Fall is a bittersweet time of year. Most people enjoy the changing leaves and cooler temperatures, but saying goodbye to those lazy days by the pool is hard. Saying farewell to sunny, poolside days also means it is time to winterize your pool. Properly preparing your pool for winter will make sure that no damage comes to the pool throughout the winter. It will also make opening your pool next spring much easier.

Steps for winterizing your pool

To winterize your pool, you will want to adjust the pool’s PH to 7.2-7.8. This PH level will prevent algae growth, scaling and staining.

Next, you should shock your pool. The shock packaging will have instructions for your specific pool size. Allow the filter to run for 1-2 days to make sure the water is as clean as possible.

You will want to skim the pool and vacuum it. Make sure that as much debris as possible is removed from the pool.

Add an algaecide, according to the package instructions to prevent algae growth. Algae growth should not be a problem once the water freezes, but it will cover you for the in between period when the weather could allow for growth.

Next, you will need to lower the water level according to the manufacturer’s directions for your pool. Turn off the pump and all other equipment, making sure it is drained completely. You will want to store as much of the equipment as possible to prevent freezing. Any equipment that cannot be stored should be lubricated and covered according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Finally, cover the pool securely with a high quality cover. You will want a cover that will hold up to the weather and the pool chemicals while keeping leaves, debris and animals out. Be sure the edges are sealed so that wind won’t be able to get under the cover.

Taking care of your cover

The cover itself will require some care throughout the winter.

You will occasionally need to check to make sure that the tension on your pool cover is tight and still evenly distributed among the all the straps. You will definitely want to make sure that no gaps have come up that might allow animals to slip in.

Be sure to keep the cover clear. Leaves can be removed with a leaf blower, a soft net, or a pool cover rake. Don’t forget the leaves and debris that get stuck under the straps. You should not have to worry about snow removal. A good cover should be able to stand up to 3-4 feet of snow, but you will want to check the cover tension after the snow has cleared.

Occasionally checking for holes is another winter job that will need to be done.

Finally, if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow fall, you might want to mark the edges of your cover with stakes or something that sticks up out of the snow so that you will know where the cover starts.

Although this might seem like a long process, winterizing your pool doesn’t take too long and next spring you will be glad that you took time to do the job right!  We are always here to help you if you don’t want to do this yourself.