There are a lot of steps to winterizing your pool properly and the chemicals that you need to put in the pool are going to be critical to your success.
What chemicals do you put in pool for winter.
Aside from your water balance chemicals used to adjust ph alkalinity or calcium hardness these are the chemicals most commonly used to winterize pools.
Pour into the pool just before covering.
Add 1 day before closing the pool.
Chemical treatments will help keep the pool clean and healthy all winter long so that it s ready to go next spring when the weather warms up and you re ready to swim again.
Unless you live in a warm area or an region where your pool water will not freeze during the winter months we recommend always using a winter closing plate and winterizing return plug.
Properly closing your pool for the winter saves a lot of time and money when you reopen it in the spring.
As the water is purged from each line you will need to put a plug in the lines at the pool end.
You can test the water yourself with test strips or a water testing kit for a little more accuracy.
Add winter chemicals to the pool.
If you do not weight on the cover from snow rain or debris can displace the water in your swimming pool under the cover into the skimmer and return fittings.
Don t be afraid to hire a pro even though it s pretty easy to winterize a pool especially if you re a seasoned do it yourselfer some parts aren t so straightforward.
Some fittings will allow for a threaded plug which is best.
High chlorine can break down algaecide and damage a winter cover so check water balance and chlorine levels one last time before adding your remaining winter chemicals.
Blow out the water from your plumbing lines.
Put on the pool safety cover.
The pool should already be cleaned and shocked and chlorine levels should be back in the normal 1 3 ppm range.
If you use a mesh or hybrid safety cover you may need to lower the pool water level again during the winter if it rains or snow melts into the pool.
You can do this using a shop vac.
Use the discharge of the shop vac to blow water out of each line from the filter system.
If you want the most accurate results possible you can also take a water sample to your local pool store and have them test it for you.
Your goal is a ph between 7 4 and 7 6 and alkalinity between 100 parts per million ppm and 150 ppm with 125 ppm being ideal.
What pool closing chemicals do you need.
You will need to brush the walls flow and around the pool using a brush to remove any hard or dark spots.
Close the pool a few weeks before the weather turns cold to ensure it s well protected from possible freeze damage when depends on your weather zone.
Add 2 days before closing the pool.
Maintaining your winter pool chemicals is important whether you use your pool during the colder times of the year or not because leaves and other debris which fall into your pool affect your ph levels.
Stain scale treatment.
Winterizing your pool in warmer climates looks a bit different than getting your pool ready for icy conditions in other parts of the country.