Winterizing Your Above-Ground Swimming Pool
You need to gather all of your winterizing supplies. This includes pillow floats and rope or twine to attach the floats to the sides. You also need your winter cover with a cable, and closing chemicals.
Start by spreading out your winter cover in a flat area. Inspect it for any worn areas or holes. If you see any holes you will need to purchase a new cover. The holes will let in debris and dirty water over the winter. You want to do everything possible to make sure your pool’s water is clear when you re-open your pool in the spring.
Inspect your pool inside and out. Check the liner for any leaks. You can do this by marking the water line with a crayon and observing it for forty-eight hours. If the water recedes then you need to patch your liner. A small hole can turn into a huge hole as the pool water freezes. Check the outside of your pool for any chipped paint along the walls. Use enamel paint to cover these areas.
Vacuum your pool thoroughly. Use a skimmer to remove any floating debris. If you leave any debris in your pool over the winter it can turn into mold or algae. This will just make your job much more difficult in the spring. Scrub any stains that you see on the liner.
Now you need to balance your pool water. Adjust the pH to 7.2-7.6. Keep your alkalinity on the high side of normal since your pool will loose it’s alkalinity over the winter. It is recommended to keep the alkalinity at about 180. You need to bring your chlorine level to about two or your bromine level to about three. You should use a non-chlorine shock in order to prevent bleaching of your liner. You should also use a time released algaecide that will control algae growth throughout the winter. Your pool winterization kit may also include a sequestering compound that prevents scaling over the winter. Let the chemicals circulate for two hours.
Start draining your pool. You should drain the water to about three inches below the skimmer. Place the cover over the skimmer and completely drain the skimmer. Disconnect the inflow and outflow hoses and insert a plug into the inflow hole. Turn off your circuit breaker to the pump and filter.
Disconnect all hoses from your pump and filter. Remove all drain plugs. If you have a cartridge filter, remove the cartridge and soak it in cartridge cleaner for twenty-four hours. If you have a sand filter, empty the sand and rinse out the filter. If you have a diatomaceous earth filter, then you need to remove the diatomaceous earth and clean the grids. All pump and filter parts should be stored inside for the winter.
If you have a pool heater then you need to turn off the gas line for the winter. Open the hose spigot and disconnect the filter lines. Blow all of the water out of the heater with a shop vac.
Fill the pillow floats about two-thirds full with air. Place in the center of the pool and tie them to the sides. These pillow floats will help absorb some of the pressure from the water freezing.
You can now cover your pool. Thread the cable through the grommets on the cover. Make sure it is a snug fit. Tighten the cable with a cable winch or turn buckle. You can also use cover clips as an extra protection against wind damage.
Now that your above-ground pool is winterized you can rest until the spring. When you re-open your pool, your water should be clear and it should take minor adjusting to make it ready to swim in again.
