How to Prep Your Pool for Winter

Photo: Elena Elisseeva (Shutterstock)

Even though there may still be a few days warm enough for a dip in a pool, if you have one of your own, it’s probably time to shut it down for the season (if you haven’t already). Yes, it can be a hassle and take some time, but it’ll be less work to prep your pool for winter now than deal with everything (including any potential damage from the cold weather) at the beginning of next summer.

In an article for BobVila.com, Savannah Sher and Michael Franco break down the steps necessary to close a pool for the winter. Here’s what to do.

Clean the water

You don’t want bacteria wintering in your pool, so before anything else, clean it as you usually would, getting rid of any dirt, debris, and scum. In addition to using a skimmer to get the floating debris from the surface of the pool, vacuum and brush the sides and bottom of the pool, and then scrub any parts where mold and grime have grown.

Get the chemical levels right

Start by testing and balancing the chemicals in the pool water, the way you’ve done it all summer. According to Sher and Franco, you’re going to want to get the pH between 7.2 and 7.6, the alkalinity between 80 and 120 parts per million (ppm), and the calcium hardness between 180 and 200 ppm.

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Then add winterizing chemicals, a superchlorinating powder called “pool shock,” followed by an algaecide. Instead of buying all these chemicals separately, Sher and Franco recommend buying a pool closing kit, which has everything you need all in one place.

Remove some of the water from the pool

If you live somewhere where the temperatures get down below freezing in the winter, you’re going to have to reduce the water level. For pools with mesh covers, that means the water level should be 12 to 18 inches below the skimmer. Those with solid covers want a water level that’s 3 to 6 inches below the tile.

If you have an in-ground pool, you can lower the water level by running your filter or using a siphon pump. If you have an above-ground pool, you can skip this step: Just remove the outlet hose from the skimmer basket, Sher and Franco write.

Finish it up

Next, clean and backwash your pool’s filter and pump—including clearing the pool pump’s lines. Then be sure to remove any accessories, like ladders and diving boards. Finally, install a winter pool cover.

For more detailed information on winterizing your pool, check out the rest of Sher and Franco’s article.

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