If you’ve not yet winterized your pool, do it now; most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover repair bills for ice damage to a pool caused by freezing or thawing. That leaves you with a damaged pool and a bill that can cost up to $900.

With years of experience in pool repairs in Dallas, Weber Pools have seen plenty of pools accrue damage due to improper or no winterization. A simple pool cover is not going to be enough to ensure your pool’s structural integrity in sub-zero temperatures.

Winterizing Steps

Remove accessories

Ensure that your pool is clear of all its accessories. Remove detachable pool ladders, kids’ pool toys, skimmers, handrails, fill spouts, cleaners, and other similar items. Set these items out to dry and store them safely for the winter.

Deep clean the pool

It’s an ideal opportunity to have your pool deep-cleaned. Remove the debris of twigs, leaves, insects, or other things floating on the surface. Following this, use a pool vacuum to clean the bottom of the pool thoroughly. Brush down the pool’s floor and sides.

If you prefer a more thorough deep cleaning, you can always approach pool maintenance specialists to do it for you. This way, you’re confident that the pool water is free of foreign objects and harmful bacteria that could thrive while the water is still.

Lower the water level

Another way to prevent damage to your pool during the winter is to lower the water level. Bring the pool water level down below the bottom of the skimmer, but no more than six inches maximum.

It depends on the kind of pool cover you have as well—if you have a solid pool cover, you can lower the water at around 3-4 inches beneath the bottom of the skimmer. If you have a mesh pool cover, keep the water level at least a foot lower than the waterline tile.

Remember that you lower the pool water to make room for any added water or precipitation coming from the weather. Lowering the pool water ensures that no matter how much ice or water gets added to the pool while it’s still, it will not get into the skimmer, jets, or the pumping system.

Furthermore, you’re protecting the tiles. Surface water freezes at sub-zero temperatures and any tiles coming into contact with them may crack, damaging your pool.

Drain the pump, pipes, and remove the filters

Swimming Pool Filter

Make sure to blow out the pipes. There should be no water in your pump, feed pipes, the backwash, or the filtering area. Any water here will freeze during the winter, causing pipes to burst, damaging your water system.

Now is also the time to clean the filters. Take them out and clean them with a hose, and make sure that the pump itself is also clean and free of debris. Drain the booster pumps, chlorinators, and other components, and ensure they are fully shut down for the winter.

Add winter chemicals

You can do this through a winter closing kit. These kits are chemicals that have been pre-formulated to create the necessary mixture you need to keep the pool clean over the winter.

The kits often come in packages depending on your pool size. It should include pool shock, strong algaecide for winter, stain and scale preventer, and slow-release oxidizers.

Cover the pool

Once the pool has been treated, it’s time to cover it. If you have a safety cover, ensure that it’s anchored down to prevent animals and people from falling in. If you have a winter cover, you won’t need to secure them. All you have to do is check that they fit tightly and have no holes or tears.

Always Consult with Experts for Winterizing a Pool

If you’re not using a winter closing kit for your pool, you’ll have to add the chemicals yourself. This might be challenging if you’ve never done it yourself. It requires a careful balance as you can’t add the chlorine shock at the same time as the algaecide, or it would render the latter ineffective.

Furthermore, winter formulations typically require stronger components, as it’s designed to protect the pool throughout winter without weekly maintenance.

Don’t hesitate to approach professional pool maintenance specialists to ensure that your pool is closed correctly and winterized. They’ll be able to give your pool a thorough deep clean and calculate the correct amount of chemicals needed to winterize your pool.

Weber Pools has maintained and protected pools throughout Texas for many years. If you need help winterizing your pool or need a deep cleaning service done by experienced specialists, contact us today or check out our list of service options.