Closing a Pool How-To's

The Family Pool Maintenance team is expertly trained in closing pools for winter. We know how important it is to close a pool correctly. In Delaware and the Northeast, we often deal with freezing temperatures, and ice can permanently damage pool equipment.To avoid costly repairs, you’ll want to make sure your pool is clean, your water levels are adjusted, and your equipment is drained. This can seem complicated. To help, I’ve put together my 5-step process for closing a pool for winter.

5 Steps for Closing Your Pool this Winter

1. Clean and Balance the Water

In this step of the pool closing process, you will remove any debris like leaves, nuts, insects, and dirt. Pass over the water’s surface with a skimming net. Empty the built-in pool skimmer traps and also the pump leaf and debris catcher. Finally, you may want to vacuum and brush the pool’s sides for maximum cleanliness.

Before closing your pool for the winter, you also want to do one last chemical balance. Adjust your pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness according to your pool’s specifications. If you don’t balance, you risk staining and etching on the edge of your pool as chemicals eat into your siding all winter long.

If you want to learn more about fixing a calcium imbalance, read this article called, Pool Maintenance Service for a Calcium Imbalance.

2. Lower the Water

Drain the water from your pool until it sits below your skimmers. If you don’t, water will enter the skimmers and freeze, causing your equipment to break and costing you hundreds of dollars.

It is important to note that in our wet climate you must lower your water to different levels depending on your cover type.

3. Drain the Plumbing and Filter

Most pool owners or professional pool teams will use a blower designed for closing pools to blast excess water from the plumbing lines. Once the lines are clear, plug any open ends with compression plugs or scre in plugs. This will keep water from getting back into your equipment until next spring. Skimmer valves should also remain closed so winter air can not get in and ruin your pool.

Next, drain the filter. Remove any drainage plugs and make sure valves are set to “winterize.” Some companies will recommend turning on the pump for one second to completely drain the water. However, if you blow out the lines correctly, you won’t have to do this and you won’t risk damaging your equipment by running a dry pump.

Finally, check to see if you’ve left any chemicals in the feeder. The feeder should be empty.

4. Shock and Winterize

It’s time for one more final chemical treatment. You’ll want to shock your pool, especially if you use a mesh pool cover. We recommend a 65 percent sodium hypochlorite or a non-chlorine substitute of equivalent strength. Even if it’s still warm enough to swim, be sure to keep people out of the pool until the chlorine level returns to between 1 and 3 ppm over the course of a few days. Consider adding a pool winterizer to fight algae, too.

Make sure that no granular chlorine-based shock is added to the pool once the system is off for the season. This will cause bleaching on liners and chemical hotspots as no water will be moving in the pool.

5. Cover the Pool

Now you’re ready for the final step of closing your pool. Bring out your pool cover and secure it to the sides of your pool. Make sure it fits tightly so that leaves and debris can’t slip in during the winter months.

If you need to replace your pool cover? Click here for my in-depth post on Best Pool Covers for Dover, DE Residents.

From start to finish, the pool closing process can take a couple of days. Save time and stress by calling Family Pool Maintenance to winterize your pool. Our team uses professional tools to get your pool equipment into top winter condition.

Call us at (302) 270-3700