Information By following the provided instructions, you will be able to professionally close your pool for the winter season. Additionally, you will protect it from winters abuse and make opening it next season...simple.
Required Tools a) Standard Screw Driver b) Phillips Screw Driver c) Ratchet Set e) Plumber Pliers f) Sump Pump g) Extension Cord h) Garden Hose i) Five Gallon Bucket j) Air Pump or Shop Vac k) Pool Vac & Accessories
Required Chemicals a) Pool Shock b) Algecide c) Chlorinating Tablets
Required Accessories a) Winter Cover b) Pool Pillows or Inner-tubes c) Chlorine Float Dispencer d) Water Bags (for ingrounds only)
Step One - Debris & Chemicals Remove any debris from pool water by use of a leaf rake attachment. Add the appropriate amount of shock treatment to the pool water, as prescribed on the packaging. Add the appropriate amount of algecide to the pool water, as prescribed on the packaging. Run your filter for the appropriate time to circulate all water once. (see your filter documentation for your size pool)
Step Two - Vacuum & Water Level Vacuum your pool while setting your filter to the "back wash" or "waste" setting. (this will help lower your water level) After vacuuming, install the sump pump and drain pool to about 6 inches below your thru-the-wall skimmer.
Step Three - Parts Dissassembly & Cleaning Disconnect all ladders, filter systems, hoses, solar reels and/or other accessories. Using standard household cleansers, thoroughly clean all ladders, solar reels and/or other accessories. Dissassemble filtration system. Remove sand, cartridge or DE powder from your filtration tank. Thoroughly clean all filter system parts. Allow all items to dry. Store all items in an area that will not be subject to freezing temperatures.
Step Four - Pillow & Cover Installation Inflate all pool pillows or inner-tubes. Install one pillow for every 15' of linear water surface. (example: a 15' x 30' would require at least two pillows) Tie pillows to pool area via nylon rope and place equally with respects to pool walls and each other. (this is extremely important! This prevents freeze damage) Install winter cover as prescribed by the covers manufacturer.
Step Five - Winter Tips During the winter months, remove any excess snow from the winter cover. (If you have a solid cover, this will prevent excessive weight form tearing you cover) (If you have a mesh cover, this will prevent excessive water build up)
Hey, Your Finished! Congratulations, you just saved money while doing a professional job.
Computer Systems Technician, AutoCAD Mechanical Designer, Swimming Pool Contractor, Electronic Technician.
He was raised in a family who has had a long history in the Swimming Pool Industry. Muskin employed his grandmother, mother, uncles, and father for many years to follow.
Over the years he has learned how to Install and repair swimming pools the correct way, the best way, and the most cost effective way. However, over the years he has also witnessed shrewd salesmen giving false information to customers in order to profit. Additionally, he has seen incompetent installers perform shoddy work and take advantage of their customers for the same purpose. Therefore, he is writing this article so that people can perform these tasks for themselves, or at least have the proper information to know if their pool related project is being done correctly.
The author of this article has chosen to make this article available with free reprint rights. Click here to copy this article.
» left by Sandor from Newtown Square, PA (2 years 169 days ago.)
Hey, aren't you forgetting about air pump and plugs in the water lines??????? Respond to this comment
» left by Daniel Osko(19,365) Daniel Osko (2 years 169 days ago.)
Not if it is an Above Ground pool, You should drain and remove filter and place it in a non-freezing area. Don't plug your thru-the wall on an above ground eitherm or it could fill with water, then freeze, then crack. However, if you have an inground pool you should drain your filter and blow out all water lines and Yes..., plug them. I stand corrected. Thanks for the "heads up"
» left by kathy sullivan from wisconsin (2 years 46 days ago.)
You don't mention anything about the water temperature. Does the water have to be a certain temp before you close it? Respond to this comment
» left by Daniel Osko(19,365) Daniel Osko (2 years 45 days ago.)
It must be above 32 Degrees, (Freezing) HA HA! No temperature doesn't matter. Best Regards, Dan Osko Bubbas Bazaar Pools and More Respond to this comment
» left by Sue from Albany, NY (1 year 288 days ago.)
Husband is constantly pumping off the water that accumulates on top of the cover around the pillow, I say that it is just pulling the pool water out as well, every year we lose the cover due to the ice weight pulling down. Should we leave the standing water on top alone? Respond to this comment
» left by Daniel Osko(19,365) Daniel Osko (1 year 286 days ago.)
Sue,
Sorry for the delay. You should attempt to remove all ice and snow "build up" from the top of your winter cover. However, YOU SHOULD NOT attempt to remove any water from the top of the cover. Ice and snow possess a weight, which can not be equalized thru the cover. Water, on the other hand, will PASS thru the cover leaving NO weight to contend with.
Basically, Snow and Ice add weight to the cover which may rip the cover or damage your pools structure. Water, on the other hand, PASSES thru your pools cover. Hence, water does not create weight or stress upon your pools structure and/or cover. Your cover simply "floats" within the water level.
So, in answer to your question.., YES leave the standing water alone. BUT, remove any Ice or Snow that developes.
P.S. A typicall Winter Cover is designed to allow water flow from one side to the other side. It is designed to keep Debris out. Not Water. It is not a SEAL. It is basically a filter. However, Ice and Snow can prevent it's adequate functioning. So..., Shovel the Snow but don't touch the water.
» left by Biddy Raymond from Akron OH (1 year 144 days ago.)
Wonderful comment it is very helpful to me because closing our underground pool takes a lot of money from us and this time I will like my husband to close it using your method. Great thanks. Ify
Personally, I do not use Skimmer Plates to block the skimmer from the water. If you use these, your skimmers mounting screw holes will eventually strip out. Additionally, I prefer to allow the water to flow thru the skimmer and onto the ground..., instead of filling the pool up.
» left by Ron from Dayton,Oh (1 year 46 days ago.)
Trying to use a shop-vac or leaf blower at skimmer doesn't push air thru the returns. I spent a whole day lowering water level to below skimmer,balancing Ph,shock and algaecide but when it came to blowing out the lines....nada.I even connected leaf-blower to output side of the filter,again...nothing. Any suggestions?
Was your filter still hooked up? If so did you have it on the circulate setting? The circulate setting should allow the air to pass thru the system with little resistance. If you had it on the filtration setting..., it will not. Try disconnecting the hoses and then blow them out. If that does not work, you must have a blockage. Is so, try a plumbers snake to losen the blockage and then try to blow out the lines again.
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