New Pool Owner Checklist for Florida: Your First 30 Days

The most useful two minutes in a new house with a pool happen before you touch a single chemical. Walk out the back door and look at the gate, the fence line, and the door you came through. Then use this new pool owner checklist for Florida, built for the first 30 days after closing, using the CDC, Florida Statutes, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA), UF/IFAS and Hayward's manuals.

Day one: the barrier, the doors and the drains

The Florida Department of Health says drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death to children ages 1 to 4 in Florida, and that home swimming pools are where most children are likely to drown. So the first item is about people: the CDC says to designate a responsible adult to supervise closely and constantly when children are in or near water.

For the physical setup, the CDC recommends a four-sided fence at least four feet high that fully encloses the pool, separates the pool from the house, and has self-closing, self-latching gates. It also says to shut and lock doors that give access to water after swim time.

Here is what the law says, as narrowly as the statute says it. Florida Statutes chapter 515 is written about new residential pools. Section 515.23 says the Legislature intends that "all new residential swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs be equipped with at least one pool safety feature." Section 515.27 says that to pass final inspection and receive a certificate of completion, the pool needs at least one of these:

• an enclosure that isolates the pool from access to a home and meets the barrier rules in section 515.29
• an approved safety pool cover
• exit alarms on all doors and windows with direct access from the home to the pool
• a self-closing, self-latching device on all doors with direct access from the home to the pool
• a swimming pool alarm that sounds when it detects entry into the water

For the enclosure option, section 515.29 says the barrier must be at least 4 feet high on the outside, and that gates must open outward, away from the pool, and be self-closing and self-latching. Those provisions are about new pools at final inspection. They are not a statement about an older pool, and this post is not legal advice. If you are unsure what applies to your house, your city building department can tell you.

One more day-one check, from FSPA: if any drain cover is broken or missing, do not enter the pool.

Week one: where the chemicals live

Decide where chemicals will be stored before you buy any. The PHTA's pool safety page says to keep them in original containers, in a cool, dry place away from heat, sunlight and moisture, to separate different chemicals, never mix them, add chemicals to water and not the other way around, and keep them locked away from children and pets. The CDC's guidelines for keeping your pool safe and healthy agree on that last point.

The CDC's pool chemical safety page is written for public aquatic venues, not homes, but its storage list is specific: below 95°F (35°C) or the conditions the manufacturer recommends. Its storage poster says to keep chemicals dry and to separate incompatible chemicals, and gives acid and chlorine as the example.

Pool care for beginners in Florida: the water

Buy a test kit and learn it. The CDC's page on home pool water treatment says the most accurate results come from a DPD test kit and that test strips are less accurate. PHTA says a kit checks chlorine, pH, alkalinity and other levels, and suggests keeping a pool log of test results.

The numbers for the first page of that log, from the CDC:

• pH between 7.0 and 7.8
• chlorine of at least 1 ppm in pools, or at least 2 ppm if the pool uses cyanuric acid (a chlorine stabilizer) or chlorine products that contain it
• the reason pH matters: "As pH goes up, the ability of chlorine to kill germs decreases, especially if pH is >8.0."

Two places where sources do not line up. On chlorine, FSPA says most test kits are labeled with an "ideal" level, usually between 1.0 and 1.5 ppm, and recommends a higher concentration during the hot summer months. That is a different target from the CDC's figure for pools with cyanuric acid, and this post does not pick one for you, so check your product labels and kit instructions. On testing frequency, the CDC says at least twice per day, PHTA's FAQ says at least twice a week, and PHTA's maintenance checklist lists water testing as a weekly task.

Week two: learn the equipment before it needs you

Find the pump, the filter and the breaker that feeds them, and photograph each. There is a sourced reason. Hayward's manual for its 1.65 THP VS pump family says to turn off the electrical power at the circuit breaker, and to use the circuit breaker as the master on-off switch. Its Super Pump 700 Series manual says: "Before working on pump or motor, turn off power supply to the pump." Those manuals cover only those Hayward models, so look up the manual for your own brand and model. FSPA also says to turn off breakers before a hurricane.

For a routine, the PHTA maintenance checklist includes weekly tasks such as skimming debris, emptying skimmer and pump baskets, and checking the water level.

Before the storm: hurricane basics

The National Weather Service says the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 each year. UF/IFAS and FSPA say:

• Do not drain the pool. UF/IFAS says not to drain or partially drain before a storm. FSPA says the weight of the water keeps the pool from being lifted off its foundation.
• Furniture. FSPA says to move furniture and toys indoors. UF/IFAS says outdoor furniture should never be placed in the pool.
• Power. FSPA says to turn off breakers and cover electrical equipment. UF/IFAS says to keep the pump running as long as the power is on. They differ, so ask a pool professional or electrician what fits your equipment.
• After. FSPA says to be sure everything is dry before electrical start-up and to test and balance the water.

Questions for the previous owner (suggestions, not sourced facts)

If you can still reach the seller, these cost nothing to ask. Do you have the equipment manuals? Is there a record of repairs? Which breaker runs the pool?

If you would rather not run this routine yourself

OneBlu's Weekly Pool Care starts at $95 per month. Most standard residential pools fall between $95 and $189 per month, your exact price is confirmed before service begins, and routine balancing chemicals are included unless the approved quote states otherwise. The visit checklist includes testing and balancing routine water chemistry, emptying skimmer and pump baskets, brushing walls, steps, benches and tile line as needed, vacuuming the pool floor as required, and sending a digital service report with a photograph, readings and technician notes. It is month to month with no term to sign. See pricing, or check the service areas across Broward County and South Palm Beach County.