If you can't use your pool during winter months, protect your investments and shut down the pool completely. Closing your pool properly makes next season's start up easy and avoids time-consuming clean up and costly repairs.
WINTERIZING YOUR POOL
1) Bring a water sample to ENGLISH & LEPAGE to find out what is needed to balance your water and insure there are no irregularities.
a) Adjust the alkalinity to 80-150 ppm.
b) Adjust pH to 7.2-7.6
c) Adjust calcium hardness to 150-280 ppm
2) Add a sequestrian agent (Scale Inhibitor) to guard against metal stains and 'bathtub ring' during the winter.
3) Physically clean the pool. Brush the sides down and vacuum the bottom. Clean out the skimmer basket(s) and the pump's hair trap.
4) Shock treatment (HiberShock or Smartshock) is necessary to oxidize any disolved organic material that physical cleaning and filtration could not remove. Run the pump and filter for a few hours to insure thorough distribution. For extra protection a floating chlorinator can be used.
5) Due to unpredictable Fall temperatures, we recommend that an algaecide (Banish) be used to protect the pool from algae growth. When the filtration system is not operating, algae can take over very quickly.
6) Partially drain the pool to about 3-4" below the skimmer. Drain/blowout all lines and plug outlets. Unscrew and remove directional ball from center and each outlet and plug with winterizing plug. Remove both baskets- skimmer and pump.
7) Install cover over your pool and tie-down or secure it with water bags around the full perimeter to prevent debris and wind from going under the cover. This should also help to prevent wind damage to your winter cover.
WINTERIZING YOUR FILTER
1) Drain the sand filter by opening all plugs, (as well as the two plugs on the pump) and turn the sand filter handle to winterize to aid drainage. Make sure to store plugs in a safe place-as with the pump and skimmer baskets.
2) Remove pressure guages and store inside.
3) Leave all gate valves three-quarters open (except in basement installations).
WINTERIZING YOUR HEATER
Drain and evacuate water from interior lines, refill lines with appropriate anti-freeze.
PARTIAL WINTER CLOSING
Some people prefer not to completely shut down their pool. In this case you must keep pool balanced (alka, pH and calcium) and the filtration system is kept running, even if only a few hours a day. In the event of temperatures dropping below freezing, the filtration system should be kept on full time to prevent the pipes from freezing.
