Creating A More Beautiful Pool Area

Safety Precautions, Steps, And Tips To Prepare Your Pool For Winter

24 August 2021

Adrian Spencer

An important part of pool ownership is knowing how to close your pool for the off-season. This process is vital to maintain your pool's value and its general health and safety. Closing the pool properly also ensures that when opening the pool next year, it will be spot-free, crystal clear, and chemically balanced before a single splash is taken. The following pool maintenance will walk you through the steps to ensure your pool is ready for closing:

Winterize Your Pump and Filter

The first things that need to be done when preparing to close your pool are winterizing the pump and the filter canister. This should begin by backwashing the filter to ensure it is clean. After cleaning the filter, you want to disconnect the pump. When the pump is disconnected, an air compressor or shop vacuum can be used to remove any excess water. If you are not planning on completely draining the pool, you might want to cover the pump and filter with an insulated blanket. Even if this is equipment, run it when the temperatures drop well below freezing to prevent damage.

Prepare the Plumbing

If you have disconnected the pump and filter, some preparations need to be done to your pool's plumbing system. The plumbing lines should be inspected for leaks, and repairs should be done if needed. If you are draining the pool, you want to clear the water out of all the lines to prevent ice from forming and causing damage to the plumbing. You also need to plug inlets and drains that are not being used.

Use a Winter Pool Treatment

It can be costly to refill your pool in spring. Thus, alternatives like adding a winter water treatment are often preferred over draining. This treatment should be added in the fall months before the temperatures drop to ensure that you don't have any issues with damage if the temperatures suddenly drop below freezing.

Cover the Pool and Equipment

The biggest step in closing your pool and ensuring it is safe for winter is covering it properly. Before you start covering it, you want to check all the grommets that hold the cover tightly to the pool deck. If the pool is still full, you can spread a solar cover on the surface of the water to prevent freezing. The solar cover will help insulate the water and prevent it from freezing.

Drain the Pool to the Right Level

There are several options for draining your pool for the winter weather. The first option is to not drain it at all and use a winter treatment to preserve the water. The next option is to partially drain the water to winterize exposed plumbing and pool equipment. Lastly, you can drain the pool completely, which might be a good choice if you are planning on doing repairs and renovations before next summer.

Preparation and maintenance are vital to the well-being of your pool going into the winter. Contact a pool maintenance service for more information.

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