How To Close A Pool

Well, all good things must have an end. No weekend or vacation lasts forever. Even what may seem endless in the summer is never endless.

I want to write about why the pool is closed. When to do it, what you need, and how to properly close the pool.

How to close the pool correctly and quickly, I will describe everything below. It is an essential process. Make sure you don’t miss anything!

Why Should You Find out How to Close a Pool?

Сlosing your in-ground pool or above ground pool is among the most integral parts of the pool maintenance, keeping it swimmable, as well as saving you cash.

Consider it momentarily. Your pool is revealed all summer season. You most likely see all kinds of debris end up in the water– leaves, buds, twigs, and anything else that may blow in. You eliminate all those debris from the water before they have an opportunity to settle and decay in the water.

Now picture if you left your pool revealed all winter months, yet you weren’t available every day making use of, skimming, brushing, and vacuuming it. All that particles – and possibly much more – are still winding up in your pool. Currently, it’ll rest there for months, slowly deteriorating, resolving onto the bottom, blocking up the skimmer, and also creating mayhem on your pool’s water chemistry.

Now imagine if you left your pool open during the winter months. But you couldn’t pick up the trash, brush, and vacuum it every day. All this will collect in your pool. Over time, your pool will become dirtier, and algae growth may form. The chemistry of the water in your pool is going to be terrible!

Removing water avoids damages that can happen when that water ices up. Stabilizing the water and placing it in a couple of additives assists protect against complications from lousy water chemistry. As well as making use of a winter cover protects your water from debris.

Do you need any other factors to close your pool?

When Clouse Your Swimming pool?

When closing a pool depends on timing. When to winterize your pool is as vital as exactly how.

If your regional temperature levels typically remain below 65 ° F( 18 ° C) throughout the off-season, wait till the temperature falls below that indicate close. Reduced temperature levels are unwelcome to algae and can aid the water stay cleaner much longer. Leaving your pool open till the weather condition cools means you can easily clean up, test, balance, as well as utilize your pool right up until it’s time to close.

On the other hand, if your off-season sees several warm days of 65 ° F( 18 ° C) or a lot more, you can stabilize the water. And evaluate chemistry on those occasional warm days throughout the offseason to help keep your water cleaner until it’s time to open up once more.

What Need Pool Owners

Now I will tell you how to close in-ground pools for wintering. This may also apply to above ground pools with a rigid frame.
Inflatable above ground pool, such as Intex, can be washed, drained, and folded. About how to do it right, winterize an Intex above ground pool.

The supplies you need to get your pool ready for winter will differ slightly depending on your climate. Most likely, something from this list is already in stock, but something needs to be purchased.

Get the Pool Equipment

And don’t stress– whatever stock up on this year, you will be able to use pool equipment the following year.

Get the pool closing chemicals

These are the specific chemicals that keep your pool clean, clear, and healthy while it’s closed during the winter.

Pool Equipment	Pool chemistry
Winter covers	Water test strips
Pool brush	Pool antifreeze
Winter Pillow	Pool shock
Winter Cover Clip	Algaecide
Skimmer plug	Chlorine or your choice of sanitizer
Shop-Vac or air compressor	pH Increaser or Decreaser
Pool vacuum	Pool closing kit

How To Close A Pool In 9 Steps

Step 1. Clean Your pool

Before you start closing your above ground pool or in-ground pool, tidy them. Make use of a pool brush affixed to a telescoping post to scrub your pool walls and also flooring, entering into the spaces as well as crannies as best you can.

It will undoubtedly aid kick up any debris spending time and interrupt the beginnings of any algae spores. By hand, vacuum all the stuff you kicked up while cleaning.

Use a chlorine-based cleaner and a scrub brush to gently remove dirt particles from the pool liner or tiles if they are visible on the sides or bottom.

Step 2. Test the Water

After vacuum, you can test the pool water yourself with a test kit or take a water example to your local pool shop if you want a super-accurate reading.

The degrees (pH, alkalinity, etc.) must be appropriately balanced as this will help secure the pool from rust and scale buildup that can happen while it’s shut.

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Balance water chemistry: pH: 7.2 – 7.8 Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm Calcium Hardness: 180 – 220 ppm

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The week you’re closing your pool, make sure your waterfalls are within the ranges below.

Step 3. Add winterizing pool additives and chemicals

Along with balancing the water levels as you do during the summer, you can add some chemicals to keep your pool water clean and clear all winter long. These beneficial chemicals ensure that the pool doesn’t develop scale or bacteria while closed.

About a week before you plan to stop using the pool, put in a phosphate remover (if you own a pool, you already know phosphates promote algae growth). Stain and scale chemicals prevent the buildup of metals and mineral buildup in the water.

What about Antifreeze?
It can often be challenging to get every drop of water out of the lines. And if you live in a place that gets cold enough for your pipes to freeze, use a pool-grade antifreeze.

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If you choose to utilize antifreeze, make sure to buy the one designed for usage in above ground pools, not car antifreeze. The kind created pools are non-toxic, unlike the automobile version.

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Step 4. Shock Your Swimming Pool

If your water is clear, introduce a super chlorinating powder, known as pool shock. It isn’t a hard step, yet make sure to comply with the proper treatment to avoid any chemical accidents and ensure it does what it is meant to.

Add the pool shock per the producer’s directions. Next, add an algaecide as a further measure to keep tiny of the algae issue.

