New Pool Start-Up in Clearwater, FL
Your pool has just been resurfaced, or the patio around it redone, and the hose is running. It's filling for the first time since the work. The water going in now, and what happens to it over the next few weeks, affects how that new surface looks for years.
Most of our start-ups are fresh fills after a resurface or a renovation, often on pools we already service, and sometimes for owners whose finish contractor left without doing one. We also bring back pools that have sat dormant, usually as the last stage of a green-pool clean-up, and we take the occasional brand-new pool, though most builders include the start-up in their own work. The job is the same: getting the water balanced, the fine dust from the new surface brushed and filtered out, and the equipment set to run the way your pool needs. We don't build or resurface pools; the finish itself is your contractor's work. We take over once the water goes in.
Call call(727) 205-0566 before the fill date so we can plan it with you.
What a start-up has to get right
A new surface and brand-new water behave differently from a pool that's been running for years. The start-up weeks are about three things:
The surface: dust off, finish protected
A fresh interior finish releases fine dust into the water for a while after the fill. It has to be brushed off the walls and floor and captured by the filter, or it can settle, leaving the surface looking blotchy.
- check_circleThe new surface brushed so dust doesn't settle
- check_circleFilter cleaned as it catches the dust
- check_circleThe surface watched for anything that needs your contractor
The water: balanced carefully, not all at once
A new surface is sensitive to water that's too aggressive or too scale-forming, so the chemistry is brought into range carefully while the new finish settles, with testing along the way.
- check_circleWater tested before chemicals go in
- check_circlepH, alkalinity, calcium, and stabilizer brought into range
- check_circleA metal treatment when the fill water calls for it
- check_circleChlorine started once the water is ready for it
The equipment: set up to run properly
New equipment still has to be primed, checked, and programmed: the pump's run time and speeds, the timer or automation schedule, and the salt system or heater, if you have one. If a part needs replacing, you hear about it and how much it costs before any work is done.
- check_circlePump primed and run times set
- check_circleTimer, automation, salt system, and heater checked
- check_circleEverything explained to you before we're done
How a start-up works
1. Call before the fill
Tell us the fill date, what the surface is, and the name of your builder or contractor.
2. We plan the start-up
How often we come out, and for how long, is agreed with you and with your contractor if their warranty has start-up requirements.
3. The first days
Water tested and balanced in steps, the surface brushed, and the equipment set up.
4. As the surface settles
Brushing, filter cleaning, and chemistry adjusted per the schedule we agreed on.
5. Handover
You get the pool back with the water in range, and your choice of weekly service or taking it from there.
What a start-up covers
What a start-up doesn't include:
- remove_circleWe don't build or resurface pools. The pool and its surface are your builder's or contractor's work.
- remove_circleWe don't start up above-ground or vinyl pools, or freestanding hot tubs.
How a start-up is priced
Every start-up is quoted for the pool in front of us. What sets the price:
Pool size:More water means more chemistry and more surface to brush.
The surface:How much attention the new finish needs in its first weeks.
The equipment:What there is to set up: salt, heat, automation, a spa.
You'll know the price before the start-up begins. If you continue with weekly service, the estimate for it is free.
What customers say
A brand-new pool, explained
“I just had my pool built in May 2019 but the pool builder was just that..a builder..Larry showed me everything I needed to know about how to maintain a pool..”
After the builders
“After my builders ruined my pool chemistry, Dog Day Pools Cleaning in Clearwater saved the day!”
Everything explained
“Each time I have called upon Dog Days they have found a ‘can do’ solution. They are reasonably priced and fair. All questions get answered and everything explained.”
New pool start-up questions
?When should I call you?expand_more
?Why is there dust in my new pool?expand_more
?My finish contractor or builder does a start-up. Do I still need you?expand_more
?What should we avoid in the first weeks?expand_more
?What happens after the start-up?expand_more
Call or request a quote
Tell us about your pool, and we'll get back to you. For anything urgent, like an overflowing pool or a pump that won't prime, call instead.
- callPhone:(727) 205-0566
- scheduleHours:Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- location_onBased in:Clearwater, FL 33761
- verifiedLicense:Florida Certified Pool Contractor CPC1460480, licensed and insured
Pool overflowing or a pump running dry? Call (727) 205-0566 instead of using the form.