Is Your Pool Ready for Winter? 5 Tips for Making Sure You’re Prepared

Remember the nasty consequences of an unprepared winter pool: busted pipes, damage to the pool deck, and potential lawsuits. To prevent costly damages and other issues, there are ten things you need to do before temperatures start to plummet.

1. Balance Your Water Chemistry Levels 

This means checking pH and alkalinity readings in addition to total dissolved solids (TDS), calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, chlorine, and bromine levels. Without proper balancing of these chemicals, your pool will suffer from corrosion or scaling that can be expensive to repair down the line.

2. Clean Out Any Debris

Pool covers typically don’t hold up against heavier objects like leaves or branches that may have blown into the pool during a storm; it’s important to remove them before they get stuck beneath the cover and cause damage.

3. Lower Your Water Level 

Overwintering with an excessively high water level can be dangerous, as it puts added pressure on the pool walls and plumbing. To prevent any potential breakage, lower the water level to a few inches below the skimmer line.

4. Test for Leaks

If your pool has been leaking all summer, now is the time to find out what needs repair before temperatures plummet. Have a professional come out and use air testing or dye testing methods to determine where any leaks may be coming from.

5. Inspect Your Winterizing Equipment

Now’s also a good time to check that all of your winterizing equipment, such as a winter cover or bubbler system, is in working order and ready for use. If you need new parts or replacement gear, make sure to get them before the cold weather sets in.

6. Clean Your Filter Systems

The dirtier your pool filter is going into winter, the bigger chance of it having issues during the cold months. Make sure to backwash filters properly and clean out all debris from pool walls and floors before putting on coverings or bubble blankets.

7. Check Your Heater

If you’re using a pool heater, inspect it to make sure there are no broken parts that can cause costly problems later down the line. The last thing you want is to have an unusable heater when winter comes.

8. Cover to Prevent Freezing

Make sure your pool is fully covered before temperatures begin to drop and the water starts to freeze; this will help protect it from ice damage, as well as keep out unwanted debris and critters such as frogs or rodents that could get into the unsecured pool.

9. Add Antifreeze

Another way to make sure your pipes don’t freeze is by adding a non-toxic antifreeze solution to them. This won’t affect the filtration system, but will be enough to stop any ice from getting into your plumbing lines and causing a major problem later on.

10. Disconnect Filter Systems

Once you’ve added the antifreeze and covered your pool, it’s time to disconnect your filter systems. Make sure to drain all lines and pipes before removing any parts so that they don’t fill with water and freeze during winter months.

If you follow these ten steps when preparing your pool for winter, you can rest assured that it will be in prime condition come springtime. Don’t let a small oversight turn into a big headache – take care of your pool now, and enjoy its beauty later!  These are just some of the top tips for ensuring that your pool is ready for winter; be sure to consult an expert if you have additional questions or concerns about getting your swimming area prepared for colder temperatures.   With the right know-how, you can enjoy a worry-free winter and an enjoyable pool season in the future.  Good luck!