Last Updated on December 29, 2021 by Shain Jorgensen
Winterizing a pool means you are getting it prepared for winter. Winterizing a pool is commonly mistaken as closing a pool and although they are quite similar, there are still major differences in how they are carried out. Once it’s winter, temperatures start dropping and your pool may likely get colder.
Not many people are aware that water can be destructive when left in pipes or pumps. Water expands in volume in whatever container it is in; this means that if you leave water in your pool, it may also cause damage to your pool itself. That’s why it’s important to turn to a professional pool service in Gilbert.
This answers the question of if you need to winterize your pool. Yes, you do need to winterize your pool. You might ask why it’s so important? Keep reading.
Why you need to Winterize your Pool?
It is advisable to start prepping your pool for winter once you notice that the temperature consistently dips below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. There are a number of things that could happen if you do not winterize your pool. We will be discussing the reasons you need to winterize your pool in this section.
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To Avoid Pump Damage
Once it’s winter, your pump can crack and break if you refuse to disconnect it from the pool’s filtration system. Luckily, it is quite easy to connect and disconnect the pump from the filtration system so it’s not something you have to stress over. As soon as the summer season is back, You can simply hook your pump back to your pool.
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To Ensure Pool Safety
In the winter months, it is highly advisable to pull a cover over your pool to avoid accidents involving children or pets. As soon as the necessary steps have been taken to winterize your pool, all you have to do next is to cover the surface of the pool with a pool cover to prevent accidental slips or falls. Pool covers are usually secured tightly to the edge of the pool by using pool deck clips.
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To Prevent Excess cooling
Leaving your pool to get very cold during the winter season can result in potential damage to your pool lining, deck, and even the pool tiles. So in order to be safer than sorry, your best bet is to get a pool service to drain water out of your pool during winter. This way, you have absolutely nothing to worry about during these periods.
How to Winterize your Pool
Pool winterization involves many steps and these steps vary for different pool types, location, volumes, and chemical properties. In this article, we will focus on discussing the important ones you will need to do above anything.
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Clean the Pool
The first step to winterizing your pool is to clean the pool and take out whatever debris, algae, and also get rid of calcium buildup you might have in there. If you skip this step, you will make your pool a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and harmful microorganisms and it would be a messy sight when you finally decide to open your pool in the summer period.
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Check the Chemical balance
To properly winterize a pool, the water chemistry must be perfectly balanced to prevent algae bloom and instability in the long run. Things like water hardness, Ph balance, alkalinity should be carefully checked and appropriately handled. Phosphate remover can also be added to the pool water to get rid of phosphate which encourages algae growth.
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Winterize your Pool Equipment
Pool equipment such as ladders, wall fittings, and so on should be removed and properly stored during the winter period to avoid damage. Plumbing equipment for the pool such as the pump, heater, filter, and underground pipes also need to be winterized. This can be done by using a wet-dry vacuum or compressed air to remove water from the line.
Summary
As you might have rightly deduced from this article, winterizing your pool isn’t a walk in the park which is really what sets it apart from just closing the pool. To properly winterize a pool, you will need to hire a professional pool service in Gilbert to get the work done for you.