By now, most of us Northerners have shut down our pools in preparation for the winter season.  Let’s face it, unless you are a polar bear and enjoy frigid cold-water temps you aren’t going to be swimming after November. However, there may still be a few of you out there that have delayed the inevitable and need some quick tips to get your pool safely closed now that autumn has faded, and winter mayhem is knocking at the door.

In order to prepare your pool for winter, it is crucial to complete some very basic maintenance. The first and most important step in shutting down your pool involves balancing the water that will be left in the pool.  Not only is balancing the pH of the pool critical for the pools water clarity it is also crucial in increasing the longevity of the pool equipment.  A pH level of between 7.2 and 7.6 is suggested in order to keep the water sanitized throughout the winter months.

Another vital step is to finish the season with a clean pool.  Cleaning the surface of your pool will help to prevent permanent damage and surface stains on the pools plaster while the pool sits stagnant in the coming winter months.  All leaves and debris should be removed before the pool is closed to prevent difficulties removing them in the spring.Along with cleaning the pools water the pools filter should also be removed and fully cleaned.  This will help the filter in the spring to operate properly and avoid complications opening the pool.

When closing your pool for the winter it is also important to protect the pools plaster from the growth of algae.  Algae can quickly turn the cleanest of pools into a murky mess. There are a number of chemicals that can be added to the water to maintain an algae proof environment. 

If you haven’t figured it out by now, it is important to leave the water in the pool.  DO NOT EMPTY THE POOL! The water should be left above the skimmer box.  Keeping the water in the pool prevents putting a strain on the structure which could cause extensive, not to mention expensive, damage.

Once these steps have been completed it is important to further protect the pool from falling debris by placing a cover over the top of the pool.  This also will help to keep the water balanced.

Now if you haven’t, go close that pool!  Winterizing your pool makes opening the pool in the spring 100 times easier.  If this all sounds like too much to you it give us a call and we can help!

Pound Pool Plastering offers several options when it comes to servicing your pool including plaster, caulk, tiling, cement decks,plumbing, and coping in both commercial and residential settings.  More information can be found at http://www.pound-pool-plastering.com/.

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