The first step to closing your pool is to winterize it one week before closing. This includes adding a phosphate remover to keep algae blooms away during the off-season. The most important step in this process is waiting until the water is below 65 degrees for a consistent amount of time.
Full Answer
Is it easy to close a pool for the season?
However, closing a pool for the season isn’t as easy as tossing a pool cover over it and going about your day. There are several steps and procedures that must be taken in order to protect the pool during the offseason. You want to make sure to close your pool the right way.
How do I Clean my Pool before it’s closed?
This may seem counterintuitive, but it is very important that a pool is properly cleaned and chemically tested before it is closed for the season. Start off by cleaning the pool walls and floors thoroughly with a pool brush, skimmer, and vacuum.
How do you winterize a pool for the winter?
Before closing a pool for the season, it must be chemically winterized. This involves adding algaecide, and possibly metal sequestrant and enzymes to the water. You can also add a ‘winter pill’ to the pool water, which dissolves slowly over time in order to keep the water clean throughout the offseason.
Should I Keep my pool open in the winter?
Just keep in mind that keeping your pool open for the winter also means you’ll be cleaning out debris and adding chemicals, which takes time, and running your pool pump and greater circulation system, which will be a major cost. If you’re not swimming, that just isn’t necessary—even if you do have a seriously cost-saving variable speed pump.
How to winterize pool before closing?
The first step to closing your pool is to winterize it one week prior to closing. This includes adding a phosphate remover to keep algae blooms away during the off-season. The most important step in this process is waiting until the water is below 65 degrees for a consistent amount of time. Keeping the temperature low will also lower the risk of algae growth.
Why is it important to test pool water?
Testing your pool water is particularly important if you had to add or remove water to prepare for closing. You should ensure alkalinity and pH balance is achieved prior to closing.
Should I cover my pool for winter?
Part of closing your pool for the season must include having a proper cover to finish the winterizing process. While you can pick between a winter cover that just blocks debris or a safety cover that protects animals and humans from falling into the pool, whatever you pick must properly fit your pool and last for years to come.
How To Close Your Pool For The Season
When your pool is properly closed, it will survive the winter — the snow, ice and freezing temperatures. It will come through winter without damage and will be easier to open the following summer season. A swimming pool contractor understands the gravity and the necessity of a proper swimming pool closing.
Here are the pool closing steps & reasons to protect your pool this winter season
Prevent damage. The biggest risk to a swimming pool in the winter is from frozen water. If the water freezes it can crack and damage pool equipment including the filters, pumps and skimmer baskets. Frozen equipment may lead to your needing to have it repaired or replaced and this could be costly.
How to keep algae out of pool?
One week prior to the closing date, it is important to add some phosphate remover to the pool. This will strip phosphate from the pool and keep algae out of the water. This will prevent algae blooms from accumulating. Furthermore, you should wait to close the pool until the water temperature is below 65 degrees. If you close the pool down too early, then algae might end up growing.
How far below the tip of a pool line should you keep water?
Remember that there is a chance that the water in your pool might start to freeze. To prepare for this, you need to keep the water at least four inches below the tip of the vinyl line (for vinyl pools) or tile line (for fiberglass and concrete pools).
When to close pool shock?
As you’ll see, it’ll take over a day to really close your pool, since pool shock can only be added at dusk or night. If during the winter you have a few warm days above 65 degrees, you can treat your water on those warm days to prevent algae and give yourself an advantage when you open your pool next season.
How to prevent freezing in pool?
Lowering your water level will help big time to prevent freezing damage, but don’t lower so much that your pool walls are extremely exposed and could crack. Just under the skimmer should do the trick. All you have to do is lower the water level of your pool with a submersible pump.
How do I install a pool pillow?
To install the pillow, blow it up and place it in the middle of your pool. If you’re into perfectionism, get a pillow that has built-in grommets that allow you to secure all four corners to your pool and keep it perfectly center. Just make sure that you inflate the air pillow only to around half of its capacity.
How to winterize a sand filter?
If you have a sand filter, set your multiport valve to “winterize” and remove the drain plug at the bottom. Allow the filter to completely drain. If your valves has any other extras, like a sight glass or a bleeder valve, remove those, too.
How do I take down a water pump?
To take down your pump, remove all drain plugs from the pump and the filter. You’ll also want to remove the pump itself, the chlorinator, and all hoses. Store all drain plugs in the pump basket for easy locating next spring, and keep the pump, chlorinator, and hoses in a dry, shaded area indoors.
What to put under pool cover for winter?
If you live in a cold climate, you’ll want to place a pool air pillow, or ice compensator, under your winter cover. This will protect both the sides of the cover and the walls of your pool from pressure damage from the ice or snow that will soon sit on top of your pool.
How do I clean a pool?
Step 1: Use Elbow Grease to Clean Your Pool. Bye bye, potential food for algae and mold. First, give your pool that usual skim with a net on a telescopic pole. Next, use a brush to scrape down the bottom and sides of your pool , especially trouble spots that are especially susceptible to these unsightly growths.
The Right Way to Close Inground Pool for the Season: A Complete Guide
When should you close your in-ground pool for the season? How should you do it? What are the safety precautions you should follow? Read this complete guide to learn how to close inground pool for the season without any problems.
Why You Should Close Inground Pool for Winter?
Pool owners should close their inground pools when winter comes because it helps to protect pool equipment. Another benefit is that you’ll be able to maintain a clean and beautiful pool for the next spring.
Prepare the Gears You Need
You’ll want to start preparing for the winter months, so start planning now. Fortunately, you most likely already have most of this equipment on hand. And although it’s quite a long list, don’t worry. Anything you buy this year will be useful next year. Here’s everything you’ll need to get started:
Prepare the Chemicals You Need
Before doing anything else, you should clean your pool. Use a pool brush linked to a telescopic pole to scrub the walls and floor of your pool, making sure to get into all of the nooks and crannies as possible.
Bottom Line
Cleaning, maintaining and closing your pool this winter not only prevent fatal accidents but there are several other benefits that you may be missing out on. The pool cover, mainly the winter cover, is your only opportunity to keep it safe from harsh conditions.
How to get rid of algae in pool?
Use a brush to scrape down the bottom and sides of your pool, especially trouble spots that are especially susceptible to algae. This will both dislodge any microscopic algae spores that might bloom later if left alone, and will help your pool shock work extra hard in a few steps. My top recommended brush is the only one like it on the market, thanks to a patented 360 degree brush head perfect for getting trouble spots. Plus, it was developed by longtime pool servicers who were tired of aches and pains that resulted from brushing stairs and other corners.
Can you use cyanuric acid in a pool?
Okay, if you don’t have any of these—with the exception of a metal sequestrant unless you have metal stains, and cyanuric acid unless you have unstabilized chlorine, and antifreeze or pool enzymes, which are just plain optional—it’s time to update your inventory. Here’s the full list.
Can you run a pool pump while closed?
You might think that since you’re closing your pool, your water no longer needs to be balance d. But hey, remember this: while your pool is closed, it’ll be covered and largely safe from the elements. Plus, you won’t be running your pump eight hours a day. So what you do now will give your water a serious leg up throughout the winter, and is sure to last longer than your typical application.
What to do at the end of the pool season?
One of the most important things to do at the end of the pool season is to properly close your pool to ensure you avoid common pitfalls when opening it next spring. Learn more about how cover sealer can help seal your pool.
Why use an air pillow when closing an above ground pool?
Using an air pillow when closing your above ground pool is an easy and inexpensive way to protect your pool against damage from freezing temperatures. Equipment, Pool Care, Pool Closing.
