Winter Pool Maintenance
SwimmingPoolSteve.com is user-supported. In order to keep this resource about pools and spas available for free to all readers I earn commissions for purchases made through links on this page. For more information see the full disclaimer page. By using this website you are agreeing to the terms and conditions.
This article talks about winter pool maintenance tips, and advice for which problems you should be watching for with your swimming pool over the winter season. If you live in an area that does not get cold enough to worry about water freezing then you do not really "close" the pool, so much as you put it on a minimal maintenance schedule. So long as you scoop the leaves, vacuum the bottom, and keep some chlorine in the water, then the pool will most likely stay clear. Cool weather causes less chlorine consumption, as well as slower bacteria and algae growth, and if the weather is too cold to swim then there is no appreciable bather load either. Cool weather pools that operate during the winter season simply need to keep the water circulating and filtering, and continue to perform the same maintenance as during the swimming season...just much less than when the pool is beinng used regularly.
So what about winter pool maintenance in cold climate areas? Places that deal with rain, snow, ice, and fluctuating temperatures experience far greater wear and tear on outdoor swimming pools as compared to cool climate pools that are still essentially open and operating year round. The defining factor is how cold the winter is in your area. If your winter temperature stays above freezing then you have the option to keep the pool open. If winter temperatures typically fall to zero or lower then you must winterize your pool and close it completely until spring. If this is a subject you want to know more about you can watch this video blog series I made that discusses how to winterize each component of your pool.
So now your pool is winterized - is that it until spring?
In theory, if you have done a good job winterizing your pool you should be able to walk away completely until the warmer weather arrives in the spring, at which time you open your pool. There are however some certain situations that can happen to your pool over the winter season that can result in damage to your pool - even if you have correctly winterized it. You would be well advised to periodically check on your pool during the winter in order to monitor things like the water level. If your pool has a pre-existing problem, or developed a problem after you closed it, your pool could be losing water and the cover could be hiding this from you.
Pool Water Level - You should regularly check on the water level in your pool during the winter season. Depending on what type of pool cover you have it can be difficult to see a dropping water level in the pool once the cover is on. If your pool drains without your knowledge in the winter then this will almost certainly result in a major failure of your pool structure, regardless of whether you have a concrete pool, fiberglass pool or vinyl liner pool. If you have an isolation cover like a tarp, the water level in the pool should remain constant over the winter. If you have a porous cover like a safety cover then the water level in your pool should rise over the winter as rain and snow makes its way into the pool. In addition to watching for leaking water, it is equally as important to monitor for raising water levels. Snow, ice and rain can add to the water in your pool and if the water level rises too high this can start to cause problems. An overfilled pool will allow water to leak out as the water level goes above the designed waterproof level. This water itself can cause damage slowly over time as it moves, however a much greater concern is water overfilling your pool and then experiencing a cold snap in the weather. An overfilled pool combined with a sudden re-freeze is a recipe for disaster. One of the most important points of winter pool maintenance is to take advantage of warmer stretches of weather when you can use a small submersible pump to lower the water level in the pool to normal winterized ranges and prevent it from overflowing. Lowering the water level below the mouth of the skimmer would be a good finishing point for draining down an overflowing pool - you do not want to drain too much since many pools need a high water level to help stabilize them in the ground. Just be sure to pump the water well away from the pool location!
Pool Cover Maintenance - You should regularly check on the integrity of your pool cover over the winter season. Tarp and waterbag covers in particular need to be checked often so that you can replace failed water bags before your cover falls into the pool. Waterbags are notorious for breaking easily, or developing holes from small critters like squirrels walking on top of them. Be sure to keep a small contingency of waterbags on hand at all times in the winter so that you can replace them as needed. You should only fill a waterbag 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way full with water as this allows room for expansion when the water in them freezes. With a tarp and waterbag system another winter concern you should watch out for is larger twigs, sticks or branches that fall onto the cover. These sharp objects can easily rip holes in paper-thin tarp pool covers so be sure to remove debris from in and around your pool as you notice it. If you have a safety cover on your pool then you might want to periodically use your maintenance pole and brush to pull snow off of the cover. Safety covers are strong, and designed to take snow loading, but it is still possible to stretch out the steel hardware and cause rips in the straps and cover sections. This is even more important if you have a solid safety cover as opposed to a mesh safety cover which will allow the snow to melt into the pool.