Run the pump overnight to disperse the shock throughout the pool and circulation system. Use the Test kit your water the adhering to ensure it’s well balanced.

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It’s always best to stun your pool in the evening when the sun can’t demolish your chlorine before it has time to function.

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Step 5. Reduced the Swimming pool’s Water Level

If you reside in a cozy, dry climate, you can avoid the next step.
At the end of the period, eliminating some water avoids freeze damages and overflow to a lower level. Ideally, your water level needs to be below the ceramic tile border or the bottom edge of the skimmer if you do not have a tile line, or whichever is lower if you have both.

The exact degree to drain the slim down to is determined by which kind of cover you’ll be using and the type of pool surface area you have. The water helps sustain your body and the weight of any snow or particles that end up on top, so it is essential to adhere to the producer’s referrals.

Plastic Lining. Bring the water to one inch below your skimmer opening or tile line, whichever is lower.

Plaster or Non-Vinyl Pool Lining. Lower the water to 6 inches below the skimmer or tile line if you utilize a solid cover. However, when using a mesh cover (or none, however you want to use a cover), reduce the water to 18 to 24 inches listed below the skimmer or floor tiles.

Be sure the water is no reduced than the skimmer base if you have an automatic pool cover.

How to Lower the Water Level

Generally, you’ll drain pool water right into the nearest city sanitary sewer, but some areas have various rules for residents. Ensure to examine your location’s legislation by contacting the neighborhood water or environmental quality division.

Your city code enforcement workplace might likewise be able to point you in the appropriate direction relating to regional pool wastewater guidelines.

Step 6. Backwash as well as Clean the Filter and Pump

Filters hold all the gunk your water picks up as it passes through them. Obtain all that gunk out before you close, so you begin the following next pool season with an excellent, clean filter.

Cartridge filters. Remove it, clean it with pool filter cleaner or muriatic acid, rinse it, and let it dry thoroughly before you store it.

Sand Filter. Utilize a cleaner made for sand filters, or backwash it extensively. Drain all water out of the filter, pool, and pump heating unit if you have one.

Step 7. Get Water Out of Your System

Suppose you live in a place where the temperature drops to minus or lower. You are at risk. Residual water can freeze inside your pool equipment and plumbing and cause them to expand and crack.

To avoid such damage in winter, they should be as dry as possible. You can also use a swimming pool antifreeze.

If you live in a warmer climate environment and choose to blow out the lines, you must remove every last little water from the lines, pump, and filter. It may be necessary to purge the lines with an air compressor.

If this is not possible (or highly inconvenient), you can solve the ice problems with antifreeze for the pool.

In above ground pools, draining is easier: remove all hoses and remove the plug from the bottom of the filter. Above ground pool owners are advised to use a pool cushion. Placed in the pool’s center and tied to the sides of the pool, these air-filled rings help prevent pool water from freezing.

Use drain plugs to drain water from the pump, filter, heater, and chlorinator. The water must be drained or purged to prevent your equipment from freezing and cracking.

Pool heater. If you have a pool heater, make sure you drain the pool heater completely, then blow through the lines with an industrial vacuum cleaner or compressor. – Remove all drain plugs and use a vacuum cleaner to purge the pipes. Leave the drain plugs open, but remember where you store them.

Step 8. Eliminate Any Pool Accessories

Leaving things installed around your pool, like rails and ladders, can trigger troubles.
The extended direct exposure to chemicals throughout winter can harm the finishes on similar items. They might also be corrosion, which implies the rust will enter your pool, indicating you have an additional problem to care for when you open.

This is also the time to remove skimmer baskets and other wall fittings from the pool. Before putting them away for the winter, clean all accessories thoroughly and leave them out to dry on a clean surface.

Remove all drain plugs to drain the equipment thoroughly, then remove the pool pump, chlorinator, and hoses—store ladders, diving boards, and others in a clean, dry place during the off season.

When you’ve removed your pool accessories, tidy as well as dry them thoroughly. After that, store them in a clean, dry place. Keep them out of straight sunlight.

Step 9. Close your pool

A well-made winter pool cover is essential to keep your pool clean when not in use. There are usually two types of winter covers on the market: mesh and solid vinyl.

Mesh covers are more affordable and do not require maintenance in winter, but they can allow debris to enter the pool water. In addition, the mesh panel cover allows water to drain into the pool. You may need to lower the pool water level again during the winter months if rain or snow melts in the pool.

If you intend to use a more expensive alternative than conventional pool safety covers, this can help protect your pool from the elements. Also, protect people and pets from getting under water. A pump is required to remove rainwater and melted snow from above for hard floors.

Be sure to take precautions such as locking the gates of pool fences to prevent a small child or pet from drowning in the water that collects on the pool safety cover before it drains away.

A hard lid that stays in place should keep the pool water clear.

Do Not Be Afraid to Employ Pool Professional.

Although it’s pretty elementary to close your pool, specifically if you’re a seasoned do-it-yourselfer, some components aren’t so straightforward.

No matter whether you manage every other aspect of pool care on your own, closing your above ground pool or an inground pool for wintertime might be the once of year you employ a pool professional.

Having closed a pool many times over, an experienced pool professional will be familiar with the process. Before reopening the pool next swim season, they will identify any issues. If you do not want to miss out on your first swim next season, consider hiring a pool professional to winterize your pool.

Satisfied Closing!