Opening your own above ground pool takes a few hours over a weekend, plus a few days of filtering before the water is ready to swim in. Follow these steps in order and you’ll avoid the most common spring problems: a torn cover, a pump that won’t prime and a pool that turns green a week later.

Step 1
When to open

Open the pool before the water warms up, not after. Algae grows fast once the water passes about 60°F, and a pool opened early is much easier to get clear. In much of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, that means late April or early May.

Step 2
What you’ll need

Step 3
Clear and remove the cover

1. Pump the water off first. A cover full of water is heavy, and pulling it off full is how covers tear and dirty water ends up in the pool.
2. Scoop off the leaves and debris that are left.
3. Loosen the cable and remove the cover, folding it toward you so nothing slides in.
4. Clean and dry the cover before you store it. Folding it wet invites mildew. A mild outdoor cleaner like Scotts Outdoor Cleaner works well.
5. Take out the air pillow and let it dry before storing it.

Step 4
Remove the winter plugs

• Remove the skimmer cover plate (or winter skimmer plug) and put the skimmer basket back in.
• Pull the winter plug from the return and reinstall the return fitting.
• Top up the water to the middle of the skimmer opening. Too low and the pump sucks air; too high and the skimmer can’t pull debris.

Step 5
Inspect the liner and frame

With the cover off, walk around the pool before you start the equipment. Look for:

• Liner: tears, pinholes, a liner pulled out of the track, or brittle, faded vinyl at the waterline.
• Wall: rust spots, holes or bulging.
• Frame: uprights leaning or sinking, and cracked top rails.

A small hole can usually be patched. Bigger problems mean it’s time for a new liner or a new pool. Read 7 Signs Your Above Ground Pool Liner Needs Replacing and How to Combat Pool Winter Damage.

Step 6
Reconnect and start the equipment

1. Reconnect the hoses from the skimmer to the pump and from the filter to the return. Check that the clamps are tight.
2. Put the drain plugs back in the pump and filter.
3. Check the filter. Rinse a cartridge, or set a sand filter to the right position for startup per its manual.
4. Prime the pump. Fill the pump basket with water, close the lid and turn it on.
5. Watch for leaks at every fitting for the first few minutes.

Plug the pump into a GFCI outlet and keep the cord away from the water. See Electric Requirements for Above Ground Residential Pools.

Step 7
Balance and shock the water

Test the water with the pump running, then adjust in this order:

Once alkalinity and pH are in range, shock the pool in the evening and run the filter around the clock. Then keep chlorine steady with tablets in a floater or chlorinator. For details, see our Pool Chemicals guide.

Step 8
Clean and filter

• Brush the walls and floor so debris lifts into the water where the filter can catch it.
• Vacuum once the water has settled. Vacuum heavy debris to waste if your filter allows it.
• Run the filter 24 hours a day until the water is clear, and clean the filter as the pressure rises.
• Retest daily until chlorine holds overnight.

Water opening green? Follow Green Pool After Winter? How to Clear It Fast.