Winterizing Your Swimming Pool

It's time to face the facts. Summer is gone. No more lounging by your pool baking in the sun. It's time to trade in the swimsuits for winter parkas.

No thank you!

Here at Pool Masters, we want you to be prepared for the cooler months and we want your pool to be in top-notch shape when the warmer temperatures decide to come back! They will come back! Properly closing your pool for the winter saves a lot of time and money when you reopen it in the spring. Close your pool as soon as the weather turns cool to ensure it's well-protected from possible freeze damage.

Balance your pools water chemistry. 

1. Adjust the pH, alkalinity and calcium hardness. Making sure these are all in balance protects your pool from corrosion or scale buildup that can occur over the winter while your pool is shut down. Try to do this about 5 days before you shut your pool down. 
• Adjust pH to levels between 7.2 & 7.6
• Adjust the alkalinity to 80 - 120 parts per million (ppm)
• Adjust the calcium hardness to 180 - 220 parts per million (ppm)
2. Shock the water with chlorine. Use chlorine (or a non-chlorine substitute) to kill bacteria that may be living in your pool. You don't want that festering all winter long! Buy a shock product with at least 65% sodium hypochlorite (or a non-chlorine substitute of equivalent strength). 
3. Add a winterizing algaecide. Algaecide is a biocide used for killing and preventing the growth of algae. Algae can cause your pool to become discolored and give it a nasty smell so it's important to treat your pool with algaecide before shutting it down.
• Make sure the chlorine level has returned to 1 - 3 ppm before adding algaecide
• Buy an extra-strength algaecide meant to be used to winterize your pool rather than one that you add to your pool on an ongoing basis while it's in use.

Clean your pool. We know that seems rather obvious, however, you'd be surprised how many people we see that forget to clean their pool out!

1. Remove everything from your pool (other than the water!). Store all of your pool equipment in someplace dry.
2. Skim your pool.
3. Vacuum and brush your pool

Lower the water level! The water should be lowered below the skimmer according to the type of pool cover you're using.

1. If you're using a mesh cover, lower the water 12 - 18 inches (30.5 to 45.7 cm) below the skimmer.
2. If you're using a solid, floating cover, lower the water to 3 - 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 cm) below the skimmer.

Drain your equipment and winterize your plumbing! The lines running water into your pool need to be dried out so that they don't freeze and crack over the winter. Use a shop vacuum to blow air from the skimmer through the equipment and back into the pool.

Lastly, cover your pool with the covering that a professional has advised you to use. If unsure, call Pool Masters and we will gladly point you in the right direction! Use air pillows, which prevent the expansion of ice in above-ground pools, but they aren't necessary to use in in-ground pools.

Pool Masters is the absolute best in Tennessee! Call us today at 615-481-2685 for a free consultation! Be sure to visit us HERE for our special offers and exclusive discounts! Also, Like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all of our news!