3 Swimming pool tips for winter

Winter has arrived. Winterizing your pool is the best course of action since you probably won’t be using your pool for a while. This will minimise the potential damage to your pool while it’s not being used. You will also avoid costly recovery maintenance once summer comes around again. Here are some handy tips on how to winterize your pool.

Prepare your pool

Proper preparation is the first step when successfully winterizing your pool. If you close up a dirty pool, it could be very unpleasant to open it again when summer comes around. This means you should give your pool a thorough clean before covering it up. Skim off any leaves and debris and give the sides and bottom a good scrub. This will remove any algae or other buildup from your pool. If you have a pool vacuum, use this to remove any other debris that sunk to the bottom of the pool.

It’s also a good idea to remove all the toys, accessories and equipment attached to your pool and store them in a safe place over winter. This ensures that they won’t get damaged by harsh winter conditions.

Balance the chemicals

Things like algae will grow in your pool when the pH isn’t balanced. To winterize your pool, you must create an environment that doesn’t encourage these critters to grow. Use a pool chemistry test kit to test the water, or take a sample to your local pool store. The home test kits are accurate enough, but the pool store’s equipment should offer a more accurate reading if you’re not sure.

Be aware that the pH levels will probably drop during those long winter months, so balancing it at slightly higher levels than recommended is good.

Now, it’s time to add the winterizing chemicals. These include chlorine, pool shock, sodium bicarbonate, and algaecide. The sodium bicarbonate will raise the pH level, so use this only when needed. Use the pool shock first, a day before you plan on closing the pool. Then retest the water and add the remainder of the chemicals before closing things up.

Cover the pool

All the above steps are useless if you don’t cover your pool during winter. A good pool cover will prevent water loss and keep dirt and other impurities out of your pool. Most importantly, a good cover makes your pool safer, preventing kids, pets and other people from accidentally falling into the pool. 

Before closing your pool, inspect your pool cover for any holes or tears. If you’re using a lightweight cover, you could probably repair small holes using duct tape or patch tape. If you’re using a vinyl cover, you’ll need a vinyl pool patch to make repairs. If there is severe damage to your pool cover, it is best to take it to the experts for repairs or even replace it.

Winterizing your pool is the best way to protect it during the harsh winter months. Contact us for more tips and advice on pool care and pool safety. 

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