|
THE WINTER SOLSTICE: PREPARING YOUR POOL FOR THE COLD MONTHS When winter comes, it is time to put away the goggles and swimming gears. The garage is again filled with deflated boats and rubber ducks that no one would dare pick up for the next 3 to 4 months. It's winter, and just like that swimming season is over. It is during this time that swimming pools are in their most delicate state. Cold weather can bring about drastic changes to a swimming pool, including severe algae growth and corrosion. Ice buildup is another problem—they cause the tiles to crack. But there are ways to prepare your swimming pool for the harsh stagnant season up ahead. This guide provides seven easy steps on how to close your pool for the winter season. Do these right, and next summer you'll find your swimming pool as good as new. Step-by-step guide on how to close your pool for the winter:
2. Make sure that the chemical content in the water is balanced before the cold season takes over. So do a general check up a few days before closing the pool. Check the chlorine content, pH levels, total alkalinity as well as calcium hardness, and adjust levels if necessary. Use a water test kit—if you own a pool and live in an area with winter season, you must have one of these—to test the water. These are the recommended levels: Chlorine 1 to 3 ppm, PH 7.2 to 7.6, Alkalinity 80 to 120 ppm, Calcium Hardness 175 to 250 ppm. 3. The pool itself has to be clean before you close it. So brush and vacuum the bottom and all sides. Scrub the tile line with soap to get at the scum and oil. Decrease the water level while you're vacuuming. You can do this now, or you can do it later during the winter months. It's easier if you do it now. 4. It is important that you perform a general clean up of the entire swimming pool. Take out the skimmer, filter and pump basket and clean them. D.E. grids and cartridge filter elements should be rinsed clean with a hose. You need to clean all these parts to prevent them from breaking down during the winter. 5. Lower the water level up to below the skimmer, just about. But never completely drain the pool. It's a long story, but hydrostatic pressure can cause damage to the pool if it is left empty for long periods of time. Use a shop vac or air compressor to suck water out of the system. Add some anti-freezing product, those specifically made for swimming pools, on the plumbing, return lines and skimmer. NEVER USE AUTOMOBILE ANTI-FREEZE. 6. Add some amount of long lasting algaecide to keep algae from forming during the months the pool is not in use. 7. Remove the drain plugs from the pump, the filter tank as well as any other equipment. Put all in one basket and store in a safe place. 8. Next comes the air pillows. Air pillows moderate ice buildup, causing it to crack inward and prevent damage to the pool. Again use a shop vac to inflate the air pillow and then have it tied along the center of the pool. Larger pools require two or more pillows. 9. Everything is almost in place. Carefully set the pool cover over the surface, black side down. It should be noted that in-ground and above-ground pools have different covers. All that remains is for you to collect and store the poolside furniture in the garage and you're all set: your swimming pool is prepared and closed for the winter. If you did the steps right, you no longer have to worry about opening the pool cover next year to find algae and cracks on the tiles. This time rest assured your swimming pool is in good hands. |