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Fall
Pool Closings
Snowbelt
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Balance the water chemistry:
Approximately 3 - 7 days prior to closing the pool,
adjust your water balance within the ranges below:
Then, shock the pool with a
Chlorine Shock or a
Non-Chlorine Shock, at least 1lb per 10,000 gallons (follow package
directions). Allow the chlorine level to return to 1.0 - 3.0 ppm before
adding any winter algaecide and your pool cover. Chlorine tends to
break down both algaecides and [floating] pool covers.
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Remove skimmer baskets, wall
fittings, cleaners, solar blankets,
ladders from the pool.
Put
these in a safe location during the winter. Don't coil pool cleaners
hoses tight.
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Lower water level in pool.
Using the filter
pump, or a submersible pump, lower the level 12" - 18" below the
skimmer for mesh covers, and 3" - 6" below the tile for solid, floating
covers. If you are using an
Aquador skimmer cover on
aboveground or
inground pools for some vinyl lined pools, the water
level will not need to be lowered.
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Drain all pumping, filtering, heating
and chlorinating equipment.
Every pump, filter, heater and
chlorinator has drain plugs to allow
water to drain out. All water must be
drained or blown out or it will freeze
and crack. After draining, D.E. filter
grids or Cartridge filters should be
removed and cleaned thoroughly. If the
filter and pump is small enough to
remove it and store it indoors, this may
be desirable. If not, using a small
amount of air from a shop vacuum, compressor or
Mighty Vac is good to blow out any water that may still be in
the equipment.
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Lubricate
Fall closing
of the pool is a good time to lubricate the pump lid o-ring o-rings
with Magic
Lube. If you have a push-pull valve (also known as a slide valve) on the
filter, lubricate it's o-rings as well. If you have a gas heater
with cast iron plugs, lubricate these threads or leave the plugs in
after draining to prevent rusting.
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Clean pool
Skim pool,
vacuum pool,
brush pool. Leaf
rake (bag) types
skim nets are best. Also useful for
scooping large amounts of leaves/debris
from pool floor. If pool is especially
silty or has lots of algae, Vacuum Pool
to Waste. This means to bypass the
filter, and vacuum dirt from
floors/walls out the backwash line. This
prevents constant clogging/cleaning of
filter. Place the multiport filter valve
on drain to waste position (usually 2pm,
if viewed as a clock face) If you have a
push-pull filter valve, or a
cartridge type filter there is no easy
way to vacuum to waste, except for
cutting the pipe coming out of the pump
and then reconnecting afterwards. Brush
the pool thoroughly. The pool should be
as clean and clear as possible before
covering.
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Winterize the plumbing to and from the
pool
If you have
an inground pool, you should blow out the lines using a
Mighty Vac to blow air
from the skimmer, through the equipment, and back to the pool. Then
plug the lines at the pool using
expansion plugs.
If you don't blow the lines, add Swimming Pool
Antifreeze
into the line (follow package directions). Above ground pools
usually just need to disconnect the hoses to and from the pump and
filter, and plug the wall outlets.
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Add winterizing
algaecide and other floaters.
Remember not
to add algaecide and shock at the same time. This tends to result in
the chlorine breaking down the algaecide. High chlorine levels can
also be harsh to floating solid pool covers. For winter chemical
kits, click
here.
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Cover the pool.
A tight fit
of your pool cover is essential. Your cover should not have holes or
gaps where leaves and debris may enter the pool. A
mesh safety cover provides the highest
protection and safety. Solid pool
covers are not safe and will require a cover pump or siphon to
remove rain water and snow melt.
Water Bags
or AquaBloks are used to secure an inground solid pool cover.
Above ground pool covers use a
cable/winch device to secure the
cover around the pool. Air
Pillows are used in above ground pools to absorb the expansion
of ice inside the pool. In areas of high wind, an above ground pool
owner will find
wall
bags or
cover
seal useful products. A
leaf net is very
useful if you have a lot of trees surrounding your pool.
Sunbelt
In areas where it
rarely gets below freezing temperatures, many people simply reduce
the amount of filtration time per day, and also will find that the
pool needs fewer chemicals. Covering the pool, even if not
winterizing, will reduce cleaning and chemical and filtering demand
even further.
Still
Confused? Order our winterization guide! Just $24.95
For more info, click HERE |
