As the cool fall air announces the start of the colder months, every owner of an above-ground pool has an important job to do: get their pool ready for winter. It may seem like a lot of work, but getting your pool ready for winter is like putting a shield on it. It protects your pool from freezing temperatures, preventing algae from growing, and makes sure it stays clean all winter long. If you don’t do this important step, your pipes could fracture, your equipment could break, and you’ll end up with a green, slimy mess that’s hard to clean up.
This complete guide will show you everything you need to know about how to winterize an above-ground pool, making the procedure easy and stress-free. Following these measures will keep your investment safe and make sure that when the weather gets warmer, the opening goes smoothly and easily.
When to Winterize Your Above Ground Pool
When it comes to winterizing your pool, timing is everything. The best time to do this is when daytime temperatures are below 65°F (18°C) for a long time but before you have a harsh, long-lasting freeze.
If you winterize too soon when it’s still warm, the chemicals you use to winterize could not work as well, which could cause algae to grow. If you wait too long, the water in your pool could freeze, which could seriously damage your plumbing, skimmer, and pool walls. For most places, this sweet period is usually between late September and early November. When making plans, think about your area’s weather and when the first freeze usually happens.
Essential Supplies You’ll Need
Before you start the winterization process, be sure you have everything you need. Having everything you need on hand will help the job go much more smoothly.
- Winterizing chemicals:
- Pool shock, which might be a high-dose non-chlorine shock or a particular winterizing shock
- Algaecide for the winter
- Agent that keeps stains from forming and keeps metals from becoming stuck
- Pool cleaning equipment:
- Brush for the pool
- A vacuum for the pool (manual or automatic)
- Net for skimming
- Plumbing protection:
- Skimmer plug or “Gizzmo” (important for keeping the skimmer safe from ice expansion)
- Plugs for the winter return line
- Non-toxic pool antifreeze (not required, but suggested for some types of piping)
- A shop-vac or air compressor to blow out the lines
- Pool cover and accessories:
- Above-ground winter pool cover (solid or mesh; make sure it fits right)
- Cable and winch for winter cover
- Cover clips (not required, but good for extra safety)
- Air pillow (if it fits your pool’s size and form, it keeps ice from pushing on the walls)
- Testing and maintenance:
- A liquid test kit or water test strips
- A bucket and a garden hose
- Submersible pump (good for lowering water level)
Step-by-Step Guide to Winterizing Your Above Ground Pool
Now, let’s get down to the details of how to prepare your pool for winter. For the greatest results, make sure to follow these procedures exactly.
Step 1: Clean Your Pool Thoroughly
This is your last chance to clean your pool really well before it goes to sleep for the winter. Use your skimmer net to get rid of all the junk on the surface. Use a pool brush to clean the walls and floor, getting rid of any debris or algae that may be lodged there. Finally, give your pool a good vacuuming to get rid of all the dirt that has gathered. The cleaner your pool is now, the less work you’ll have to do in the spring and the less likely it is that algae will bloom in the winter.
Step 2: Balance Your Pool Water Chemistry
To keep stains, rust, and algae from coming back, it’s important to have balanced water. Use test strips or a liquid kit to check your water and make any necessary changes to get it to these ideal levels:
- pH: 7.4–7.6 (a little alkaline to keep things from rusting and building up)
- Total Alkalinity: 80–120 ppm (this keeps the pH level stable)
- Calcium Hardness: 180–220 ppm (stops plaster from getting damaged and scaling)
Make any changes that are needed, adding chemicals carefully and letting them mix for at least 24 to 48 hours before testing again. Make sure your pump operates all the time throughout this period of balance.
Step 3: Shock Your Pool
You should shock your pool about 24 to 48 hours after you balance the water and the chlorine levels drop to 1 to 3 parts per million. Use a shock that is meant for winter or a shock that has a lot of non-chlorine in it. This strong treatment will get rid of any bacteria, algae spores, and other things that are still there. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to add the shock. This usually means dissolving it in a bucket of water first and then pouring it along the edge of the pool. To get the greatest results, shock your pool at night so that the sun’s UV rays don’t break down the chlorine too quickly. After shocking, run your pump for a few hours to mix the chemicals.
Step 4: Add Winterizing Chemicals
Add your special winterizing chemicals once your pool has been shocked and the chlorine levels are back to normal or close to normal:
- Winter Algaecide: This product is made to endure through the winter and stop algae from growing. Spread it out evenly around the edge of the pool.
- Stain Preventative/Metal Sequestering Agent: If you have well water or water with a lot of metal in it, this will help keep your pool surfaces from getting stained by minerals and metals.
To make sure that the chemicals are evenly distributed, follow the dosage directions on the label of each product and let your pump run for a few hours after adding them.
Step 5: Lower the Water Level
To keep your skimmer and return jets from freezing and breaking, you’ll need to reduce the water level in most above-ground pools. As a general guideline, the water should be about 6 to 8 inches below the skimmer opening and return jet(s).
You can do this by:
- Using a submersible pump: This is usually the quickest and simplest way.
