Some of you may think, why the heck should I close my own personal pool? Is it enough just to cover it with the winter cover and wait for the next swimming season? Well, it’s not that simple. Closing a pool is not only an obligatory job for the public pool owner but you – as your very own pool owner – as well.
When the pool season is coming to an end, you can’t just simply unroll your winter cover and lay it over your swimming pool, but you need to follow every single step to properly close it. It’s important to follow all of the closing pool steps so you can enjoy your pool when the warmer season comes back.
If you properly close your pool, you will have freshly safe water that you can use directly after you open the cover. On the contrary, if you don’t close it according to the recommended steps, the pool will get dirty and even unsafe to use due to debris and bacteria that build up during the offseason.
Moreover, closing a pool doesn’t only benefit you, but the equipment of the pool as well. You may end up damaging the filters, pumps, and other accessories due to improper closing steps.
(You may also like: 9 Easy Steps on How to Acid Wash a Pool All by Yourself)
To guide you to properly close your pool, check out the tutorial on How to Close a Pool that you can easily follow.
How to Close a Pool Tutorial
It’s important to know when exactly to close the pool. When the temperature starts falling below 65 degrees F that is the perfect time to perform this step. It’s because the algae won’t survive in the cold season so the water will stay clear during the closing period.
Prepare these supplies:
- Tools like screwdrivers and wrenches to remove the pool’s accessories
- Pool water tester kit
- Algaecide
- Pool sanitizer like chlorine
- Cyanuric acid
- Pool chemical balancer (if necessary)
- Pool shock
- Mineral reducer
- Pool winterizing kit
- Pool winter cover
- Rubber plug
- Skimmer plug
- Brush with a telescoping pole
- Pool vacuum
Most of the supplies above are used for the regular pool maintenance, so you must have them in hand.
Clean the Pool
The very first thing that you have to do is thoroughly clean the pool. Make sure that you clean it as best as you can to prevent the algae bloom when you close it.
- Use the brush with a telescoping pole to clean the surface of your pool. Scrub the walls and floors, make sure you reach every single inch of the surface.
- Manually vacuum the pool to perfect the cleaning process.
- You may need to use algae brush if you notice their invasion.
Test the Water
Find out the level of the chemicals of your pool water with a tester kit. Though the step may be more complicated, it gives a more accurate result than the water tester strip.
- Find out the level of pH, alkalinity, chlorine, and other chemicals, make sure that they are all in the ideal range.
- Balance the chemicals if necessary by using cyanuric acid and other pool chemical balancers.
(Read also: How to Raise Free Chlorine in Pool Tutorial with Only 4 Quick Steps)
Add the Chemicals
When you are sure enough that all of the chemicals are at a balanced level, now it’s time to add some winterizing chemicals to your pool. All of the necessary chemicals usually come in one package of pool winterizing kit.
- Add a dose of algaecide as recommended by the manufacturers.
- The mineral out is necessary for you who use water that comes from a well which may contain metals.
- Winterpills work best to sanitize the pool during the closing period. It can dissolve well even when the pool is closed.
Shock the Pool
You need to shock the pool before you cover it to perfectly sanitize the water.
- Add pool shock according to the manufacturer’s instruction.
- You may need to double the dose if you notice some algae blooms.
- Keep the pump running overnight to evenly distribute the shock.
- Retest your pool water.
Lower the Water Level
To prevent freeze damage, you need to lower the water level.
- Check the local water authority to find out the rule of wastewater disposal in your area.
- Lower the water until it gets below the skimmer’s bottom edge.
Backwash the Pool
Backwashing is good to remove the debris that may clog your filter. Different types of filter require different backwashing method.
- If you use a cartridge filter, you need to remove it and thoroughly clean it by using muriatic acid then sore it safely. Find out 8 Simple Steps on How to Clean Pool Filter – Easy DIY Tutorial.
- Sand filter and Diatomaceous Earth filter typically need similar backwashing step. Find out How to Backwash a Pool Tutorial with Only 3 Quick Simple Steps.
Remove the Accessories
Yes, you need to use more elbow grease to remove the pool’s accessories especially if you have a lot of them. This step will prevent them from damage caused by harsh winter conditions.
- Use the necessary tools to remove the accessories.
- Remove the skimmer baskets as well.
- Store them inside safely.
Cover the Pool
Now, it’s time to literally close the pool by using the winter cover.
- Make sure that there is no way for the debris or pests to enter the pool.
(Recommended to read: How to Keep Bees Away from Pool with 5 DIY Steps Safely and Effectively)
Those elaborate steps of How to Close a Pool Tutorial above may look kinda exhausting, but you will get a clear safe pool that you can use when the pool season comes. You just need to clean the pool a bit and balance the chemical when the offseason has ended.
The tutorial above works best for you who live in a cold area and you may need different treatment if you live in a warmer area when you are about to close your pool.
