Getting a pool ready after a long summer away or before renting out a villa

Two situations, one sequence

Owners who leave the UAE for the summer and landlords preparing a villa for a new tenant face the same task: bringing a pool back into safe, working order after a period when nobody watched it closely. The order matters. Safety first, then water and equipment, then chemistry, then paperwork.

If a maintenance contractor looked after the pool while you were away, ask for their records before you start. Dubai Municipality's private pool guideline requires water test readings to be recorded in a logbook, so a well-run pool should have one.

1. Safety before anything else

Check the barriers before the water, especially if children will be living in or visiting the house. Dubai Municipality's private pool guideline requires:

• the enclosure gate to be in good condition and locked when the pool is not in use
• objects that could be used to climb or damage the enclosure to be removed
• any safety cover or net to be removed completely before anyone swims
• a pole or leaf scoop within reach of the pool, a first aid box, CPR signage and emergency numbers on display
• pool chemicals to be kept in a locked store

The guideline also says that non-residents should not use the pool while the occupiers are away unless a competent adult supervises. If staff, friends or neighbours had access over the summer, check that the gate and locks still work as they should.

Our guide to pool safety for homes with children covers the barrier rules in detail.

2. Water level and a visual check

Bring the water back to its normal operating level, so the skimmers can draw water. Then walk round and look for:

• tiles that have lifted, cracked or sound hollow
• new cracks in the shell or coping
• damp patches around the pool, in the plant room or below a rooftop pool
• debris in the skimmer baskets and on the floor

If the pool lost a lot of water while you were away, do not just refill it and move on. Once it is running normally, carry out the bucket test in our guide to why a pool loses water.

3. Restarting the pump and filter

Hayward's pump manual is direct on the most common restart mistake: never run the pump dry. Water cools and lubricates the shaft seal, and running dry may damage the seals, cause leakage and flooding, and void the warranty. The manual's start-up steps, in short:

1. Check that the water level is high enough and that the suction and return valves the system normally uses are open.
2. Fill the strainer housing with water up to the level of the suction pipe.
3. If water leaks from the pump or filter, do not start the pump.
4. If there is no leak, stand back from the equipment and switch on.
5. Hayward says priming may take up to ten minutes, and that if the pump has not primed within five minutes, you should stop the motor and find the cause.

Clean or backwash the filter according to its manual and note the pressure reading once the system has settled. If the plant includes a chiller, heat pump or salt chlorinator, follow each manufacturer's start-up steps. Our guides to pump and filter problems and pool chillers cover the usual faults.

4. Chemistry before swimming

Nobody should swim until the water has been tested and balanced. Dubai Municipality's guideline sets acceptable ranges for private pools in Dubai, including free chlorine of 1 to 2 mg per litre and pH of 7.4 to 7.6. It requires pH, chlorine and temperature to be tested daily before use, and calcium hardness, alkalinity, saturation index and cyanuric acid every 15 days.

For pools with a salt chlorinator, both major makers say to balance the water first. Hayward's manual says not to turn its chlorinator on at the start of the season until the water chemistry is at the proper levels. Pentair recommends super chlorinating from an outside source at start-up, because the cell may not keep up with a high initial demand, and switching the chlorinator on once the chlorine is back in range.

Green or cloudy water after a summer away needs its own treatment. Ask your maintenance company to clear it before you rely on the pool.

5. Before handing a villa over to tenants

A pool that works on handover day is half the job. The other half is a clear record of what the tenant receives and who looks after it. Agree and write down:

• Maintenance: who maintains the pool, how often, and who pays for chemicals, repairs and water
• Contacts: the maintenance company and the number to call for urgent faults
• Condition at handover: dated photographs of the surface, coping, equipment and enclosure, plus the latest water test
• Documents: equipment manuals, the water-test logbook and any warranty paperwork
• Safety rules: the gate kept locked, how any cover or net is used, and supervision of children

DET licenses holiday home operators in Dubai. If you plan to let the villa as a holiday home, check the pool requirements with your operator before the first guests arrive.

When to bring in a specialist

Stop and call a specialist when:

• the pump will not prime, or leaks at the seal
• the filter pressure stays high after cleaning
• the pool loses water faster than evaporation explains
• tiles have come loose or the shell has new cracks
• the enclosure, gate or cover needs repair

A short list with photographs, sent before you return, often means the visit can be booked for the week you arrive.