What Pool Maintenance Items Should Be Done In The Winter?

For the majority of pool owners, we recommend that they operate the pool year round. We typically do not recommend closing swimming pools. The only situation where it may be determined to shut down the pool is if the ongoing maintenance is too much for the client to handle, and they choose not to have the pool professionally maintained by us or another service.

While completely shutting down a pool during the colder months may seem on the surface like a good idea since it will not be utilized, there are several issues that may arise that should be considered before that decision is made.

Pumps and Motors:

The pumps/motors installed with your pool are designed to operate continually. While timers may be installed on a pool to intermittently shut the equipment off, which is acceptable, leaving equipment designed to operate continuously off for extended periods of time creates the opportunity for the bearings to lock, and for the equipment to require repair prior to the pool being available when warm weather returns.

In addition, maintaining chemical levels within a consistent range requires continual balance, and today’s modern equipment is designed to run continually so that those levels are simple to maintain. By shutting off the equipment, outside temperature, sunlight, and other environmental factors create a situation where chemical levels begin to fluctuate into ranges where the finish and fixtures of the pool may be impacted by poor water quality. It also makes getting the chemistry back to an acceptable level when the pool is re-opened more difficult, which may impact the immediate usability of the pool.

How Do I Winterize My Pool?

If a homeowner does decide that closing the pool is the best option, then they should properly winterize and chemically treat the pool. The processes to do this depend upon the type of protective pool cover that is installed.

Winterization with A Mesh Cover:

If a mesh safety cover is in place, it is recommended that they continue to operate the pump and motor through the off-season, and to continually chemically treat the pool. This is normally on a monthly timeline during the colder months and bi-weekly during the warmer months, and is our preferred method to operate in this situation. The pool can be completely shut down when a mesh cover is in place, but the pool will be required to operate longer into the cooler Fall months, and the pool will require opening earlier in the Spring before the temperature gets too warm. In addition, the pool will need to be checked periodically throughout the winter, and additional chemicals will need to be added to ensure that the sunlight and the rainfall that is able to penetrate the mesh does not enable algae to grow. Algae grows quickly in the right environment, creating stain and maintenance issues when the pool is re-opened.

Winterization With A Solid Safety Cover:

A retractable safety cover protects your pool.If a solid safety cover is installed, then the pool can be completely closed by winterizing the equipment, shutting the pump and motor off, winterizing the plumbing and the skimmers, installing gizmos in the skimmers, plugging and blowing out all lines, balancing the water, and chemically treating the pool with an algaecide and an increased amount of chlorine so that a chlorine residual remains in the water until the pool is reopened when warm weather returns.

A solid or mesh safety cover can be added to any existing pool if a homeowner wishes to upgrade from a mesh cover to reduce Winter maintenance efforts.

Winterization With A Retractable Safety Cover:

Another option is a retractable safety cover. This should be strongly considered, even when the pool is operated continuously, if there are extended periods where the home/pool is unattended, such as situations when the home is a second home, or the homeowner is going to be away from their house for an extended trip.

A retractable safety cover, while more expensive, and with additional mechanics to maintain, is a good option as a pool cover for people who want to make full use of their pool and be able to swim in the colder months. The cover can be left in place, acting as an insulator to help retain heat from a heated pool. The retractable cover minimizes the costs of heating the pool in the Winter months due to this limited insulating ability. In some jurisdictions, a retractable safety cover is allowed in lieu of traditional safety barrier requirements, such as fences, and this may offset the cost of the cover.

Operating A Pool Year Round:

A pool that is operated year round offers several advantages, the biggest being that it remains viable to entertain poolside, even when the temperature may not be conducive for actually getting in the water. In the South, there are many times where the outside temperatures are very comfortable through-out the late Fall and Winter, and to be able to enjoy reading poolside, or to invite friends over for a cookout is an option when the pool looks as it did all summer.

An exception to this that may require a year-round operational pool to need a cover installed is in situations where there is heavy leaf fall activity, and the removal of the leaves on an ongoing basis is not feasible for the pool owner to tackle. 

The key to properly dealing with a pool in the off-season is to ensure that a proper option for your pool and your schedule is chosen. For homeowners that want to minimize their efforts, a pool maintenance contract is recommended. We offer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly options. The plan best for each customer is determined by how involved they want to be in the process.

With a weekly maintenance schedule, it involves services such as testing the water, balancing chemical levels, cleaning the water-line tile, vacuuming and brushing the interior of the pool, blowing or sweeping the terrace, and checking equipment to ensure all is operating normally.

With bi-monthly and monthly service plans, we provide the same services, but it is important that the homeowner performs some of these tasks between visits, or issues can arise. An option is for the homeowner to have weekly visits during the active usage time for the pool, and then change to a less frequent schedule during the off-season, as there are fewer problems to contend with due to the reduced usage of the pool.

Other services that are available with our maintenance plans include periodic cleaning of filters, repairing items that break, and replacing items such as leaking o-rings that have deteriorated. These items cannot be scheduled as part of the standard maintenance, so are billed for as an additional cost when they are required, rather than adding to the ongoing maintenance contract fees. We always consult with the client to explain what is involved with these type items before proceeding if they are discovered during our regular maintenance visit.

There are many choices to look at for dealing with the maintenance of a pool, and each one is dependent upon the unique situation and pool of the homeowner. If you would like to discuss what option would work best for your pool, we will be happy to share our knowledge to help you come to a conclusion. Aabstract Pools and Spas has years of experience in maintaining pool and spas built by us, as well as by other pool builders, in the Upstate of South Carolina , including Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Greenwood, Laurens, Clemson, and the surrounding areas.