As tempting as it may be to quickly throw a cover over your above ground pool, and spend your time putting up Christmas decorations instead, you’ll make your life much simpler if you do it the right way! When spring comes around, you won’t have to worry about cracked hoses or a stained liner in your pool. Energy Center-Manhattan Pool has created this winterization to-do list for your above ground pool, to simplify the process and take out the guesswork! Let’s begin prepping your above ground pool for winter.
Prepping Your Above Ground Pool for Winter by Deep Cleaning
As soon as the weather consistently dips below 65 degrees, it’s time to let dreams of taking a dip in your pool go on winter break. The first step in efficiently and properly shutting your pool down is to give it that one last deep clean. Scrub the walls, vacuum out the debris, and skim the surface. A clean pool will not only help with balancing your water, but removing debris and cleaning the walls eliminates the ability for algae to grow, or stains to form on the liner.
Test the Water of Your Above Ground Pool
For the most accurate results, bring in a water sample to Energy Center-Manhattan Pool, and we’ll test the water for you! Of course, you can also test the water with test strips yourself if you choose. You want the alkalinity between 100-150 ppm, the pH between 7.4-7.6, calcium hardness between 175-225 ppm and chlorine between 1-3 ppm.
Prepping Your Above Ground Pool for Winter With Winterizing Chemicals
Balancing your pool water for winter closing will help eliminate the damage that can occur to your pool liner and pool components. Shocking the water, and using winterizing chemicals will set you up for a successful opening come spring.
Disconnect All Removable Parts From Your Above Ground Pool
Think of all of the parts of your pool that could freeze in winter weather. If it can crack, remove it. Your lines, hoses, your pump and filter, and any accessories you have like a ladder and toys need to be removed, drained, dried and stored in a place out of direct sunlight. Keeping these parts free of rust, damage, and cracks will save you a giant headache when it’s time to reopen your pool. Making sure these pieces are dry before storing will also save you a lot of time cleaning up mold.
Protect Your Skimmer
First of all, you’re going to want to remove your skimmer basket, and store it somewhere dry. Afterwards, it’s up to you whether you purchase a cover for your skimmer, or choose to drain your pool water below the skimmer. A skimmer cover will seal the unit and protect it from the elements. If you do not use a skimmer cover, you’ll need to drain your water level down below your skimmer, and check on your it periodically to make sure it’s draining properly after rain. Remember, any water that accumulates in the skimmer, just like in pipes, can freeze and expand, causing cracks and damage. Skimmer covers are your best option to avoid this happening.
Prep Your Pool by Using the Air Pillow
Most pool cover warranties are null and void if you do not use your pool air pillow. Inflate it to about 50-60% of its capacity (if you inflate it completely, it runs the risk of popping under the pressure of any snow or ice that may build up on the cover). The air pillow protects the walls of your pool from the weight that can settle on the cover from ice or snow accumulation. Make sure to periodically remove excess water that remains on your cover after a heavy weather event. A shop vac works great for this task!
Prepping Your Above Ground Pool by Installing the Cover
You’re almost done now! Whether you choose a winter cover or a safety cover, a cover is necessary! Make sure to secure it with clips or whatever means the pool cover uses for fastening to the pool. Keep an eye on the cover over the winter. You’ll want to remove excess precipitation at regular intervals.
Now that you have that complete, you can rest easy knowing that prepping your above ground pool for winter will bring you so many more fun in the sun days this spring! Reopening your pool in the spring will be a breeze, and there will be no surprises waiting for you. If this list sounds overwhelming, rest assured we are here to help! Our technicians can winterize your above ground pool for you, from start to finish! We are here to serve our clients, no matter your needs. Come Find Your Gathering Place at Energy Center-Manhattan Pool.
