Winter is not coming, it is already here. A good number of people will truly miss the hot weather, as it no longer allows for swimming in the cool waters of the backyard pool. Yes, it is time to now close it for the winter season so that it can be reopened again next year. If you are among the pool lovers, chances are you want to do your best to preserve it in such a way that will allow easy and cheap reopening in summer.
In order to do that, however, you must be cautious. Garden maintenance, including pool maintenance, has some specifics that you should follow to ensure your work is done.
1 – The first step is to choose the right day to close your pool. Experts usually suggest you do that when temperatures reach the 60s in the evening for several days straight. Usually it is a good idea to wait, as closing too early will not only lead to more work when you have to re-open it, but it will also be more expensive.
2 – Give yourself at least a day to properly do the job. It can be time-consuming, especially considering you will have to drain part of your pool’s water. If it is a big one, this can take few hours.
3 – Drain the water to reach a level below your skimmer. Water expands when it freezes, which can severely damage your pool equipment. Draining the water will ensure that does not happen. Just make sure you take good care of the equipment as well. This means draining the water from your filter, pump and any other equipment you are using. Do not forget about the pipes and lines in your pool. They can burst if not drained. Store the items somewhere safe, where you can easily find them and install again. Consider adding winter caps.
4 – Adjust the chemistry of the water. This is probably the most important aspect of winterizing the pool. Just like lawn care, a lot can go wrong if you are not careful. Several days before you shut down the pool, the Ph level, calcium hardness and total alkalinity are all balanced.
5 – Shock the water with chlorine. This will kill any bacteria and algae in the water. Treating the water in such a way ensures that you do not have algae and metal problems – ignore those, and you will have a serious issue in the form of algae buildups and bad stains. Add the chlorine just as the sun is about to set, as the light can break it down, reducing its effect.
6 – Place cover over the pool. Acquire one that fits the dimensions of the pool perfectly, leaving no space for debris to go under. You can add blocks, sandbags or other heavy objects to hold the cover tight and prevent loose ends. To avoid the expansion of ice, make sure you have an air pillow under the cover.
Doing all of the above ensures that your pool endures the challenges of winter and will be ready for use as soon as weather is warm again. Do not neglect your gardening service with pool winterizing included so you can enjoy your favorite retreat again.
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