Winterizing your Swimming Pool

Winterizing your Swimming Pool. 

Is Your Swimming Pool Prepared for Old Man Winter?

Most pool owners have an off-season to think about, and it’s important that they take the time to do things right. If you own a pool, whether it’s above or in ground, you need to make sure that it’s ready for every season of the year. Summer is easy because you just open it up and enjoy. Winterizing your pool, however, can prove to be a bit more of a task if you’re not prepared. Do you have all of the tools and supplies that you need to get your pool ready for the winter months? Now is the time to make sure that you’re ready, before it’s too late.

Winterizing your pool does a lot for you, and you have to make sure that you have the right tools and supplies to get the job done. By taking the time to learn about the process, it will be easier for you to get everything that you need.

Winterizing Supplies

Winterizing your pool starts with having all of the right supplies. You will need winterizing chemicals, the right pool cover, and weights or ties to hold the cover on the pool through the winter. There are different types of chemicals that you have to use to balance your pool before you close it up for the winter. You will need to make sure that you have the right pH and chlorine balance, as well as alkalinity and calcium balance. These things will ensure that your pool stays healthy and clean all winter so that it’s easy to open next spring

The good news is that pool suppliers often sell a variety of winterizing chemical kits. That allows you to get everything that you need in one purchase without having to buy a handful of different chemicals separately. Give yourself the chance to learn about these chemicals and explore the kits that you can buy to get what you need. They come in different sizes for different pools, giving you the chance to choose what you want based on how big your pool is. How easy is that?

Next, you need to find the right cover and weights (or tie downs) to protect your pool from the elements during the winter months. Depending on where you live, you might need a certain type of cover. For example, someone in a state like North Dakota will probably need a much heavier duty cover to protect from snow and winter weather than someone in Tennessee, where winter weather might not be as severe as it gets in other areas.

You also have to choose between in ground and above ground covers. There are different styles of covers for each, giving you the option to get the perfect protection, no matter what type of pool you have. Within each group, you can choose from so many different styles and designs of covers that it will be easy to get the perfect protection for your pool. Just take the time to check out pool covers and winterizing supplies to make sure that you get everything that you need.

The Process

The first part of winterizing your pool is to clean it well. Once it’s clean, you can cycle the winterizing chemicals through and test the water until you get the right pH and chlorine balance in the water. The chemicals that you put in will also include cleaners, stain protection, and algaecide, which ensures that your pool will stay as clean as possible so that it’s ready to open when spring rolls around. Then, you’ll need to drain the water past the pump or skimmer systems, or if you have an above ground pool you will have to drain it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. You’ll place the cover over the semi-drained pool (NEVER drain it completely), and then use the weights or tie downs to secure the cover. It’s quite a simple process, but you do have to make sure that you follow all the steps.

The most important part is making sure that you clean the pool before you close it because you will have a much harder time opening it back up if you let it sit dirty all winter long. Another problem is that leaving the pool dirty for months can cause serious maintenance issues or needs for repair. If you want to get the most out of your pool closing, clean it well before you drain it and cover it up for the winter.

Why Winterize?

A lot of people are asking why they need to winterize their pools. Most people have pools open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, depending on the climate that they live in. After the pool season has ended, the weather will change. Pools are not built to handle debris like leaves and inclement weather that follows with the winter months. As such, it’s critical that you bundle up your pool and protect it from the weather that is about to come. Even when you live in a milder state, leaves and other debris can still create problems so you need to make sure that your pool is covered properly and ready for the oncoming winter.

Winterizing your pool will make your pool last longer and stay in good shape. It will keep things clean and running smoothly, and help you avoid huge maintenance costs that could occur if you left it open all year round. Having a pool is an expensive and time-consuming investment, but proper winterization can save you a lot of time and money when it comes to reopening your pool and caring for it in the summer months. You have all of the tools and supplies that you need at your fingertips and can walk through the process before you get started, making it easy to do. Just remember that your pool needs protection from the winter months just like you need a winter coat, and that it’s important to do things right.

Choose a cover, find the right winterizing chemicals, and make sure that you follow the process for buttoning up your pool for a long winter’s nap so that you can protect your investment no matter what type of winter you’re facing.