Advice / Live it
Starting Up Your Pool for Summer: The Pre-Labour Weekend Checklist
5 min read · Published October 2026 · By Ultimate Pools
Labour Weekend is the unofficial start of the Auckland pool season, and the week before it is exactly when your pool needs to shift out of winter mode. Get a handful of things sorted now and you’re swimming from the first warm weekend. Leave it too late and you’re playing catch-up through November while everyone else is already in the water.
Here’s what to do, and when.
Around 17 October: increase your pump run time
The single biggest thing your pool needs heading into summer is more circulation, and that starts with your pump and filter run times. Over winter, most pools are set to run for a fraction of the hours they need in summer, since the water is colder and there’s far less swimming, sun, and organic material going into the pool. As the weather warms up, that needs to increase.
This is the step people most often mean to do and then don’t, not because it’s difficult, but because it isn’t obvious how. If you’ve got a saltwater chlorinator or a digital timer and you’re not sure how to adjust it, that’s completely normal, and it’s exactly the kind of thing our pool care team can walk you through over the phone or sort for you on a visit.
Empty your skimmer baskets and pump basket
Simple, but easy to forget after a winter of not checking them. A clogged basket restricts flow right when you’re trying to increase circulation, and it’s a five-minute job every pool owner can do themselves.
Get your water tested
Before you start adding chemicals or assuming your pool is ready to go, get a proper water test. Winter water chemistry drifts, even in a well-covered or well-maintained pool, and testing tells you exactly what needs adjusting rather than guessing. You can bring a water sample into our Rosedale store for a free test, or our pool care team can test on-site as part of a service visit.
Stock up on chemicals
Once you know where your water’s sitting, get the chemicals you’ll actually need for the season ahead rather than buying piecemeal as problems come up. Our guide to choosing the right pool water care products is worth a read if you want to understand what each product is actually doing, rather than just grabbing whatever’s on the shelf.
Check your equipment while it’s still quiet
Before the season gets busy, it’s worth giving your pump, filter, and any automation a once-over. If anything’s going to fail, spotting it in October gives you time to sort it before Christmas, rather than discovering it on the one 30-degree day everyone wants to swim.
Why the timing matters
All of this lines up deliberately with Labour Weekend. Sorting your pump run times, basket cleaning, water test, and chemical top-up the week before gives your water time to settle and balance properly before the warm weather and heavier pool use really kick in. Wait until the weekend itself and you’re starting the process just as demand on your pool is ramping up.
If it feels like a lot
It can be. A full start-of-summer service covers all of the above in one visit: run-time adjustments, basket and filter checks, water testing, and getting your chemistry properly balanced for the season, without you needing to work out the chlorinator settings yourself. If you’d rather hand it over than tackle the list, that’s exactly what our pool care team is there for.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I increase my pump run time for summer?
Around mid-October, roughly a week before Labour Weekend, is the ideal time. It gives your water time to settle into the new circulation pattern before the warmer weather and heavier use of summer arrive.
How do I know how long to run my pump for in summer?
It depends on your pool size, pump, and filtration system, so there’s no single number that suits every pool. If you’re unsure, our pool care team can recommend the right run time for your specific setup. Generally this is around 4 hours a day in Winter and 8-10 hours a day in Summer.
I don’t know how to change the settings on my chlorinator. What do I do?
You’re not alone, this is one of the most common calls we get at this time of year. Give us a call and we can either talk you through it or come out and adjust it for you.
Do I need to get my water tested before summer even if the pool looks fine?
Yes. Pool water chemistry can drift over winter even when the water looks clear, and testing is the only way to know for certain what’s out of balance before you start adding chemicals.
What happens if I don’t do a start-of-summer check?
Nothing dramatic straight away, but small issues tend to compound. A pool that isn’t circulating enough or has drifted chemistry is far more likely to turn cloudy or green once the weather warms up and pool use increases.
Can Ultimate Pools do all of this for me?
Yes. A start-of-summer service visit covers pump and filter checks, water testing, and chemical rebalancing in one appointment.
Related reading
- The Real Guide to Swimming Pool Aftercare
- Turning a Green Pool Back to Blue: What It Actually Takes
- Choosing Pool Water Care Products
Get your pool summer-ready before Labour Weekend, without the guesswork.
