[Apologies for the poor quality of the images. Due to the age of this article, it was necessary to recover them from a physical printed copy of the column. -- Webmaster]

The time of year is fast arriving which means that soon that sounds of splashing and fun in the water will soon be upon us.

For people who are unfamiliar, The Comfort Shoppe offers, at no charge. one of the best information booklets I have seen that in plain language tells you step-by-step procedures to have fun, safety and keep your pool water properly balanced. It also provides detailed pool maintenance procedures.

COME IN FOR YOUR COPY TODAY!

OPENING PROCEDURES: Every pool should have a winter cover over the surface of the water. The most important job it does is keep the-pool water in balance, and to prevent high amounts of organics and leaves from discolouring and staining the inside surfaces and liners. So if you don't have one GET ONE BEFORE THE WINTER. Drain the water off the top of the cover before attempting removal. A 1/4 or 1/3 hp submersible pump is the easiest way. Make sure you plug it into a G.F.C.I. protected circuit to ensure you won't get a shock if you knock the connection into the water.
FILL THE POOL: This can be done via your well or city water. If the pool is a large one this may take some time. Some people have a water truck come in and do it in one shot. This costs 4¢ per litre on average.
PHYSICAL CLEANING: Remove leaves, sticks and any other debris. Check that your pump is working correctly. Put all the plugs back in any heaters, pumps and filters you have. Remove plugs (if any) from the returns & skimmer. Ensure the pool level is in the centre or slightly above centre of the skimmer.
TAKE A SAMPLE OF POOL WATER: If you have a test kit, analyze it or bring a sample in to The Comfort Shoppe for a free analysis.
WATER BALANCING: The pool water must be tested for:

TOTAL ALKALINITY

POOL STABILIZER

CALCIUM HARDNESS

TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS

BROMIDE OR CHLORINE LEVEL THAT YOU WISH TO ACHIEVE

We will cover more these parameters in next week's column.