After an awesome season of swimming fun and pool entertainment, it’s time to close your pool properly. It doesn’t matter if you live on a warm locale or cold, you will need to take care of this if you want to protect your pool from freezing water temperatures and make it easier to open the next season. Closing down a pool for winter time can be a lot of work, but if you do it correctly it will maximize the value of your pool and make it so you will (hopefully) have to do less maintenance and repairing on it when you open it back up in the summer time. If you want to find out how to best close your pool for the winter, keep reading below for more information.
Chemical Balance
Having the proper chemical balance is not only important when the pool is in use, but when it’s not in use too, especially if you don’t plan on using it for a few months. Chemical balance keeps the water from becoming heavy in calcium deposits as well as helps keep the water from becoming too erosive. The things you need to check include; checking the PH levels of your pool as well as the acidic and alkaline levels in the water. You should also be checking the water hardness versus the calcium in the water. Make sure you adjust the alkaline as much as needed for the pool. Lastly, make sure you check the chlorine level of the water in the pool. Ultimately, Chlorine is what kills any containments like bacteria in the water as well as any germs and viruses.
Cleaning and Sorting Pool Equipment
Not only is the water in your pool important to maintain on the off season, but the tools and equipment are too. Make sure that when you start preparing your pool for the winter time that you also take care of equipment as well. This includes taking any ladders or diving boards out of the pool; make sure you clean them off with warm water and soap or a hose. You will also need to clean the walls of the pool and the floor with a pool brush; these can be found in any pool or home improvement store. Beyond just the walls and floor, you need to make sure you skim the pool and remove things like leaves and small particles from the pool water. Remember to clean the baskets for your skimmer as well - something that a lot of people forget about when it comes to preparing their pool for winter!
Pool Filters
Chances are if you have a pool, you have some sort of filter or filtration system. Each filter is going to need a different preparation. If these tips below aren’t helpful or you are still confused, make sure you call in to your manufacture and ask them how to do it.
- Cartridge Filters: You will need to replace your filter when you prepare your pool for the winter. But, it might also depend on your specific cartridge filter so make sure you view instructions from your manufacture. Some cartridge filters need to be changed every off season, while others don’t. If yours does need cleaned or replaced simply remove the cartridge, spray with water from the hose and soak it in a cleaner designed for cartridge filters.
Sand Filters: Make sure you backwash the filter per your manufactures advice. If the sand bed needs replaced, replace it now. Close the valves from your filter to and from. Make sure that you add a filter cleaner to the filter - usually at full strength and make sure you take a look at the filter and make sure you inspect the port anode, gauge hole, etc. Whatever is available on your specific filter. Once you add the filter wait for around an hour, after the hour is up you can open the valves of your filter back up and backwash accordingly. Remove the plug from the drainage and drain the sand filter. Pretty simple.
DE Filters: Remove the DE filter from the pool and clean with a cleaner that is specifically for your filter. This helps get rid of things like oil and grease which oftentimes builds up on the filter overtime. Next, you need to inspect the sepat - be sure to look for any holes, tears, rips and replace them when needed. Then, clean the inside of the tank for the filter. Lastly, you can replace or reinstall the filter back to where it belongs and voila, you are finished. DE filters are known for being one of the least complicated filters to maintain and now we see why!
Last Steps to Preparing Your Pool for winter
When it comes time to close down your pool, you also need to take care of the pool itself. It’s very important that you drain the water from the pool to the needed level. Of course different pools are made with different finishes and materials as well as skimmer openings, but here are a few suggestions:
- If you have a painted pool or one with a more natural finish and you use a solid cover, make sure the water is 6inches below the skimmer for the pool.
- If you have a plaster pool that utilizes a solid cover, you should make sure your water is 1 inches to 6 inches below the skimmer opener.
- If you have a pool lined with vinyl, the water for the pool should be 1 inch below the skimmer for the pool.
- Lastly, if you have a mesh cover (usually used for safety and energy efficiency) or a pool with no cover (get a cover!!!) then you will need to make sure the water is a good 18 inches to 24 inches below the opening for the skimmer.
- When you finish the above mentioned steps you will also need to install your freeze plugs for the pool.
- Shut your [ump off for the filter, drain everything and store things like equipment, brushes and accessories as noted by the manufacture for the winter time.
- Lastly, make sure you add your pool cover and don’t uncover it unless there is an emergency!
