The leaves are falling, the kids are back in school, and there’s a nip in the air that wasn’t there last week.
You know what that means.
Summer is over and autumn is here. If you’re a pool owner, that also means it’s time to close down your pool for the winter.
Properly closing the pool is a crucial part of pool maintenance. A pool that isn’t properly closed is likely to become damaged over the long, cold winter, and you may find that when you’re ready to use it again next summer you’ve got a real mess on your hands. Taking the time to close your pool now will save you a great deal of money, time, and hassle down the road.
Your Pool Closing Checklist
1. Pick a Date – Make sure to close down your pool before the first freeze. When water freezes, it expands, and that means cracks in the liner and damage to your pump and other equipment.
2. Skim any Leaves out – If leaves or other debris have fallen into the pool, get them out before they do any damage or lead to mold and algae. Vacuum the pool thoroughly.
3. Balance your Water Levels – Your levels should be:
- pH – between 7.2 and 7.6
- Alkalinity – between 80 and 120 ppm
- Calcium hardness – between 180 and 220 ppm
- After you add your chemicals, make sure to let the pool circulate for at least four hours.
4. Take out the Pool Lights – This item is commonly missed and many pool owners come out in the spring to find that their lights have broken. Cleaning up shattered glass from broken pool lights can be a huge hassle, and it’s better to avoid this issue altogether.
5. Store your Pool Equipment – Your pool ladders, solar blankets, jet eyelet balls, and skimmer basket should not remain in your pool over the winter. Take these out, dry them to prevent mold or other damage, and store them safely.
6. Pull the Winterizing Pumps – These will come from your pump, filter, chlorinator, and heater.
7. Disconnect your Gas Heater – Forgetting to do this can lead to frost damage.
8. Blow out your Pool Lines – Use two shop vacs, one at each end. One should be set to suck and the other to blow. Fill the cleared lines with anti-freezer and insert foam rope from the jet and simmer ends. Plug the skimmer port and jet holes with a rubber expanding or threaded plug. To avoid overly tightening the plugs, tighten them by hand.
10. Cover the Pool – We have an excellent selection of winter blankets and safety covers. Come on in and we’ll help you find the perfect one for your pool.
Need Help Winterizing Your Pool?
Does this process feel overwhelming? We are here to help! Give us a call with any questions or talk to us about winterizing your pool for you. Winterizing spots fill up fast, so don’t hesitate!