Winter is coming – how to keep your pool in tip top shape
If you just cover your pool without doing things to prevent it turning into a nasty soup over the next few months, you will be in for a horrible surprise when you want to start swimming again come spring.
Simple tasks like collecting leaves and debris, brushing the sides of the pool and maintaining the chemistry are very important when the pool is going to be covered or left for long periods of time. If you are thinking of updating your pool or resurfacing the edges or walls of the pool, this is the right time to start getting prices and planning for future months when the pool will not be in use allowing you to drain the pool and have the necessary work done.
Even if you just want to clean and cover your pool to ensure it stays in the best condition through the winter months, here are some basic steps every pool owner needs to follow:
Brush up now
Get the balance right
Brushing and vacuuming to remove all debris is the first step of cleaning your pool before closing. This helps to prevent algae from growing on the pool walls as any organic matter that is left in a pool closed for a season will feed the growth of algae which can leave your pool looking stained and dirty come spring. Brushing also loosens any growth so shock chemical treatments can work properly.
Measure water balance using a test kit. Total Alkalinity should be between 80-120 ppm, pH level should be between 7.4-7.6.
Adjust the calcium hardness to 180 to 220 ppm or higher according to product instructions for protecting a plaster pool to lessen minerals dissolving and leeching out.
Cover up
Chemical shock
A pool cover will keep your pool clean as leaves start to fall during Autumn months, and can prevent you having to keep cleaning the pool surface. Pool covers all help prevent evaporation of the water which in our current water shortage crisis cannot be underestimated. It is also worth considering the safety aspect of having a pool on your property at this time. Even if the pool isn’t being used, pets or a small child falling into the pool could drown. If you do not already have a safety net, or have been thinking of getting one, right now might be the best time to make this investment part of your pool care routine.
Focus on checking the structure and safety of any pool fencing you might have too.
Chemical shock treatments can kill any biological matter which might linger in your pool during the winter. One week prior to closing your pool, add a phosphate remover to help keep algae out. Use an extra strong chlorine or a non-chlorine substitute to kill bacteria, some of the fungi and algae that may be living in the pool. Buy a shock product with at least 65 percent sodium hypochlorite or a non-chlorine substitute of equivalent strength. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or ask the advice of the experts at your local pool maintenance store.
If you typically use a shock product/mix that is safe for people to swim in right away, it’s probably not strong enough to kill all the bacteria in your pool so since your plan is to close the pool for a few months, now is the perfect time to use a stronger than normal product. After the shock treatments have had time to work and the chlorine level has returned to the safe zone of 1 to 3 ppm, hit the pool with algaecide to kill existing algae and prevent future blooming. Algae can cause the pool to become discoloured, give it a bad smell and clog the filter. So it’s important to treat your pool with algaecide before shutting it down.
