It signals the end of a season and for many it’s a sad time of the year. What is it? It’s fall and time to close the pool. If you are lucky enough to live in an area where you can keep your pool open year round then do the dance of joy, because for many, closing the pool is a reality that you have to deal with year after year. Doing the pool closing properly will cause your pool opening the next spring to go that much smoother though, so here are some tips to get your pool closed.
Winter weather means ice and snow and a lot of freezing of standing water, so the most important step in winterizing the pool is that you get all standing water out of all pipes and fixtures. If you keep any water in any pipe it may freeze which causes the pipe to expand and quite possibly break meaning you will need a replacement come next summer or you’ll be dealing with a leak all season long. Underground pipes can freeze too, so be sure to get all the water out with a high powered air compressor or shop vac. No water in the pipes means no ice in the pipes once the temperature drops.
If you have a tiled pool around the water level and you don’t lower that water level to below the tile, again the water can freeze and expand out which can break your tiles. Lowing the water level to below this line saves your tiles and keeps them intact for seasons to come. If however you just have a liner in the pool you don’t need to lower the water level too much. The more water left in the pool actually helps the cover stay put and not dip too much come the harsh winter weather.
For optimal results, a winterizing mix of chemicals is also needed. Most experts say that a concentrated shock treatment with winter algaecide and stain treatment product will get the job done. You should also adjust the pH and the alkalinity in the remaining water. If you are using granular chemicals mix them up in a bucket before putting them in the pool so you don’t have issues with them staining the bottom of the pool.
Don’t forget to store all the pieces that you remove from a pool in the same spot so you can find them easily come spring. Happy pool closing!