- Siphoning: Use a garden hose to start a siphon (this may take a while).
- Backwashing (if applicable): You can backwash till the water level is low enough.
Crucial Note: You should never completely drain an above-ground pool for the winter, unlike an inground pool. If you drain it all the way, the walls of the pool could fall down because of pressure from the earth, or the liner could shrink and break.
Step 6: Disconnect and Store Equipment
This step is very important for keeping your pricey pool equipment from freezing and becoming damaged.
- Filter:
- Sand Filter: For a sand filter, backwash it well until the water is clear. To totally empty it, set the multi-port valve to “winterize” or “drain” (if you have one), or open the drain plug.
- D.E. Filter: Take it apart, clean the grids well, and put them away. Get rid of the D.E. powder.
- Cartridge Filter: Take out the cartridge(s), clean them well with a filter cleaner, let them dry completely, and keep them inside.
- Pump: Disconnect the pump from the plumbing and filter. To make sure all the water goes out, take off all the drain plugs. To keep the pump’s internal parts from freezing and splitting, keep it inside in a cool, dry place.
- Heater (if applicable): To get your pool heater ready for winter, follow the manufacturer’s exact instructions. This usually means emptying all the water and making sure that none is left in the heat exchanger.
- Skimmer Basket & Return Jet Eyeballs: Take out the skimmer basket and return jet eyeballs and put them inside.
- Hoses: Take all the hoses apart, drain them fully, coil them up neatly, and put them inside.
- Ladders, Steps, and Handrails: Steps, ladders, and handrails: Take off any ladders, steps, or railings that can be taken off. Put them inside after cleaning and drying them.
- Solar Blankets & Reels: To keep your solar blanket from cracking and getting damaged by freezing, clean it, make sure it’s totally dry, fold it neatly, and store it indoors.
Step 7: Blow Out and Plug Plumbing Lines
This is one of the most important things you can do to avoid expensive freezing damage. Water that stays in the pipes might freeze, expand, and break the lines.
- Blowing Out Lines: To blow out lines, use a strong shop-vac (in blower mode) or an air compressor.
- Skimmer Line: Put the shop-vac hose into the skimmer opening when the water level is below it. When you blow air through the line, you should observe bubbles coming from the return jet(s) in the pool. This means that the line is clear of water.
- Return Line: If you can, connect the shop-vac to the return jet opening and blow air until the line is clear. If you can’t, blow air from the filter side.
- Plugging Lines: As soon as the lines are clear, put the right winter return line plugs into the return jet apertures from inside the pool. Put in a skimmer plug or Gizzmo for the skimmer. A Gizzmo is a plastic tool that screws into the aperture of the skimmer and absorbs the ice’s expansion, which protects the skimmer itself.
Step 8: Install the Winter Cover
The last layer of protection is your winter cover. It filters out sunlight (which stops algae from growing), leaves, dirt, and other detritus.
- Air Pillow (if using): If you’re using an air pillow, blow it up (but not too much) and place it in the middle of your pool before putting on the cover. This pillow takes the pressure off of ice that is expanding, which protects the walls of your pool.
- Install the Cover: Carefully lay your winter pool cover over the pool. Make sure it’s in the middle and covers the whole pool.
- Secure the Cover: Put the provided cable through the grommets that are around the edge of the cover. Use the winch to pull the cable tightly around the edge of the pool. This will keep the cover in place. Put the clips that come with the cover around the top rail to keep it from blowing away.
Final Checks and Maintenance During Winter
Even after you winterize your pool, you should still keep an eye on it:
- Remove standing water/snow: Check your winter cover every now and then to see if there is any water or heavy snow on it. To keep the cover from drooping or getting damaged, use a cover pump or siphon to get rid of water.
- Monitor cover tension: Strong winds can make the cover come loose. If necessary, use the winch to tighten the cable again.
- Inspect for tears: Look for small tears or holes in the cover that could let in dirt or light. Quickly fix them with a cover repair kit.
- Keep pets and children off the cover: The cover isn’t meant to hold weight and could be dangerous.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
To make sure that the process of winterizing a pool goes well, be aware of these typical mistakes:
- Not balancing water chemistry: If you don’t balance the water chemistry, you’ll get stains and algae in the spring.
- Not cleaning the pool thoroughly: Algae will eat any trash that is left behind.
- Not draining equipment/lines completely: The most common reason for expensive freezing damage.
- Using an ill-fitting or damaged cover: A cover that is broken allows in light and dirt, which defeats its purpose.
- Waiting too long to winterize: Taking too long to prepare for winter: It can be hard to tell when it’s going to freeze!
Conclusion
Every year, you need to winterize your above-ground pool. This protects your investment and makes it easy to open your pool in the spring. You can get your above-ground pool ready for the winter with this step-by-step instructions. This will keep it from getting damaged and make sure you can enjoy it for many more seasons. Take the time now, and you’ll be glad you did later!
Is there anything unique about your local climate that makes you worried about winterizing your above-ground pool?