How To Get Your Pool Ready For Winter
Unless you’ve got an efficient heater, it’s unlikely that your pool will see much use in the winter. Putting it into ‘hibernation’ in these colder months can help you save energy while minimising the time and money spent on ongoing maintenance.
‘Winterising’ Your Pool
Prepping your pool for winter is a multifaceted process, but one that’s well worth it when you consider how frugal it can be. The following aspects should be taken into account to maximise savings while ensuring your pool remains healthy.
General Cleaning
If you want your pool to be sparkling come summer you have to leave it in as clean a state as possible.
Scrub the pool floor, walls, steps and ledges to remove any built-up dirt and grime, before vacuuming the floor and skimming the surface. Any debris left in the water acts as a source of algae-feeding phosphate, so it pays to be diligent. Don’t forget to empty the pump and skimmer baskets too.
Filtration
The filtration needs of your pool are closely tied to bather load and ambient conditions. These are less taxing in winter, but that doesn’t mean you can turn the filter off and forget about it.
Before reducing your filter’s run time you should first give it a thorough clean. For sand filters this is as easy as using the ‘backwash’ and ‘rinse’ settings, but cartridge filters will have to be removed and cleaned manually.
Once refreshed, many find that their filter is capable of maintaining wintery water in as little as 4-6 hours, but this varies drastically based on pool size, pump specifications, and a whole host of other factors.
In any case, keep an eye on your filter’s pressure gauge and re-clean the cartridge or media as needed.
Chemicals
Though the dry conditions found in winter reduce the risk of pathogen propagation in your pool, it’s important to monitor the aquatic conditions and add chemicals accordingly.
As an added precaution, it’s recommended that you disperse algaecide into the water in the week leading up to winterisation (before you clean the filter).
As with any other time of the year, consistently measure the pH of your pool and aim to keep it within 7.2-7.8. This is the optimal range for preventing staining, scaling, and algal growth.
Prepare Your Chlorinator
One of the key perks of winterisation is the reduced need for chlorine. Ensure your chlorinator produces this chemical as efficiently as possible by first cleaning the salt cell. You can do so by submerging it into an acid solution for 5 minutes, or until calcium is removed.
Whether administered manually or automatically, you’ll need to adjust the amount of chlorine entering the pool. Some find they only need to use half as much to maintain healthy water during winterisation.
Covers
A simple yet effective tool for winterisation is the humble pool cover. As well as shielding the pool from debris, they can prevent up to 99.84% of water evaporation and reduce the consumption of chemicals by half.
Secure your pool cover as best you can to prevent wind incursions, but don’t forget to take a peek under from time to time - you’ll want to visually inspect the pool regularly for any discoloration.
Prepare Your Pool For Winter With Pool Set
By following these guidelines you can enjoy all the time and money saving benefits of winterisation while maintaining a healthy pool. The last thing you want is for your water to turn green over winter, so be sure to stick to a basic level of upkeep throughout the process. If any component in your set-up is in need of an upgrade, Pool Set stocks a wide range of quality parts and accessories for Australian pools.
Peruse our range online, and be sure to read our blog for pool care tips and advice.
The information provided by the Poolset website must not be relied upon or regarded as a substitute for specific professional advice. We make no claim that the website is 100% accurate or suitable for an individual's unique circumstance and provide the website on the basis that all persons accessing the website responsibly assess the relevance and accuracy of its content.