Big storms drop tree limbs, dirt, and yard chemicals into your pool. The order you clean matters.
North Texas brings its own variables: oak pollen for six weeks, calcium-rich source water, sub-freezing nights every winter, and summers that crank chemistry usage. The advice below is calibrated for those realities, not a generic national pool blog.
The 6 steps
- Skim large debris before it sinks (use a leaf rake)
- Net the bottom (don't vacuum yet)
- Check pump basket and prime
- Test water and shock if necessary
- Vacuum to waste — not back through the filter
- Filter cartridge or backwash sand 48h later
Skipping step 5 is the #1 way customers nuke their filters after storms.