If you've just heard that a storm is on its way to your neck of the woods, you need to take some steps to help prevent your pool from suffering any negative effects. Doing the wrong things can could result in damage, so make sure you follow these rules if a storm is on the horizon.

Do Not Remove Any Water

One of the most common mistakes that people make when a storm is coming is removing some of the water from their pool. It's easy to see why this is done; storms bring heavy rainfall, so it can seem like a good idea to reduce the amount of water in the pool to help prevent flooding.

In reality, pools are built to cope with heavy drainage issues, and removing the water could cause damage instead of prevent it. For starters, the walls of your pool will be unprotected from flying debris. More importantly, you'll remove some of the weight that your pool holds – this could actually result in the pool coming away from its foundations due to the rising water table beneath.

Protect Your Electrical Equipment

Before you do anything else, turn off the motors, lights, chlorinators, and heaters -none of these electrical pool components should be operating during a storm. Next, make sure as many electrical components as possible are protected. You can cover them with waterproof plastic to prevent damage. If flooding is expected, you should consider disconnecting any easily moveable electrical components and storing them in a dry place.

Add Algae Controller

During a storm, it's actually best not to cover your pool since falling debris can break through covers and the wind can whip them around. This makes it all but inevitable that some organic contaminants are going to make their way inside. You'll need to clean your pool after the storm to help remove those contaminants, but you should also take preventative steps. Try adding in a large dose of algae controller before the storm hits to eliminate them on contact.

Add Extra Chlorine

As well as organic contaminants, your pool is going to take on quite a lot of excess water, and that water is not going to be balanced like the water in your pool. Again, taking preventative measures can help, even if you'll still need to properly re-balance once the storm has passed. With that in mind, consider adding some chlorine to your pool before the storm hits.