A Longview pool, season by season

The care calendar

NOAA 1991–2020 normals for East Texas Regional Airport (NCEI); January low from the Texas Almanac.

Winter: wet ground and the odd hard freeze

Winter here is more wet than cold. Upland Sacul soils hold water 2–4 ft down in late winter and spring (USDA), and the bottoms sit higher still. That is the worst time to empty a pool: groundwater can press on an empty shell, and a fiberglass one can lift. Leave it full and ask the builder before any drain-down.

A salt cell stops making chlorine below 50°F water (Hayward), so test by hand on cold weeks. Hard freezes don't come often, but February 2021 sent Longview and Tyler below zero (KLTV). Keep the pump running when temperatures fall below freezing, and if it shuts off on its own, override it, as a Houston plumber advised during that storm (ABC13). Know in advance which lines to drain if the power fails.

Spring: storms and start-up

March and May bring heavy rain, and a downpour can overflow the pool, wash in sand and flatten the chemistry in an hour. After every big storm, net out debris, run the filter, then test before adding anything. Longview's soft tap water means top-ups lower calcium and alkalinity a little each time; our salt and water guide explains why that matters on plaster. Spring is also when to clean the filter, check the pump seals and make sure the deck drains are clear.

Summer: heat and heavy use

With July and August highs of 94–95°F (NOAA), sun and swimmers eat chlorine. The CDC asks home pool owners to test chlorine and pH at least twice a day, more when the pool is busy, and to hold free chlorine at 1 ppm or more (2 ppm with stabilizer) and pH at 7.0–7.8 (CDC). A cover over the pool when it is idle trims water loss 30–50% and chemical use 35–60% (ENERGY STAR).

Fall: needles and leaves

Pines shed needles in waves, and hardwoods drop leaves through November. Skim daily at the peak, keep the pump basket clear so flow stays strong, and pull leaves off the floor before they stain plaster. Shorten pump hours and lower chlorine output gradually as the water cools.

If you ever have to lower or drain the water

Longview allows pool water to go to a storm drain only when its chlorine is at or below 0.5 mg/l, and never onto a neighbor's land (Longview UDC). Let chlorine fall off first, pump slowly, and pick a dry stretch in summer or early fall, when water tables are lowest. More on the code is in our permits guide, and the ground itself in the soil and water table guide.

Common questions