How To Winterize Your Swimming Pool

Summer finally came to an end, which means it's time to put away those pool toys and patio furniture where you've spent most of your summer days. It also means it's time to put your pool to rest for the long winter months ahead. You don't necessarily need to cover your pool, but to lengthen the life of your pool, it's essential to close it properly. See below for instructions on how to winterize your pool.

Drain Water

Drain out some of the water from your pool so it's beneath the skimmer opening. If you have a cover for your skimmer you won't need to drain the water at all, so look at your local pool supply store for a skimmer and return cover so you can skip this step. To drain the water from your pool you'll need to use a submersible pump and a hose. Drain the water about two to three inches below the skimmer opening.

Remove Hoses

Take the hoses off of your pool that connect to the pump and filter. Drain the water from the filter and pump so you can put these away for winter as well. Any sand inside the filter should also be removed (the sand should be replaced yearly).

Add Inner Tube

Add an inner tube to the center of your pool to keep the cover off of the center of the pool and to prevent water that collects on the cover from stretching the cover too much. To add the inner tube you'll need to tie some rope to the tube and then tie the ends off to either your pool deck or to something sturdy around your pool to keep the rope tight.

Cover The Pool

Cover the pool with a pool cover or a sturdy tarp. It will need to be large enough to cover your pool and have some extra material to hang over the edges. You may need a few helpers with this step, as you want to keep the pool cover from going into the pool. Cover the pool, then use either wire, clips or even gallon jugs tied on to hold the cover down and in place. Choose whichever option works best for you. Leave a small area open so you can add chemicals to your pool in the next step.

Pour In Chemicals

Just because your pool is closed doesn't mean it doesn't need chemicals like it did throughout summer. You'll need to add some chemicals to the pool to keep the pool clear throughout winter. Add pool shock to the pool, the amount will depend on the size of your pool. You can ask your local pool supply store about how much you will need for your size pool.

Winterizing your pool is an important task in order to keep your pool in great shape and to lengthen the life of your swimming pool. Contact a company, like PoolAgain, for help.