Now that winter has arrived, it is crucial that a landlord or property management company ensures the community swimming pool is protected while not in use. Our local swimming pool contractors provided a few tips to help save property owners time, hassle and money:
Start winterizing your pool early
It is a smart idea to get an early start to your winterizing process. You should begin about a week prior to closing your pool for the season. To prevent buildup of algae, drop in a phosphate remover.
- Keep an eye on your water level
Arrange your pool for the kind of winter that your location usually experiences. In freezing climates, your water level should be four to six inches under the tile line in pools that are plaster-lined. In a vinyl-lined pool, the water line should be four to six inches below the skimmer. In regions that don’t freeze during winter, your water should be filled almost to the top.
- Make sure your pool chemistry is balanced
This should be done prior to closing up shop on your pool for the season, but continual monitoring is also necessary. Use a kit to measure your water balance. Fibre Tech’s pool chemical calculator can help find your pool’s sweet spot.
- Chlorinate and shock
Use long-lasting algaestat or algaecide. Several of these products can last up to three months. On the last day of operation, add your product to the water, and then run your pump for a full 24 hours in order to circulate the algaecide throughout your pool. Finally, you can shut off the pump. If this is done properly, opening the pool after winter ends will be much easier.
It is important that you continue to add chlorine throughout the winter, just make sure that you don’t add too much—over-chlorinating can damage your lining. Adding the correct amount helps to prevent your pool from becoming green and sludgy when spring starts.
Backwash your filter
Once your pump has been running for 24 hours to circulate the winter chemicals, you should chemically clean and backwash your filter.
- Set up a winter cover, and make sure it’s the right size
Be sure that you have a pool cover, and that it is properly attached. If you have an in-ground pool, it’s likely that your cover is held in place by water bags or water blocks. See to it that these are securely attached as well.
- Keep your pool cover clean
Maintaining a clean pool cover provides two purposes. Firstly, you’ll notice that leaves and other debris no longer find their way into the pool, contaminate your water, and create a mess that requires even more of your time in the spring. Secondly, your cover is less likely to get damaged.
You might want to think about purchasing a leaf net to place over your pool cover if your winter temperatures do not fall below freezing. This is a simple way to make maintenance easy and keep your pool clean. If you already have a leaf net, make sure to empty it periodically.
- Check your pool’s chemical balance
From time to time, check in on your pool’s chemical balance. This helps to keep it clean and sanitary. Finding pH abnormalities allows you to prevent growth of algae, bacteria, as well as other problems that make cleaning up in the spring a lengthy process or damage your pool and its finish.
- Resurface your pool
With Fibre Tech’s swimming pool resurfacing, you will be maintaining and protecting a gorgeous pool all year long. Getting your pool refinished not only makers it look fantastic, but it also allows you peace of mind with a limited 25-year warranty.