As summer temperatures fade and fall weather sets in, it’s time to start thinking about closing your above-ground pool. If you live in a climate where winter temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll need to close and cover your pool to protect it until warmer temperatures return in the spring.
Read on for a comprehensive step-by-step guide to winterizing your above-ground pool, featuring expert advice from three pool professionals.
Why Is it Important to Winterize an Above-Ground Pool?
Winterizing a pool maintains clean, balanced water, protects equipment from freezing temperatures and keeps debris and leaves out of the pool for an easier (and less costly) opening in the spring.
What Happens If You Don’t Winterize an Above-Ground Pool?
Failing to winterize an above-ground pool can result in algae blooms, liner stains and cracked equipment, all of which are expensive to repair and remedy.
How to Winterize an Above-Ground Pool?
Begin the closing process two to three days before installing the winter cover to allow time for final chemical applications to take effect.
Remove pool accessories
Remove ladders and handrails and place them in storage.
Clean the pool
Use a brush to clean the walls, then vacuum to remove leaves and debris from the pool floor. Empty and remove the skimmer basket.
Balance the water
Test water levels to check that alkalinity is between 80 and 120 parts per million (PPM), pH is between 7.4 and 7.6, and calcium hardness is between 175 and 225 PPM. If not, add chemicals or additives to bring each to balanced levels. “The better the water is when you close it, the better it is when opening,” Bob Schwein, sales manager at Drewnowski Pools and Spas, says.
Shock the pool
Two to three days before installing the cover, shock the pool and run the filter overnight to dispense the chemicals.
Add Winterizing Chemicals
Next, add algaecide and an alkalinity increaser. The amounts will vary depending on your pool’s water volume, but follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully for proper amounts. Run the filter for several hours after adding.
Protect the skimmer and return jets from freezing
There are two options to complete this step when winterizing an above-ground pool.
Use a skimmer cover and winter plug
Remove any return jet heads and insert a rubber plug. Press a skimmer cover over the skimmer face to block the opening. Schwein likes this method because it allows you to leave the water at normal levels. “Water in the pool helps keep the walls upright,” he says. “The less water, the more likely the weight of the snow load and water will pull the walls down.”
Lower the water level
Another option is to lower the water level a few inches below the return jets and skimmer face. Cameron Sours, owner of Peaceful Pool and Spa, prefers this method. If you go this route, you will need to pump water off the cover periodically, as the added weight can pull the cover into the pool or pull the pool walls in.
Disconnect and drain the pump, filter and hoses
“Any trapped water will expand when it freezes and break whatever it’s in,” Dan Rescia, service manager at 21st Century Pools and Spas, says, so be thorough with this step. Disconnect and drain all filter and pump hoses. If you have a cartridge filter, remove the cartridge and store it indoors. For sand filters, remove the drain plug and sight glass. Finally, remove the pump’s drain plug. Sours advises storing these small items in the pump basket until spring.
Secure the winter cover
Secure an air pillow in the center of your pool, inflated to about 50 percent. “Air pillows create a tent that pushes water and snow to the outside and away from the center of the pool,” Schwein says, putting less pressure on the walls. Install the winter cover over the pool and secure it with clips around the perimeter.
FAQ
How is winterizing an above-ground pool different from an in-ground pool?
When winterizing an above-ground pool, you’ll disconnect and remove the return and suction side lines, which isn’t done on in-ground pools with underground lines.
What kind of winter cover should I use for my above-ground pool?
“On above-ground pools, 99 percent of people use a tarp style or solid cover that prevents algae and keeps out leaves and debris,” Sours says.
When is the best time to winterize an above-ground pool?
“Once the weather begins to turn cold and the pool is being unused, it’s a good time to close your pool,” Rescia says. “Don’t put it off and wait, as you’ll begin to get falling leaves in the water and your chemical levels may fall out of balance.”
About the Experts
- Bob Schwein is the Sales Manager at Drewnowski Pools and Spas in Agawam, Massachusetts. He has held the position since 2014.
- Dan Rescia Sr. is the Service Manager at 21st Century Pools and Spas in Chicopee, Massachusetts, with over 53 years of experience in the pool industry.
- Cameron Sours owns and operates Peaceful Pool and Spa in Easthampton, Massachusetts, a full service pool and spa company.
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