This guide offers tips for off-season pool maintenance. Learn how to care for your pool and keep it in great shape until swimming season returns.
Swimming pool with winter cover installed
Performing pool maintenance during the swimming season is essential for enjoying your pool. It’s also important to perform maintenance to prep your pool for the off-season and to give it some attention during the months that it’s not in use.
Off-season pool maintenance is one of the keys to keeping your pool in good working condition. It protects your pool equipment and helps prevent expensive repairs. Off-season maintenance also ensures that opening your pool come springtime goes as smoothly as possible.
What are some of the keys to off-season pool maintenance?
1. Clean the Water
It shouldn’t surprise any pool owner to learn that one last cleaning before the off-season must be done before shutting your pool down for the winter.
You’ll want to clean it just as you would throughout the season and do it as thoroughly as possible. This includes vacuuming, brushing the walls, and removing any debris. One last good cleaning prevents bacteria growth and staining when your pool is not in use.
The WinterPill AquaPill Pool Clarifier and Sanitizer (SKU: 90125APL) offers an all-in-one formula to make winterizing your pool faster and easier than ever.
2. Balance and Stabilize Your Water Chemistry
Adjusting the pH of your pool’s water is one of the best things you can do before shutting it down for the season. It protects the liner and equipment and prevents off-season damage from calcium and unbalanced alkalinity.
It’s also a fairly easy task. You can use a winterizing chemical kit to keep the water exactly as it should be, even when you aren’t monitoring it on a daily basis. The Summer Smiles Closing Kit (SKU: 3007722) is one of the best options available.
3. Lower the Water Level
Once the general cleaning and maintenance are out of the way, you can focus on the end-of-year tasks. This includes lowering the water level to below the skimmer so the water doesn’t expand and damage the skimmer or plumbing when the temperature drops below freezing. Exactly how much you lower the level depends on your pool type.
For example, vinyl-lined pools often require only a slight drop, while concrete or fibreglass pools may need the water lowered a bit more to prevent freeze-related pressure on the structure.
4. Protect Your Plumbing
To further protect against damage caused by freezing, you’ll want to add antifreeze and blow out the pool's water lines. This step helps keep pipes from cracking or developing leaks during long periods of cold weather. We love Summer Smiles Ice Away Antifreeze (SKU: 3007375). It’s a good value and works well.
Now is also a good time to drain and store away your pumps, heaters, and filters so these components stay clean, dry, and protected until you're ready to reopen.
5. Take Care Of Your Pool Cover
If you don’t already have a reliable pool cover, now is the time to invest in one. Some people use them year-round, but it’s essential during the winter months.
If you already have a pool cover, you’ll want to inspect it toward the end of the season to make sure it’s functional. Look for tears and make sure it doesn’t sag once you put it in the pool.
You’ll want to invest in a cover that stands up to harsh Canadian winters, including the weight of the snow. The Premium Poly Pool Cover by SwimWerx works great for winter weather.
6. Monitor It Monthly
If you invest the appropriate amount of time and effort into closing your pool for the season, you won’t need to do too much during the winter. However, it’s still a good idea to run a quick visual inspection monthly to make sure the pool cover is secure and there’s no apparent damage or debris buildup.
As Spring Nears
As temperatures climb above freezing, chances are your thoughts will turn to warm days lounging by your pool. It might not be time for opening it yet, but there are a few things you can do to make the process easier when pool season is just a few weeks away.
Late winter and early spring are great times to consider whether you’ll need to replace any older equipment or stock up on chemicals and supplies. This way, you can get right to swimming once the weather is warm enough.
Quality Pool Products
If you want to keep your pool in good shape so opening it for swimming season is as easy as possible, we can help. Visit us at Pool Products Canada. We offer a wide range of pool cleaners, accessories, and maintenance supplies to help you keep your pool and your pool equipment running at their best.