Many positive characteristics are associated with having a pool in your own backyard — relief from the heat, a place to relax, great for outdoor social gatherings, entertainment for kids during summer months.
But, there is also one pitfall — preparing your pool for the winter.
Don’t let the dread of closing your pool at the end of the summer keep you from enjoying its perks. As Bruce Wetterer, owner of Imperial Pool and Spa Services explains, if done correctly, closing your pool at the end of the season can be hassle-free. And while he does recommend hiring a local pool service to make sure that the job is done properly, he doesn’t doubt the capabilities of the average homeowner to handle the project himself. But, he notes, you need to make sure that you follow all of the steps carefully because you’ll need this to last for the entire winter. And, in some areas of the country, that could mean more than four months of ice, snow and frigid temperatures.
Here are the steps you should make sure not to miss while you prepare your pool for winterization:
- Do not drain your pool entirely. Having no water in your pool could cause the sides to cave in from the pressure of the earth, the liner to shift, and fiberglass structures to pop out of the ground. Instead, lower the water level about six to eight inches so that if the water freezes and expands it doesn’t damage your pool.
- If your pool also needs to have water levels lowered below the filter opening, make sure you take the additional steps to do so. If water gets into this opening and freezes, it can expand and damage the pool.
- Add a little chlorine to your pool to help prevent algae growth or dirty water during the winter. You can also purchase kits sold specifically for winter care at your local pool store.
- Remove all of the drain plugs for your filter and any special features attached to the pool including heaters and chemical distributors. Make sure to doublecheck everything as there may be more than one plug on each feature and keep everything unplugged for the entire season.
- Blow out water from the entire system including all piping and fountains. You can do this using a special blower and compressor or a wet vacuum. If water remains in the pipes, they could freeze and burst.
- Check your pool cover for any holes and then securely fasten it to the top of your pool.
If done correctly, you won’t need to care for your pool routinely during the next few month. But there are a few things that Wetterer suggests keeping an eye out for:
- Make sure that the pool cover never falls into the pool. Re-secure any parts that become lose.
- Try and keep water off the pool cover as much as possible. At least once during the winter months, drain all the water off your cover.
- Check the water level of the pool periodically. You’re less likely to notice a small leak during the summer months because people are in and out of the pool and you have to fill it more often. But a leak will be more apparent during these stagnant months.
- You shouldn’t have to add any more chemicals during the winter, but check the color of the water occasionally to make sure that unforeseen growth hasn’t taken place.
Still, even with these helpful suggestions, carefully consider Wetterer’s warning before you opt for undertaking this task yourself. If you close your pool improperly, it is really the only time that you can damage your swimming pool. If you don’t have the confidence in yourself to do the job perfectly, don’t worry. That is exactly why there are pool and spa specialists in your area who would love to take on the job for you and who are trained for winterization.
