Please welcome guest writer, Faith Munsell.
9 Tips for Winter Pool Surface Maintenance
With this year’s groundhog’s prediction of six more weeks of winter, it is crucial that you follow your winter maintenance routines to guarantee that your pool is protected during its off-season. Continue reading for nine tips that will ensure everything goes as it should:
- Start the winterizing process early on
Getting a head start on your winterizing process is a wise idea. About a week before you decide to close your pool for the winter is when you should get started. Adding a phosphate remover to your pool will help prohibit the buildup of algae.
- Make sure your water level is monitored
Ready your pool for the winter that you usually experience. If you live in a freezing climate, your water line should be four to six inches below the tile line in a plaster-lined pool, and below the skimmer in a vinyl-lined pool. If you live in a region that doesn’t freeze, your water should be filled nearly to the top.
- Regulate your pool’s chemistry
While this should be done prior to closing up your pool for the season, it should still be monitored during winter. You can measure the water balance with a kit, or Fibre Tech’s pool chemical calculator to find your pool’s sweet spot.
- Chlorinate and shock
Use an algaestat or algaecide that lasts for a while—many of these products can last for three months. Add this to your water on your pool’s last day of operation, then run your pump for an entire 24 hours in order to circulate the algaecide throughout the pool. After you’ve completed this, you can turn off the pump. If you do this the right way, it will be much easier to open your pool once spring starts.
You should continue adding chlorine to your pool throughout the winter, as long as it’s not too much. Over-chlorinating can damage your pool’s lining. However, if you add some now, you can stop your pool from becoming green and gross during the spring.
- Backwash your filter
Once your pump has run for a full 24 hours to circulate the winter chemicals, it is time to chemically clean and backwash its filter.
- Put on a winter cover, and make sure it fits properly
See to it that you have a pool cover that is attached properly and fits well. If you have a pool that’s in-ground, it is likely that your cover is held down by water bags or blocks. Check to make sure that these are also securely attached.
- Maintain a clean pool cover
A clean pool cover serves two purposes. It can protect against damage, as well as blocking leaves and other debris from contaminating your water, which will just be a hassle to clean in the spring.
If you live in a climate where temperatures do not fall below freezing, you should think about getting a leaf net to put over your pool cover. This will make maintenance easier, all the while keeping your pool cover clean. If you do decide to invest in a leaf net, make sure to empty it when necessary.
- Inspect the chemical balance of your pool
It is important that you check in on your pool from time to time. This will aid in keeping your pool sanitary and clean. Discovering unusualness in pH levels will help prevent algae from growing, as well as bacteria and other issues that will make spring cleaning difficult or even damage your pool.
- Resurface your pool
To maintain and protect a gorgeous pool, use Fibre Tech’s swimming pool resurfacing. Having your pool refinished does more than just improve its aesthetic appeal—its limited 25-year warranty allows you peace of mind.
