Spring Pool Opening Checklist for Durham Region Homeowners (2026)

April in Durham Region means one thing for pool owners: it's time to get that cover off and start thinking about opening day. Do it right, and you'll be swimming by early to mid-May. Rush it or skip steps, and you could be dealing with green water, equipment issues, or worse, a cracked fitting you didn't catch in the fall.

Here's the checklist we walk our own customers through every spring.

Step 1: Remove and Store the Winter Cover

Start by pumping standing water off the cover before you pull it. A wet, heavy cover dragged across your pool deck can damage the liner or pool edge. Pressure wash the cover, let it dry, and store it somewhere clean and dry for next winter.

Step 2: Inspect for Winter Damage

Before you fill anything or turn anything on, do a visual inspection:

• Check the pool walls and floor for cracks or staining

• Look at all fittings, returns, and skimmer baskets for cracking

• Inspect the pump, filter, and heater for any visible damage

• Check your pool cover anchors and hardware. Remember to lower them to be flush with your pool deck

Catching a cracked fitting now costs a fraction of what it costs after you've been running water through it for a week.

Step 3: Reinstall Equipment and Hardware

• Reinstall the drain plugs in the pump and filter

• Reconnect any lines that were disconnected for winterizing

• Reinstall ladders, handrails, and any accessories you removed in the fall

• Reinstall return jet fittings and skimmer baskets

Step 4: Fill the Pool to the Proper Level

Your water level should be at the midpoint of the skimmer opening. If you're topping up with well water, be aware that iron and other minerals can affect your water chemistry, something we test for at our store.

Step 5: Start Up the Equipment

• Prime the pump and start it up, watch for any leaks at fittings

• Run the filter and check for proper flow

• Start the heater if you have one, and confirm it's firing correctly

• Check your automatic cleaner if you have one. If you need one, we carry Maytronics robotic cleaners and are an authorized repair center

Step 6: Test and Balance the Water

This is the most important step, and the one most people get wrong. Don't just dump in a bunch of shock and call it a day. Bring a water sample into our Uxbridge store for a free professional water test. We'll give you a full analysis and tell you exactly what to add and in what order.

Typical spring water balance targets:

• pH: 7.4–7.6

• Total Alkalinity: 80–120 ppm

• Calcium Hardness: 200–400 ppm

• Free Chlorine: 1–3 ppm

• Cyanuric Acid: 30–50 ppm

Step 7: Shock the Pool and Run the Filter

Once your water is balanced, shock the pool (ideally in the evening) and run your filter continuously for 24–48 hours. Retest after 48 hours.

When to Call a Pro

If your equipment isn't starting up properly, you've got a leak, or your water won't clear after a week of treatment, give us a call. We offer full pool opening services in Uxbridge and throughout Durham Region.

Main Street Pool & Spa, 37 Main Street North, Uxbridge. Free water testing, during our regular business hours.