Winterizing Your Inground Pool

According to benjamin basch chief development officer for american pool enterprises in owings mills md the cost of winterizing a residential pool can range from 250 to just under 1 000.

Winterizing your inground pool.

It also makes your job much easier when it s time to open it again in the spring. If you live in milder climates you can skip certain steps like adding antifreeze and you may even be able to keep your hoses and filters connected. Watch how to prepare the filter system blow out the pipes and put on the winter poo. If you live in an area where the temperatures occasionally rise above 65 f 18 c for a few days during the winter you can take advantage of the warm spell to test and balance the water chemistry.

Inground pools with mesh covers will need to be about 12 below the skimmer to allow for rain and snow melt and those with solid winter covers should be about 6 below the skimmer. To perfect the winterizing process utilize an air pillow under the winter cover. Closing your pool for the winter is an essential part of keeping your pool and equipment trouble free year round. Doing this will protect the edge of the pool from staining and etching.

Plus leaving your pool open until the mercury drops gives you plenty of time to clean test and balance your pool before closing. Adding a winterizing chemical kit to your water will help keep it blue and clear for the next season. Use your pool filter switched to the drain setting to empty the pool water. Drain the water down to no more than 6 inches from the bottom of the skimmer if you plan to use a standard floating winter cover.

You can blow out your own pool lines with an air compressor or a wet rated powerful shop vacuum if you have the right components. Winterize the salt generator. It is placed in the middle of the pool and it helps to center the pressure of rain snow and ice. To prevent damage to your pool cover the water should never be lower than 18 from the pool ledge.

When winterizing a pool blowing out pool lines is a good idea since standing water in the lines can stagnate or even freeze if temperatures drop low enough. With a removable system the pool winterizing process becomes more manageable. It is easier because you only need to take the pump and the skimmer out. Matt walks you through the process of closing an inground swimming pool.