As the summer season draws to a close, it's time to bid farewell to our beloved pool. There are many ways to do so, such as closing it yourself or hiring a professional.
If you're not careful, you might end up with a pool that gets damaged. Winterizing is an important step to prevent pool damage.
Close Your In-ground Pool Like A Pro
- Close your pool before it gets below 30°F (-1°C) at night
- If you have a lot of trees, cover your pool before the leaves fall
- Follow proper procedure for winterizing OR hire professionals to do it
- Clean the salt water generator
- Winterize the heater
- Clean the filter
- Turn off all electrical components
- Never drain your fiberglass pool below the bottom of the skimmer
When it's time for closing your pool
Temperature
Depending on the season and the weather conditions in your area, the pool closing time may vary. Also, staying in Florida or Arizona may not require closing the pool at all.
Most public swimming pools stay open from Memorial Day until Labor Day. For residential pool owners, this schedule is the same.
One of the most important factors to consider is whether or not a pool heater is installed. Having a pool heater can extend the time that you can spend in a pool.
You must close your pool before the temperatures fall under 30°F at night.
When the pump is running, the water will keep moving. However, if it gets below freezing, it will freeze in the filter and the pump.
Also, be aware that some of the lines under your pool may not be able to accommodate the water that's coming in. This is why it's important to winterize your pool.
Having the pool frozen doesn’t involve any issues with the pump or filter system. Instead, it’s important that the water is drained from the system.
If you have a robot pool cleaner, make sure that it’s set to "remove from the pool" temperature before closing it. Doing so will prevent the motor from getting damaged.
The Pool Cover
It’s important to keep your pool covered before the leaves fall. They can stain it and require a lot of maintenance to remove.
Winterize thoroughly
You better close your pool at the right time. If you don't - you may still do more harm than good.
Just follow this steps:
- Protect the pool from algaecide and metal residue: brush, shock, sanitize, and balance the pool thoroughly. Add 10 ounces of algaecide per 10,000 gallons of pool water.
- Vacuum any debris off the pool bottom.
- Allow pool chemicals to filter for 24 hours.
- Drain water down as necessary, but not below the skimmer for fiberglass.
- Remove all plugs and water from pump and filter system, including any heating elements like a heat pump.
- Blow out pool's plumbing lines and plug all lines. We recommend using an air compressor. Be sure to add a skimmer plug, called a "Gizzmo," to the skimmer.
- Remove any ladders or handrails.
- Place the cover on top of the pool and secure it. For solid vinyl or tarp covers, remember to place a pump in the center of the cover to pump off any rainwater.
You can hire a pool cleaning service to do all the work for you, which includes cleaning the pool and its surrounding areas. They might ask you to do some basic cleaning, such as washing the pool and vacuuming it.
This post was originally published on RiverPools
If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!