As summer turns to fall, the days get shorter and cooler, and the opportunity for poolside play dwindles. Sad as it seems, the time has come to close your swimming pool for the winter. Pool closing can be a bit of a process, which is why many homes and businesses entrust Allen Pool Service to close their pools for them. We take care to close pools right to minimize the chance of damage in the off season.
A week before closing your pool officially, it’s time to test and treat your pool water to proper levels. Your pool pH should be between 7.6 and 7.8, your pool alkalinity between 80 and 100, and your calcium hardness between 150 and 250. Then, in order to kill off the last bacteria, we give your pool a chlorine shock by bringing the chlorine level up to 10-12ppm. Then it’s important to allow the chlorine to return to normal levels (1.5-3.5ppm) before adding any pool algaecides, winterizing chemicals, or a pool cover.
In order to cover your pool successfully, you will need to remove all in-ground and above-ground pool accessories. These include ladders, slides and handrails as well as heaters, vacuums, pool cleaners, and any wall fittings. Not only will these objects prevent clean covering of the pool well, but these items are also susceptible to damage during wintertime.
Remove debris from your pool filter, and then turn its backwash valve to avoid further debris from collecting.
For best results we lower your pool’s water level to 4-6 inches below the lowest plumbing line. This is usually the water return line. The purpose of lowering the water level is to keep the water’s freezing from damaging any pool pipes and equipment. As long as your pool water is only touching the bare walls and floor of the pool—and not any valuable equipment or tubing—then it should not be a problem if your pool water freezes.
Once the pool water level is lowered, it is important to drain all water from the pipes and equipment that the water was touching. This involves removing the drain plugs; your pump, filter, heater, and chlorinator all have their own drain plugs, so we remove these to let out any extra water. Keep these plugs removed and safely stored in the same place—you’ll need them again next summer. Also, if you have a chemical feeder, empty it and dispose of the chemicals, wearing the proper safety gloves and goggles.
A quality cover should fit over your entire pool and block out all debris and sunlight. This will keep your pool clean and prevent algae growth. Before stretching the cover across the pool, you may want to place one or more air pillows on the water’s surface. These air pillows can hold up the cover like a tent, helping debris to fall or flow off instead of collecting on top. Stretch your pool cover over the top, seal the edges, and now your pool is successfully closed and winterized!
As you can see, residential and commercial pool maintenance, including closing your pool for winter is a complex task. Get the job done right by calling the experts at Allen Pool Service. We are more than happy to help, with pool closing and all of your pool care needs. Call Allen Pool Service at (770) 451-1621 or contact us online.
Please call (770) 451-1621 to request pool winterization by Allen Pool Service in Atlanta.
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