Yes, once again the neighbour’s tree is leaving leaves of beautiful autumn colours, inside your once pristine pool, causing that vein in your temple to pulsate with malcontent. Yes the colours of fall have many pool owners seeing red, which can mean only one thing!! It’s time to close the pool for the season!

Most people are daunted by this task. As professionals we will always go out to winterize a pool to ensure all equipment is cared for properly and the lines are clear. Some people have the notion of just covering the darn pool with the idea of “what I don’t see won’t hurt me”…until spring of course. Finally there are the inquisitive types like myself who if they must do it for themselves, then it must be done properly and I want to know how, this blogs for you!

Here are some reminders and helpful tips for those who are going through the closing pool blues. It is not as simple as throwing a tarp over a water filled hole in the ground. Closing a pool properly takes 7-5 days in prepping to ensure the pool, equipment and lines are going to be protected from the elements.

First, the water chemistry of the pool must be balanced, remember this pool is going to sit un-circulated, untreated and unwatched for the next six months. The pH should be raised to protect the vinyl liner and concrete pools need to watch the calcium levels to stop pitting or etching. This should circulate for 48 hrs to allow the pH levels to rise. Just run pump like a regular swim season.

Second, lets disinfect, by sanitizing the water. If you have green algae when you close chances are you will be seeing black in the spring. Not a pretty colour for water I might add. So make sure the water gets a good dose of chlorine. Triple shock for most pools and 6 times the amount if you have a safety cover, which allows a lot of the environment into your pool. This too should circulate for 48-24 hours.

Third, let’s lower the water down below the returns for most pools and below the skimmer for pools who deal with ground water issues. Once the water is lowered we can blow the lines with a shop vac and we also would recommend pouring ½ a liter of anti-freeze down each line. For those with a main drain in the skimmer insert some foam rope down the main drain hole and those who have it separate you must blow the main drain first. To blow the main drain you must blow until you see air bubbles and then turn the valve to create a vacuum seal.

Finally, the closing kits can be added and covers can be laid. Now that the water is at the proper level we can add our closing kits. Depending on the type of pool whether it’s an above ground, in-ground or salt pool, there are different kits to choose from. Remember to tell your pool store which type of pool you are closing so they can instruct you on which kit to use. Cover the pool and now you are ready for a season of shoveling the sidewalks. Next week’s blog ….winterizing the equipment!!

Relax….Paradise is Closer than you Think!!