As the warm days of summer come to an end, it’s essential to properly winterize your pool for the season. Knowing how to winterize your pool ensures that it remains in optimal condition and ready to be reopened for the next swimming season! When properly done, winterizing your pool can help keep your pool safety ready for winter. Knowing how to winterize your pool will look different depending on what type of pool you have, but here are some general guidelines and tips!
Clean and Balance Your Water Chemistry before Winterizing Your Pool
Maintaining proper water balance is a crucial step in helping to prevent corrosion, scale buildup, and the growth of algae during the winter months. To get ready for this, be sure to clean up and remove any debris in your pool. This will make it easier to balance your water chemistry.
Begin by testing your pool water for the pH, Chlorine, Alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels. The ideal pH level is between 7.4 and 7.6. This helps prevent corrosion and having a balanced Alkalinity helps to prevent fluctuations in your pH.
Your Alkalinity should range between 200-250, and be sure you have your calcium hardness levels between 150 to 250 ppm. This will also help protect your pool surfaces from deterioration. You can find information on some of Lesley’s Pool Supplies for winterizing an inground pool.
Shock and Chlorinate
Part of winterizing your pool involves shocking it with chlorine. This helps to eliminate contaminants and prevent algae growth. You can use the same shock you use during the regular pool season and double that amount for winterizing your pool. After this, you can use an algaecide. Follow the instructions listed on the product you are using.
This will also help with preventing algae from growing throughout the winter. Be sure to keep these chemicals in a secure location where others and children do not have access.
Lower the Water Level
Dropping the water level in your pool is important for winterizing your pool. Thinking ahead for the cold weather, when water freezes, it expands. This may happen to your pool and it could cause some damage to your pool and plumbing system.
When water freezes, it expands. Take into account what type of plumbing system you have. You may need to clear all of your lines to prevent damage. If you have a flooded system that sits below the ground level of your pool, you most likely have this system.
Check with your local area’s pool maintenance and chemical company to see what all you need to do to prepare your pool for winter.
Clean and Store Equipment for Winter
Cleaning and storing your pool equipment properly before winterizing is essential for prolonging the life of your equipment. This also helps you with a smooth transition for the summer season. Cleaning your equipment includes backwashing your pool and cleaning the pool filter or filters to remove any debris and contaminants.
Remove and clean all pool accessories such as ladders, baskets, and skimmer lids. Thoroughly clean and dry these items before storing them in a dry, cool place for the winter. Keep these items in a place where others including children cannot access them.
Pay special attention to your pumps, heaters, or other equipment that might be vulnerable to freezing temperatures. You can check your manuals for your pump systems and installation paperwork for the proper process for your pool and equipment.
Install a Winter Pool Cover
A high-quality pool cover serves as the final barrier to protect your pool during the winter months. There are various types of covers available such as mesh, solid vinyl covers, and automatic covers. When choosing the best cover for your pool, keep safety in mind.
A pool cover adds a layer of protection to keep your pool safer. Keep a cover patch kit on hand in case you need it. Whichever type of cover you choose, be sure it fits properly for your pool. Anchor it properly to prevent wind from getting underneath it.
You may want to use an air pillow or pool pillow that can help support the pool cover’s center. This pillow helps prevent water from accumulating on the cover and causing damage. Gently inflate this pillow and secure it in the center of the pool before covering your pool with the winter cover.
Continue Regular Maintenance Checks
Even during the winter months, it is important to conduct periodic maintenance checks on your pool. Remove any debris that has accumulated on the cover and check the pool’s water level to ensure it remains in a safe range.
Checking on your pool fence is important too. A fence around your pool adds another layer of protection to help keep your pool safer for everyone. Find more information on the 5 layers of protection at https://ndpa.org/layers/. Completing a visual inspection over all of your equipment helps to make sure you will be ready for a smooth reopening next time!
Winterizing your pool is a comprehensive process that involves multiple steps. Taking the time to properly winterize your pool with balancing your water chemistry, shock treatment, equipment maintenance, proper cover installation, and continued maintenance checks helps keep your pool in excellent condition.
Keeping your pool and your family safe happens year-round. Following these steps can help you confidently winterize your pool and help to protect your investment in your pool.
