What to Do With Leaves in Your Pool After a Storm

Once the storm has safely passed, getting debris out of the water should be one of your first priorities.

1. Make Sure the Storm Is Over

Don’t head onto the pool deck while thunder or lightning is still nearby.

The National Weather Service recommends waiting at least 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder before resuming outdoor activities.

2. Remove Large Floating Debris First

Use a leaf rake or skimmer to remove floating leaves, palm debris, branches, and other large material before it becomes waterlogged and sinks.

Getting the biggest debris out first also reduces how much material reaches your skimmer baskets and filtration system.

3. Empty the Skimmer and Pump Baskets

Check the skimmer baskets even if you emptied them recently. During windy conditions, they can fill surprisingly quickly.

The pump basket should also be inspected and cleared when necessary. Turn the equipment off before opening or servicing the pump basket.

4. Remove Debris From the Pool Floor

Don’t leave piles of leaves sitting on the bottom.

For heavier debris, Sean recommends using a leaf catcher when vacuuming rather than allowing all of that material to travel directly toward the filter.

This is another common mistake Finn’s sees after storms. A leaf catcher collects larger debris before it reaches the rest of the system and adds unnecessary load to the filter.

5. Check Circulation

Once baskets are clear and the equipment is operating normally, make sure water is moving through the skimmers and returning to the pool.

Weak circulation after a major debris event may indicate that something is still restricting flow.

6. Test the Water Before Adding Chemicals

Don’t automatically shock the pool because there was a storm.

Test the water first. A significant debris load may have increased chlorine demand, but the appropriate treatment depends on the pool’s actual chemistry and condition.

7. Check the Filter

Fine dirt, sand, and organic material eventually place additional demand on the filter.

Sean sees problems when homeowners allow a heavily loaded filter to go too long without cleaning or service. Restricted flow makes the circulation system work harder and can eventually contribute to equipment problems.

Can Too Many Leaves Damage Pool Equipment?

They can create equipment problems when enough debris accumulates.

One of the first places to watch is the skimmer basket. As leaves pack tightly inside it, water flow through the skimmer becomes restricted. Sean notes that skimmer baskets left overloaded too often can eventually weaken and break.

If debris makes it beyond the skimmer, the pump basket provides another line of defense. That basket also needs to be emptied so water can continue moving properly through the system.

The filter is another concern. Sending large amounts of storm debris directly into the filtration system increases its workload, especially when you’re dealing with fine sand and dirt in addition to leaves.

This is why Sean recommends a leaf catcher when vacuuming a pool with a substantial amount of larger debris. It keeps much of that material from being sent directly toward the filter.

Should You Run Your Pool Pump After a Storm?

Circulation and filtration are important parts of cleaning up after a storm, but inspect the equipment first.

If the equipment pad experienced flooding or you see signs of electrical or physical damage, don’t turn the system on until it has been properly evaluated.

If the equipment is dry and undamaged, clear the skimmer and pump baskets before restarting the system. Once it’s operating, check that circulation appears normal and allow the filtration system to help remove suspended material from the water.

There’s no need to automatically run the pump continuously for a predetermined amount of time. The appropriate filtration time depends on the amount of debris, water clarity, equipment, and condition of the pool.

How to Reduce Leaves and Debris During Hurricane Season

You can’t keep every leaf out of a South Florida pool during storm season, especially on a heavily landscaped property. You can make cleanup much more manageable.

Keep nearby landscaping maintained and trim trees appropriately before severe weather approaches. During stretches of windy weather, check skimmer baskets more frequently than you normally would.

Remove leaves and other organic debris promptly instead of allowing them to settle and decompose on the pool floor. Keep an eye on the pump basket and filter as the debris load increases.

Water chemistry also deserves closer attention during periods of frequent storms. Maintaining appropriate sanitizer levels before the pool is hit with additional organic material gives you a much better starting point.

Avoid placing loose tarps, unsecured covers, or other improvised materials over the pool before severe weather. High winds can turn unsecured items into additional debris or hazards.

When Storm Debris Becomes More Than a Cleaning Problem

Most post-storm debris can be handled by removing the material, restoring normal circulation, cleaning the filtration system as needed, and checking the water chemistry.

Some conditions suggest there’s more going on.

Cloudy or green water may indicate that sanitation or filtration has fallen behind. Chlorine that repeatedly tests low after treatment can indicate unusually high sanitizer demand. Weak circulation or difficulty maintaining pump prime may point to a restriction somewhere in the system.

Persistent high filter pressure or poor flow after normal cleaning also deserves attention, particularly after a pool has collected a large amount of fine sand or dirt.

And if leaves have been sitting against the pool surface long enough to leave visible dark stains, removing the debris may not remove the discoloration.

These are situations where diagnosing the underlying problem becomes more important than simply continuing to skim leaves.