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Swimming Pool Winterizing

Remember to always handle pool chemicals safely and store them in a cool, dry place away from other chemicals or petroleum products.

By properly closing our pool for winter: You spend less time and money opening your pool in the spring eliminate additional electrical costs, chemicals and cleaning avoids possible freeze damage to equipment and plumbing.

Choose from the following Swimming Pool Winterizing Steps

Step 1 - Test Your Pool Chemicals
The first step in Swimming Pool Winterizing is to test your pool chemicals. Several days prior to closing the pool, test the water for pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and chlorine. Adjust levels if necessary. It is important to get the water balanced to protect the pool from corrosion or scale buildup that can occur during the period the pool is shut down.Use our Swimming Pool Test Strips to test for:

  • pH 7.2 - 7.6
  • Alkalinity 80 - 120 ppm
  • Calcium Hardness 175 - 250 ppm
  • Chlorine 1 - 3 ppm
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Step 2 - Clean your Pool

The next step for Swimming Pool Winterizing is to clean your pool. Cleaning your pool is an important step for swimming pool winterizing. Brush and vacuum sides and bottom of the swimming pool. Remove any large debris using Premium Aluminum Leaf Rake. Make sure that any other dirt or debris is out of the swimming pool. Use Super Shimmer or a Clarifier to get water crystal clear. Lower water level while vacuuming (set filter to waste bypassing sand). Clean the tile line with Tile & Vinyl Cleaner to remove oil and scum line. This will be easier to get off now before it sets on during winter months. swimming pool winterizing

Step 3 - Use Chemical Swimming Pool Winterizing

The next step for Swimming Pool Winterizing is to use a chemical kit. To help protect water quality during the winter months, use a Swimming Pool Winterizing Kit. Additional algaecide and shock can be purchased separately for larger size pools. If using the Artic Armor Kit please use the following instructions (Other kits may vary so use their instructions)
  • Pool Shock. - Fill a bucket up with water and place the Pool Shock into the bucket. Stir the Pool Shock so it is mixed in the bucket. Then evenly pour the bucket of Pool Shock into the pool. Pouring the shock directly into the pool may cause stains or damage to your pool.
  • Algaecide - Evenly dump the bottle into your pool. Algaecide will keep algae growth from growing during the winter months.
  • Rust and Scale Remover - Evenly dump the bottle into your pool. This will keep your pool from having corroding metals during the winter months.
 swimming pool winterizing

Step 4 - Clean Filter, Pump, and Skimmer
The next step for Swimming Pool Winterizing is to clean the filter, skimmer, and pump basket. Remove all unused chlorine product from Chlorinator. Cartridge filter elements and D. E. grids should be sprayed with Filter Cleaner and rinsed clean with a garden hose. Sand Filters should be backwashed.

  • Pool Filter. - If you own a sand filter set your filter valve to backwash. Your Sand Pool Filter should be backwashed to get all remaining dirt and grime out of the filter. Your filter should take about 2 minutes to clear up you will be able to see the water get clean using the filter sight glass. If you own a cartridge cleaner take out and clean. If you own a cartridge filter Inyo suggests that you spray your Cartridge filter elements and D.E. grids with Filter Cleaner and rinse clean with a garden hose
 swimming pool winterizing
  • Pool Skimmer - Take off the lid of you pool skimmer and reach in to pull out the basket. Remove all debris and clean the basket so there is no dirt left in the basket. Reach into the skimmer and remove any other floating debris left in the skimmer before replacing the basket.
 swimming pool winterizing
  • Pool Pump - Swimming Pool Winterizing includes cleaning your pump. With your pump shut off unscrew the pump lid and pull out any leaves and large debris from the pump basket.
 swimming pool winterizing
  • Heater - This is such a large investment we suggest you get a professional to help with your heater swimming pool winterizing.
 swimming pool winterizing

Step 5 - Lower Water Level and Add Anti-Freeze
The next step for Swimming Pool Winterizing is to lower the water of the swimming pool below the returns and skimmer. Never completely drain a pool - Hydrostatic pressure can cause damage. Using an air compressor or shop vac (attached to the blower side of the vac), blow water out of system by forcing air down skimmer and through the plumbing. You can connect the air compressor to your pump by unscrewing the drain plug on the pump. Add Anti-Freeze to plumbing and install threaded winter plugs to return fittings to keep water out of lines. You can also add a Skimmer Guard to your pool skimmer. Anti-Freeze is a non-toxic formula. DO NOT USE AUTOMOBILE ANTIFREEZE.Step 6 - Remove Drain Plugs
The next step for Swimming Pool Winterizing is to remove all drain plugs from pump, filter tank and any other pool equipment. Follow the manufacturers instructions for your specific equipment. Place all drain plugs in pump basket for storage. If you are in heavy winter conditions you may want to consider detaching the filter and pump and storing them indoors for the winter. Step 7 - Add Winter Pool Cover
Above Ground Pools

Air pillows need to be inflated with a leaf blower or shop vac. Tie off air pillow in the center of pool, larger pools will require 2 or more air pillows. The air pillows will shed water toward the edge of pool for easier removal. They also allow forming ice to crack inward preventing damage to the shell or structure of the pool. Place winter cover over pool surface, black side down. We carry several types of above ground pool covers. For winter pool covers a cable and winch are included to fasten cover under top ledge of pool. swimming pool winterizing

InGround Pools

Place the inground winter cover over the pool so there is 2-3 feet of overhang on all sides. Place the tubes through loops provided in your cover. You can use either a double or single winter tubes. Double tubes are a little more reliable so if ones side of the tube get punctured the other side will still hold the cover in place until you get a chance to replace it. Using a garden hose fill the tubes with water and close the lid. Corner Pool Water Tubes are also recommended for the corners of your pool. Inyo Carries a wide supply of Inground Winter Pool Covers. We also carry Pool Safety Covers which are extremely tough. swimming pool winterizing

Additional Equipment

swimming pool winterizing Keep your Diving Board Protected from the Harsh Winter Conditions An optional step that our customers take for Swimming Pool Winterizing is to use a covers for their pool equipment. Weather-Out has made the proper cover for your pool heater or diving board. Made to keep your equipment safe from the harsh winter conditions.
swimming pool winterizing

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