WHEN SUMMER ENDS & FALL BEGINS – WINTERIZING YOUR POOL
Tips & Tricks To Effectively Winterizing Your Pool
The handwriting is on the wall; after a seemingly endless summer enjoying your pool, the kids are back in school, and your inbox is full of Halloween advertisements. Meanwhile, that pesky thought runs through your mind, “what’s the most effective way to close my pool for winter?” Most importantly, clean your pool before closing it down–one last time. Water Tech recommends pool vacuums Volt Leaf Vac Recharge, Pool Blaster Aqua Broom, Max Li, and Max CG. Water Tech would like to share more tips & tricks for winterizing your pool.
Cleaning The Pool Thoroughly Is An Essential Part Of Winterizing Your Pool.
You wouldn’t put a dirty dish away ( i hope not), so why do it to your pool? And a pool vacuum is the best way to clean your pool. Winterizing your pool minimizes the risk of contamination and cold damage to sensitive components.
Certainly, there are many good reasons to go through a formal pool cleaning process every season. The most crucial incentive, you’ll save time, money, and frustration. Winterizing your pool protects it from damage, keeping it in good condition when it’s shut down. Most importantly, it will make it much easier and less expensive to re-open the following summer (insert Photo)
Worried About Leaves?
Indeed if you have many trees in your yard or neighborhood, leaves will inevitably find their way into your pool. Accordingly, this organic matter pollutes your pool and creates a big maintenance hassle. Further, they can stain your pool and jam up your filtration system if left in the pool over the winter. The Water Tech Volt Leaf Vac Recharge does leaf skimming and bottom cleaning. It is cordless, hoseless, and now rechargeable. Additionally, a high-capacity filter bag saves time, and the smart water sensor turns cleaner on/off automatically.
The wide-bladed propeller enables the Leaf Vac Recharge to pull leaves up and off the pool floor effortlessly. Accordingly, the slowly rotating propeller continuously keeps debris, such as leaves, seeds, and twigs, agitated and moving while creating suction. Subsequently, avoids blockages experienced with “Pressure Side” (garden hose) leaf pool vacuums. Most Importantly, Volt Leaf Vac Recharge features Water Tech’s proprietary Safe-Blade System to assure worry-free operation.
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Temperature Dictates When Winterizing Your Pool
Depending on where you live, your closing times will vary. But as a rule, if temperatures typically drop and stay below 65º (18ºC) for a few days during the winter, take advantage of the warm spell. Test the water chemistry and keep your Pool Blaster Aqua Broom handy to clean up last-minute debris. As a result, these tweaks will help keep your water clean and take a strain off your pump until spring. (Insert Photo)
The Pool Blaster Aqua Broom has extraordinary power for thorough clean-ups of virtually any water application. That is to say, a convenient, affordable pool vacuum for all types of spas, hot tubs, and fountains. Similarly, it’s a great spot cleaner for traditional above-ground and in-ground pools. On average, the powerful Aqua Broom provides up to 3 hours of cleaning time with a set of batteries. Further, it has an onboard debris catcher with a reusable, all-purpose microfilter bag. Lightweight and easy to use, no installation necessary, no hoses, cords, or external pumps. In short ready to spot clean and attached to any pool pole for extended coverage.
Deep Cleaning Before Winterizing Your Pool
Most experts recommend waiting until the temperature drops below 65º (18ºC) to winterize your pool. However, if you can wait longer until your pool is below 50º (10ºC), you will have a much lower risk of problems. Algae growth is stopped entirely at 40º (4ºC).
It is a bummer when summer draws to a close and nobody’s lining up for maintenance duty. If you live somewhere with mild winters, you might not have considered what a pool needs to weather frigid off-season. On the other hand, this is an ideal time to do seasonal maintenance. But winterizing is a must if you live in a climate where winter comes to call with frost and snow. Consequently, protecting it against winter’s ravages is essential to keep your pool in good working order. Moreover, this routine maintenance will protect your investment for years of enjoyment. {insert Photo}
However, a water heater can extend your season significantly. That is to say; a home pool heater can typically extend a season about a month before and after. Especially in the northeast, during the traditional Memorial Day to Labor Day season and even further in less cold climates. Therefore, you can keep your pool open in many climates from October through November or longer.
Spa & Pool Maintenance
There are many ways to winterize a pool, depending on how far north/south you are and by personal preference. For example, our friends at Swim University have numerous cheat sheets for spas, hot tubs, and pool maintenance. Water Tech especially likes this checklist for winterizing your pool:
- Prepping–double-check that the winter cover is in good shape.
- CLEAN–Clean up any leaves, dirt, debris, etc. Leave the pool as thoroughly clean as possible. Some leaves always fall while closing. Remember to skim the top and vacuum the floor and walls.
- WAIT–Experts recommend Until the water temperature is solidly below 60º, this reduces algae growth
- BALANCE–Experts recommend: PH to between 1.4-7.6
- SLAM–experts recommend 2-3 days before closing, bringing the pool up to shock level. And holding it there overnight, letting the chlorine level fall about halfway back to normal.
