Winterizing Your Pool: Tips and Tricks
After a seemingly endless summer enjoying your pool, that pesky thought runs through your mind, “what’s the most effective way to winterize/close my pool?”
We know that winterizing your pool minimizes the risk of contamination and cold damage to sensitive components, preserving your pool. Just like you wouldn’t put a dirty dish away, you have to make sure your pool is thoroughly cleaned before closing it. Winterizing your pool protects it from damage while it’s shut down. Most importantly, it will make it much easier and less expensive to re-open the following summer. Our experts are here to share our best tips and tricks for closing your pool for the winter, so you save time and money.
When Should You Winterize/Close Your Pool?
Most experts recommend waiting until the temperature drops below 65º (18ºC) to close 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 stops entirely at 40º (4ºC).
If you live somewhere with mild winters, you might not have considered what a pool needs to weather the off-season. But this is an ideal time to do seasonal maintenance.
Winterizing is a must if you live in a climate where winter comes with frost and snow. 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.
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. In many climates, you can keep your pool open from October through November or longer.
Pool Closing Checklist
Our friends at Swim University have numerous cheat sheets for spas, hot tubs, and pool maintenance like the one above. The Water Tech team recommends the following checklist for winterizing your pool:
- PREP–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 use a pool skimmer (or your Volt Leaf Vac Recharge) to remove floating debris. Brush the floor and walls thoroughly. If you have a pool vacuum, use it on the pool floor.
- Extra Tips:
- -Run your pump in fall/winter for at least 4-6 hours daily. Also, it’s advisable to divide daily cycles into multiple cycles to ensure water passes through the filter at least once. We recommend setting each cycle for four-hours per cycle.
- -Proper water circulation prevents concentrated chlorine from damaging the pool’s surface. Also, it’s good for your pump, the heart of your pool. Running the motor heats it and evaporates moisture/humidity that is harmful to the motor.
- WAIT–Experts recommend waiting until the water temperature is solidly below 60º to reduce algae growth.
- BALANCE–Experts recommend keeping PH between 1.4-7.6.
- SLAM–Two to three days before closing, experts recommend bringing the pool up to shock level and holding it there overnight. This lets the chlorine level fall about halfway back to normal.
Here’s a list of other things to look out for!
- Worried About Leaves?
- Winterizing Your Small Pool or Hot Tub
- Winterizing Your Mid-Size Pool
- Winterizing Your Large Pool
- Keeping Your Hot Tub/Spa Clean During the Winter
- Clean And Stash Your Pool Vacuums Safely
Worried About Leaves?
If you have lots of trees in your yard or neighborhood, leaves will inevitably find their way into your pool. Organic matter pollutes and stains your pool, jamming up your filtration system. The cordless, hoseless, rechargeable Water Tech Volt Leaf Vac Recharge does leaf skimming and bottom cleaning with a high-capacity filter bag that saves time. Plus, it has a smart water sensor that turns that cleaner on/off automatically to preserve energy.
The wide-bladed, slowly rotating propeller pulls leaves, seeds, and twigs off the pool floor effortlessly. This component 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.
Watch the Volt Leaf Vac in action!
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Winterizing Your Small Pool or Hot Tub
Before closing, be sure to test the water chemistry and keep your Pool Blaster Aqua Broom handy to clean last-minute debris. These strategies will help keep your water clean and take a strain off your pump until spring.
The Pool Blaster Aqua Broom is a convenient, affordable pool vacuum for traditional above-ground and in-ground pools to spas, hot tubs, and fountains. 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. It’s lightweight and easy to use while requiring no installation, hoses, cords, or external pumps. Attach the Aqua Broom to any pool pole for extended coverage.
See the Pool Blaster Aqua Broom in action!
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.
Winterizing Your Mid-Size Pool
Mid-size pools need a larger pool vacuum for deep cleaning like the Pool Blaster Max Li or 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.
Featuring a high-flow pump and high-capacity filter, the original Pool Blaster® Max™ cordless pool vacuum cleans the entire pool in minutes and spot cleans in seconds. Check out this unaffiliated video review from Mechanic Hobby as they take 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.”
Winterizing Your Large 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.
Keeping Your Hot Tub/Spa Clean During the Winter
Maintenance is required to keep your hot tub/spa open in chilly months, even if you are not swimming. Protect your investment by keeping everything in tip-top shape!
Hot tub/spa winterization procedures will vary depending on your region of the country. Talk to your local pool pro about what suits your particular climate. Find additional tips and tricks for running your hot tub and spa in the winter months.
Clean And Stash Your Pool Vacuums Safely
You’ll want to properly store pool cleaning equipment to prevent damage from snow and ice. Covers, skimmers, toys, and pool vacuums should be kept in dry, covered areas and never left outside. Ensure no residual water or debris is left inside the pool cleaner. If the unit is battery-powered, remove the batteries before storing them; they could expand and ruin the unit.
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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