Proper care of your pool is essential to keep it in optimal condition throughout the year. When the swimming season comes to an end and winter approaches, it is crucial to know the pool wintering process.
As we have already mentioned, this is a process that takes place at the end of the pool season, generally before the arrival of winter or of cold temperatures that prevent its use. The main objective is to protect it from damage caused by low temperatures and frost, as well as reduce the maintenance required during the period of inactivity.
In addition, you will also ensure that it is ready for next season bathroom Therefore, in this article we tell you everything you need to know to winterize your pool effectively, thus guaranteeing its durability and water quality.
Benefits of hibernating the pool
Hibernating the pool, or carrying out the wintering process, offers a series of important benefits. Below we talk about some of the most notable ones:
- The wintering of the pool protects your structure and systems against the harmful effects of low temperatures and frost. It prevents water from freezing and expanding and therefore its useful life will be prolonged.
- Winterizing your pool can save you money in the long run by reduce the risk of algae appearance in the water and the need to maintenance and repairs expensive in winter. Preventing damage is always better than having to spend on expensive repairs.
- Using the right products and maintenance of water balance During the winter they will help maintain water quality. This way, when you use your pool again, it will be easier and faster to start it up.
- Finally, when carrying out this process you will not have to empty the pool, so you will also be saving water and money, as well as the moment of emptying and everything that this entails in terms of cleaning. Also you will avoid the risk of cracking of the walls and they will be less exposed to inclement weather.
For all these reasons, winterizing the pool is a recommended practice: it protects your investment, simplifies maintenance, saves water and time and guarantees its quick start-up in the next season.
When should the pool be winterized?
The right time to winter the pool It generally depends on the region you are in and local weather conditions. This will mean that you will have to do it sooner or later in the year. But, regardless of this, you will have to wait for the water temperature is below 15 ºCOtherwise, the water could spoil and this process would not help us at all.
How should the pool be winterized?
As you may have seen, winterizing the pool effectively is an essential process to protect it during the winter season and ensure its good condition for the next swimming season. Here we present the key steps To winterize your pool:
- Start by cleaning thoroughly the pool. Use a brush and, if necessary, apply a descaling or a anti-algae for pool. Also, be sure to pass the pool cleaner to eliminate any suspended particles.
- Keep the pH values of water in the range of 7.2-7.6. Use specific chemicals to analyze and adjust pH as needed.
- Make a shock chlorination to help keep water free of contaminants during the period of inactivity.
- Leave the filtration system of the pool to keep the water circulating. This contributes to the proper distribution of products and avoids stagnation problems.
- The day after the previous steps, add a swimming pool winterizer and ensure that the filtration system is running for at least 8 hours to achieve a uniform distribution of the winterizer in the water.
- The day after adding the winterizer, perform a complete filter wash to maintain its efficiency and performance during the downtime period.
- If you are in an area with very cold winters, it is recommended lower the water level Below the skimmers, empty the lines and filter, and place floating objects, such as a hibernation float, to relieve ice pressure on the pool surface.
- Instead, in more temperate climates, it is advisable to do work the filter periodically, whenever possible, to keep water moving and prevent stagnation problems.
- don't forget cover the pool with a good winter cover to protect her. If you do not have one, it is advisable that you periodically remove with a leaf collector dirt and leaf debris that may be present.
It is important to repeat the addition of the wintering product every 3 months to maintain adequate protection throughout the winter. In addition, you must be aware of whether the filter pressure gauge shows that it is in the red band, as it will be necessary to carry out a backwash to clean the filters.
In case of torrential rains, perform a shock treatment and then check the chlorine and pH.
By following these steps, you will be able winterize your pool efficiently and keep it protected during the winter, making it easier to start up next season!
Passive wintering VS active wintering
Winterizing a pool can be carried out in two ways: passive wintering and active wintering. Each approach has its own advantages and considerations, and the choice between one or the other depends on what you prefer and your budget. And in pools and products we want you to have all the information so you can make the best decision!
You can opt for the active wintering if your pool does not have a winter cover, if you want to enjoy the views of your pool during the winter and if you want a quick start-up in spring. It is ideal for locations where winters are mild.
Instead, opt for the passive wintering if you do not want to be aware of leaks, if you have a winter cover and if your pool is located in a place with a high risk of freezing. In this case you must turn off the filtration system completely. It is common to carry it out in second homes.
Remember that you can get your pool cover as well as your greenhouse and much more in our pool and product store!