother's day. The swim season is too short and we always hope to swim Memorial Weekend if the weather cooperates.
EmilyOTR
Bronze Supporter
- Feb 15, 2017
- 704
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
In the past, i’ve based my opening more on how the surroundings are shedding their flowers, etc. than what the temps were. I used to have quite a few flowering trees that were obnoxious about dumping petals into the water and caused constant cleanup. I’ve since done away with all but one flowering tree and it is sufficiently distant from the pool, so I am now making the same decision - when to open. I am installing a SWCG which doesn’t work below 60 degrees, so I have to be ready with liquid chlorine if I open early. I have a mesh cover, so there is a degree of sediment and very limited algae I have to deal with, so I think rather than waiting until late May, i’ll Try early May here this year. I’ll see how that works.