Winterizing your pool properly allows you to look forward to a clean and clear pool in the spring and prevents freeze damage to your pool.
An uncovered pool will accumulate debris, contaminants, and algae. Not only is your pool equipment susceptible to damage, but the pool walls are also at risk of collapsing.
Skipping or rushing through closing your pool can lead to costly problems, such as cracked plumbing, damaged equipment, or algae growth. Taking the time to close your pool correctly can help to:
The correct time to close your pool depends on where you live, and can also vary year by year. As a general rule of thumb, if the temperature has dropped and stayed below 65°F for several days, then this is a good time to close up your pool.
This temperature is because algae need heat to thrive, and cold temperatures help keep your water clear. If you live in an area where temperatures can rise above 65°F for a few days during the winter, you can take advantage of these warm spells to test and balance the water chemistry of your pool, helping to keep your water clean and clear until spring.
Being prepared is a vital part of any smooth-running operation. Make sure that you have all the necessary supplies before you start winterizing your pool. The exact list of what you need may vary depending on where you live and the conditions of your pool, but here is a good start.
OR
Cleaning your pool is essential throughout the season, but the final clean before closing the pool is critical. You will need to skim the surface, brush down all of the walls, and then vacuum the entire pool.
A little preparation now can save you a lot of time and effort when you open your pool next spring. A clean pool also makes it easier to balance your water properly in the next step.
It's essential to test the levels in your pool (pH, alkalinity, etc.) to ensure that the water is balanced before closing. This is to protect the pool from corrosion and scale buildup that is liable to occur when your pool is closed.
Your water should be within the following ranges:
For more help on balancing your pool, check out our blog How To Balance Pool Water.
You'll be shocking your pool in the next step, so you don't need to worry about your chlorine levels just yet.
Either a few days before you close, or the night before you put your winter cover on, shock your pool for one last time. If you notice that your water is green or there are any algae blooms, add double or triple the recommended amount of shock treatment, depending on the severity of the algae problem. Check out our blog How do I Fix A Green Pool? for more information on how to deal with an algae flare-up.
After you've shocked your pool, run the pump overnight to distribute the shock throughout the pool and your circulation system. Even though doing this may add a day or so to your closing schedule, it will save you from a larger struggle when you come to open your pool again in the spring.
Ensure that the chlorine levels drop to a normal range before proceeding with the following steps, so that they do not interfere with adding the rest of your chemicals.
Once all the levels have returned to normal after shocking your pool, then it's time to add your winterizing chemicals. This includes a winter algaecide, and if you live in an area with high metal content, consider a stain and scale preventer as well.
A winter algaecide will prevent the growth of algae spores throughout the off-season. If your cover is mesh, has a mesh panel, or any other way for dirt and debris to enter the water through the winter, then use a double dose of algaecide.
If you live in an area with water that has a high concentration of metals, add a stain and scale preventer when closing, so the metals can't settle onto your pool surfaces and eventually cause stains.
Your pool's plumbing can be easily damaged by water freezing and ice expanding. Even if winter tends to be mild in your area, it's always worth clearing, removing, and storing the lines from your pool to avoid any unexpected cold turns and to make it easier to open your pool next spring. Ensure all the valves are closed to prevent water from entering your pool, and then disconnect all your lines to let them run out. Let them dry completely before you store them away to prevent mold from growing over the winter season.
There are a couple of options for when you winterize your skimmer, but the first step for both is to remove your skimmer basket and store it somewhere cool and dry over the winter.
It's then up to you whether you want to cover your skimmer for the season or not. A Skimmer Plate covers the entire skimmer, sealing out water, rain, and other elements. You won't need to drain your pool below the skimmer line, which can save you a little time and effort.
If you don't want to cover your skimmer, you should keep checking it throughout the winter to ensure water can drain out if it rains or there's excessive snow melt. Keep the bottom of the skimmer free and clear; don't plug it up.
Moving your hardware indoors after you disconnect it is the best way to protect it from freezing temperatures. However, this may not be possible with all of your equipment, so make sure that you remove all water from your equipment.
Remove all of the drain plugs from your pool pump, your chlorinator, and all of the hoses. It's a good idea to keep all the drain plugs in your pump basket together and easy to find in the spring. Keep your pump, chlorinator, and hoses indoors to protect them from the elements outside.
Depending on the size and shape of your filter and how much storage space you have, you may be able to bring it inside over the winter.
Set your multiport valve to winterize and remove the drain plug at the bottom, allowing the filter to drain completely. If your multiport valve has a bleeder valve or a sight glass, then remove these too and store them in the pump basket so you know where to find them next season.
If you can, bring your filter inside to store during the winter. If the weight of the sand or the size of the filter makes this too difficult, you can leave it outside, provided you remove all of the drain plugs. If the plugs are all removed, then freezing water or condensation inside the filter won't crack the tank.
Drain the filter, and then rinse off all of the grids (or fingers) with a hose to remove excess D.E. Leave the valves open over the winter period.
Drain out the filter, and then rinse off the cartridge with a hose. Leave the valves open and store the cartridge inside throughout the winter.
If you have a saltwater pool, then switch the chlorine generator to the "winter" setting if it has one. If not, most saltwater generators have a removable electrolytic cell, which can be accessed by unscrewing the end caps. Remove either the cell or the entire saltwater system, and store it inside during the winter. Now is also a great time to clean out the cell before you store it, to prolong its life and reduce the risk of hardware problems.
Take the time to remove any ladders, toys, fountains, or other detachable accessories connected to your pool to prevent damage to them and your pool. Left over winter, they may puncture the liner or start to rust, contaminating your water.
Once you've removed all of your accessories, then wash them with a multipurpose cleaner. Let them dry thoroughly to prevent the risk of mold growing before storing them in a clean, dry place over the winter.
This depends on whether you chose to use a skimmer plate in step seven. If you're not using a skimmer plate and your area is likely to freeze over the winter, you should drain your pool water below the skimmer and returns.
If you're using a winter skimmer plate, then remove the hose from your skimmer so it can drain properly before installing the plate. This is also a good option for extending the life of your winter cover. If you have a solid cover, draining the water below the return line can add pressure on your cover when rainfall and snow collect on top, requiring you to keep draining water off the cover with a pump or a siphon.
Keep in mind that you should never completely drain your above ground pool, especially when winterizing. Your vinyl liner will dry out and crack, or the pool walls could collapse without the water pressure helping to hold them together.
This is especially important in colder climates. By placing an air pillow under your cover, you protect the sides of the cover, as well as the walls of your pool, from damage. Air pillows can also help keep water and debris at the side of your pool, away from the center, making cleanup easier come spring.
Inflate the pillow to around 50% or 60% of its full capacity, allowing it to compress without popping after the first substantial snowfall. Then place your air pillow in the middle of your pool. You can use a rope to secure it to either side of the pool or a pillow pal, ensuring it stays centered and provides additional protection for your pool cover and walls.
Place your winter cover over the pool and the air pillow, securing it with a cable and winch or a combination of a cable and winter cover clips. If you have a walk-around deck around your pool, you can use water bags to help support your cover.
Throughout the winter, try to stop excess water and snow from accumulating on your cover. You can brush off the snow using a regular broom (not anything sharp like a shovel or rake), while using a cover pump will help to remove any excess water.