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Thoroughly Cleaning Your Pool Is An Essential Part Of Winterizing
Surely, any instructions on how to close a pool for winter will emphasize this step. Clean the water with a pool skimmer to remove floating debris; perfect for this is the Volt Leaf Vac Recharge. Also, brush the surface thoroughly and use a pool vacuum on the pool floor. Water Tech’s best pool cleaners for this deep cleaning chore are Pool Blaster Max Li and Pool Blaster Max CG.
The Pool Blaster® Max™ features a high flow pump that provides extra power while its high capacity filter holds more dirt and debris than entry-level cleaners.
Certainly, these two pool vacuums depending on the size of your pool will deep clean it thoroughly. The original Pool Blaster® Max™ cordless pool vacuum cleans the entire pool in minutes and spot clean in seconds. Further, it features a high-flow pump that provides extra power for deep cleaning. Secondly, its high-capacity filter holds more dirt and debris than entry-level cleaners. Undoubtedly this unaffiliated video review from Mechanic Hobby sums it up best in an unbiased look at the Pool Blaster Max:
“By far the easiest method for cleaning the bottom of our pool. We wanted a pool vacuum, so we no longer have to use the hose plugged into the pool skimmer. Our pool has a vinyl pool liner, so a self-guided vacuum (creepy crawly) is too risky. We unboxed and tried out our new pool tool to show how well it picks up dirt and debris. Most importantly, Pool Blaster vacuums are rechargeable, so they don’t have cords or hoses. Above all, our cleaning time is just a fraction of what it used to be.”
Depending On The Size Of Your Pool
To deep clean a larger pool, the Pool Blaster Max CG is exceptionally efficient for ‘Commercial Grade Cleaning.’ Furthermore, it delivers increased coverage and capacity over the original Pool Blaster Max Li. Moreover, it features the same high-flow pump as the original Max® for extra power for deep cleaning. In addition, it has a 12.75” Scrub Brush Head and increased debris capacity to tackle any size pool in minutes. To sum up, Ideal for In-Ground pools and Above-Ground pools.
Commercial Grade Cleaning. Increased Coverage and Capacity over the Original Pool Blaster Max
Features the same high-flow pump as the original Max® for extra power.
Most importantly, it would be best to close your pool before the temperature is below freezing. However, you must ensure the water has cooled off adequately before closing your pool. However, closing it too soon when the water is too warm will affect the chemicals you add for winterizing. Secondly, you have a higher chance of algae growth if you cover the pool when the water is too warm.
Further, when considering winterizing, your pool size matters; Pool Blaster Max CG is the right choice for larger commercial-grade cleaning. To clarify, experts recommend running your pump in fall/ winter for at least 4-6 hours daily. Also, it’s advisable to divide daily cycles into multiple cycles. But to ensure water passes through the filter at least once, set each cycle for four-hours per cycle.
Accordingly, the pump must run for sufficient time to distribute chemicals evenly and help stop bacteria from growing. Therefore, proper water circulation prevents concentrated chlorine from damaging the pool’s surface. Also, it’s good for your pump–the heart of your pool. In conclusion, running the motor heats it and evaporates moisture/humidity that is harmful to the motor.
65º Degrees Fahrenheit (18ºC)
In summary, we now know experts recommend waiting until the temperature drops below 65º (18ºC) to winterize your pool. However, if you can wait until your pool is below 50º (10ºC), you’ll have a lower risk of problems. On the other hand, maintenance is required even if you keep your Hot Tub/SPA/Pool open in chilly months. Sorry but it’s true, even if you are not swimming, the pool needs maintenance. Indeed it protects your investment.
Winterization procedures will vary depending on your region of the country. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to talk to your local pool pro about what suits your particular climate. Find additional tips and tricks here: Easier To Keep Them Running Even In Chilly Months.
Clean And Stash Your Pool Vacuums For Better Maintenance
And above all, it’s essential to properly store equipment that is not in use to prevent damage from snow and ice. Covers, skimmers, toys, and pool vacuums should be kept in dry, covered areas and never left outside. That is to say, ensure no residual water or debris is left inside. Also, if the unit is battery-powered, remove the batteries before storing them; they could expand and ruin the unit. For rechargeable batteries, recharge them once a month,
Water Tech – The Pool Innovation People
The Water Tech Corporation is an American manufacturing company and creator of the first-ever cordless Pool Blaster®. Water Tech’s rechargeable cordless, hoseless pool vacuum cleaners are the number-one selling in the industry, Sold internationally in 23 countries, and, in 2022, celebrates 20 years of innovation. The company’s mission is to deliver inventive pool cleaning solutions for homeowners’ hot tubs, spas, in-ground and above-ground pools, And for professionals for commercial use – public pools, spas, college universities, and sports facilities. Water Tech products are categorized by “best-fit” for customers’ needs by type of use. Noted for USA-based Support Customer Service, visit the Customer Service Portal here Or, for quick answers to your questions, access the handy fast-access FAQ page. Visit www.watertechcorp.com – “Leveraging a Legacy of Leadership & Pool Innovation.”
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