During hurricane season, there are a few things that every homeowner that has a pool should be aware of to protect and prepare their swimming pool. Before the hurricane comes, which can drop large quantities of water on your yard, pool and pool deck, there are a few checks that you need to do.

The first thing you need to do is test your deck to see how well it drains and you can do this by spraying water on the deck with a regular garden hose and see how quickly the water drains. Most swimming pool decks have drains that has a plastic slats, which will take the water to the yard from the slab. Your slats may have paint on them that could prevent proper draining, especially if you have an acrylic painted deck, you will need to open up these slots, and you can do so by using a small flat head screw driver. If you notice that the drains are dirty, you can simply use a hose to flush it out by inserting the hose on one end of the drain.

Now, once the drainage looks good, as the water is flowing freely away from deck, make sure there isn’t any dirt, mulch or grass that could prevent the water from exiting properly. If you happen to have a pool that doesn’t have a drainage system, then make sure there aren’t any stones, mulch, dirt or grass that is high enough where it could actually block the water from draining off the edge of the pool deck into our yard. You should also consider digging a small trench around the deck to help with the drainage.

Remember to also trim any trees that have branches that could turn into flying debris, as these could damage your screen enclosures, the pool equipment or your home.  Click here to learn more about impact resistant windows to protect your home and family during a hurricane.