We're in the thick of Gulf Coast storm season. A little prep now protects the most expensive part of your backyard — the equipment pad — from flooding, power surges and wind. Here's the checklist we give every Houston homeowner.
Houston homeowners don't need a reminder that we live in hurricane country — Harvey and Beryl made the point. What a lot of people miss is that the real storm risk to a pool isn't the water in it. It's the equipment pad: the pump, filter, heater, salt system and automation panel that sit outside, plugged in, right at ground level.
Flooding, a power surge, or flying debris can turn a working pad into a few thousand dollars of repairs in an afternoon. The good news is that fifteen minutes of prep before a storm prevents most of it. Here's exactly what to do.
This is where the money is. Your pump, filter, heater and salt/automation gear are the vulnerable, costly components — and they don't do well underwater or during a surge.
A submerged pump motor or a surged control board is one of the most common calls we get after a Houston storm — and it's exactly the damage a few minutes of prep avoids.
Don't rush to restart the equipment. If any part of the pad was under water or rained into, powering it up can destroy the motor or control board — and it's an electrical hazard. Let it dry and get it checked first.
Once it's safe: fish out the debris, run the pump only after you've confirmed the pad is dry and undamaged, and rebalance and shock the water to recover it. If a pump was submerged, a heater took on water, or anything won't start or sounds wrong, stop and call a pro. A quick equipment check is a lot cheaper than a burned-out motor.
If a storm got the better of your equipment, that's our day job. We repair and replace surged control boards, submerged pumps, water-damaged heaters and salt systems, and we do the full equipment-pad assessment so nothing gets powered up before it's safe. For bigger post-storm repairs, financing lets you spread the cost. We're family-owned, licensed and insured, and mobile — we come to you across Cypress and Greater Houston. And before the next system spins up, our seasonal maintenance routine keeps your pool ready year-round.
No — this is the most important rule. When the ground around your pool saturates with water, an empty or low pool can float and pop out of the ground, causing serious damage. Keep it full. At most, lower the level about a foot below the skimmers to leave room for heavy rain.
Yes. Switch off the breaker to your pool equipment before the storm. That protects the pump, heater and control board from power surges, and prevents wet equipment from running — which is both a repair risk and a safety hazard.
No. Never power up pool equipment that's been submerged or soaked until it's been inspected. Restarting a wet pump or control board can destroy it and poses an electrical danger. Leave the power off and have it checked first — we can assess it and tell you what's salvageable.
Often, storm or flood damage to pool equipment may be covered — it depends on your policy. Check with your insurer, and document everything with photos. We provide clear repair estimates and can help you document the damage for a claim.
Whether you want your equipment checked before the season's next storm or you're cleaning up after one, we'll get you a straight answer and a fair quote — usually same day. Serving Cypress and Greater Houston.