Even if it’s still cold, this is still a good time to get into the pool maintenance habit. It’s important to keep the chemicals in the proper balance to prevent issues down the road.
During the winter months, it's important to maintain the pool's water balance by reducing the pump's operation time and ensuring that the pool is regularly tested:
- Chlorine - Use enough tablets to keep a consistent amount of chlorine in your system.
- Keep your pH at around 7.4. This will help prevent the buildup of scale, while low pH will cause it to be corrosive to the finish of most pool surfaces.
- Alkalinity- To help buffer your pH, keep the alkalinity normal, in the 80-120 ppm range.
- Calcium Hardness - The Winter months are a great time to protect your pool surfaces from staining and etching. Too high a calcium can lead to deposits and stains. Maintain a minimum of 200ppm.
- Conditioner/Stabilizer - This step will help maintain the UV degradation of chlorine. It's also important to maintain a consistent level of 40 ppm to avoid getting too hot.
What about my salt cell during the winter?
When the temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, your salt cell will most likely shut off automatically. During the cold seasons, the amount of chlorine in the pool is decreased. Since bacteria can't thrive in cold temperatures, it is important to manually turn off the cell. You can also keep the chlorine in the tank at room temperature to maintain the proper concentration.
Is it worth worrying about algae during winter?
Although the growth rate of algae does slow down as the water gets colder, it's still important to keep your free chlorine level at or around 2-4 ppm. This will keep the algae at a safe level.
If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!