Pool Heater Winter Maintenance - Since the pool heater is typically the most expensive piece of equipment on the equipment pad, logic dictates that you want to do everything you can to protect it from damage. Unfortunately pool heaters tend to develop pests over the winter season. If you need more information about the winterizing process you can read this article about how to winterize a pool heater. It used to be that pool heaters were all standing pilot operated with no electrical components. Modern day pool heaters all require an electrical control circuit at minimum. If you have a digital pool heater then be absolutely certain that you turn off the electrical breaker that feeds the heater. Many pool owners just have the heater turned off at the control panel, but if there is still power reaching the heater then the internal electrical transformer will be energized. An energized transformer produces heat. If you leave a tiny space heater running inside of your pool heater during the winter then do not be surprised if some little creature moves into this cozy home during the colder months.
The www.SwimmingPoolSteve.com website is a HUGE resource for pool and spa owners to learn from an industry expert. If you found this article on winter pool maintenance helpful then you might also benefit from one of these additional articles:
8 Part Video Pool Winterizing Series
What Happens If You Drain A Pool For The Winter?
How To Measure & Install A Pool Safety Cover For Any Pool
Common Mistakes Pool Owners Make When Opening Their Pool
How To Open A Swimming Pool In The Spring
Top content from www.SwimmingPoolSteve.com
Pool and spa chemistry crash course
New pool owner guide
The Swimming Pool Steve blog
Have a question - ask Steve
Swimming Pool Steve is an award winning, second generation swimming pool specialist from Ontario Canada and one of the most trusted voices in the swimming pool industry. With over 20,000,000 views on the Swimming Pool Steve YouTube Channel, winner of the Pleatco Pool & Spa Industry Leadership award and author of hundreds of pool and spa articles both online and in print. Steve is committed to helping pool and spa owners as well as pool and spa industry workers learn more about the technical side of building, renovating, repairing and maintaining all types of swimming pools and spas. Follow Swimming Pool Steve on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Paid PDF Books From Swimming Pool Steve
Steve's Pool Survival Guide
The Swimming Pool Steve Pool Survival Guide is intended to help pool owners understand their pool and pool equipment better, understand water chemistry, water testing and chemical corrections to the water, troubleshoot the most common pool problems and have confidence in interacting and caring for their pool in the fastest possible frame of time. Also covers pool safety, things to avoid and how to operate your pool more efficiently.
Salt Water Recommendations
Are you considering upgrading to salt water in your pool? In this paid PDF Steve talks about which pools should avoid using salt water. Find out concerns about using salt in your pool but also the potential benefits of salt water. Finally hear which specific brand and model of salt chlorine generator Steve thinks is the best option currently available to pool owners and how to choose the right size salt system for your pool.
New Pool Heater Buyer's Guide
In this guide Swimming Pool Steve will help you to better understand your heater options as well as which would be best suited for your pool. Learn about BTU output and sizing of both gas/propane heaters as well as electric heat pumps for residential swimming pools. You will also learn about which specific brands and models of currently available pool heaters Steve likes to recommend. If you are thinking of adding a new pool heater to your equipment pad this buyer's guide would be a useful resource to help you make a more informed buying decision.
New Pool Installation Value Guide
This is a value shopping guide written by Swimming Pool Steve to help home owners hiring for a new pool installation to get the maximum value for their investment with tips about how to protect your interests during the vetting, hiring and pool installation process. Anyone serious about having a pool installed will find value in this guide. Pool installers will sell the pool package that is best for them - not for you! Become an informed value shopper with this PDF guide.
Endorsed Brands From Swimming Pool Steve
The following links and products are to affiliates of the Swimming Pool Steve website. These are brands, products and services hand selected by Steve for endorsement. Please note that these endorsements can include monetary compensation, affiliate links and referral fees to Swimming Pool Steve, however there is zero additional cost to you should you use one of these products or services. Income generated from these links helps to keep this pool and spa resource available for everyone. To have your product or service considered for listing here as an endorsed brand email SwimmingPoolSteve@gmail.com.
Amazon Disclosure Statement - As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
www.PoolPartsToGo.com
New Black + Decker variable speed pumps are available online from www.PoolPartsToGo.com and they are a drop in replacement for many popular pump models including Pentair Superflo and Hayward Super Pumps. With an adjustable platform base, union connections included and a very strong warranty these pumps offer an impressive value to pool owners.
- Swimming Pool Steve