How do you winterize a pool?

Answer 1

What kind of pool..(in ground)...? Drain all water from hoses & lines.... especially the filter motor........if in ground.......you may have to blow out the under ground lines....and add non-toxic anti-freeze...let a professional do this.....above ground.....lower water level to 2ft.

Answer 2

Closing a salt water generated pool, is really not much different than a normally chlorinated one. The only difference is in what you will do with the cell. Generally, they are removed and cleaned at closing and the space it occupied in the Plumbing is plugged off. As this is an above ground, you may want to take the pump inside. Leave the filter where it is unless it's a cartridge filter. They're easy enough to bring in. I'm not sure if you have ever closed a pool before so I'll add some info that is good for most pools

Ideally, your closing starts a week before you actually get down to putting the cover on. Get your water balanced chemically first. That week allows you to do this.

On closing day: Vac the pool and drain it to just below the pool returns. They are typically the lowest point in the system. When drained to that point, add in a winterizing chemical kit (most pool shops sell them), they typically contain an algaecide, shock and sequestering agent . You're done at the pool for the moment. Head over to your pool equipment. If this is a sand filtered pool, you ought to have done a backwash, during the draining process, to clean out the filter. If a D.E. pool, then the same applies to clean off the elements. You can remove them later for a thorough cleaning. If a cartridge filter, just remove the cartridge and clean at your leisure.

For all filter types, there will be a drain plug, remove it and keep it out.

Over to the pump. All pumps will have 2 plugs, one midway back on one side and one directly in front. Remove them and place them in the pump basket along with your filter drain plug. It's a nice , safe place, that you won't lose them in, as you'll leave the pump basket right where it is. This next part all depends on your pool plumbing, you'll have to decide the best route as they are all plumbed differently and the many different ways to blow out lines would be a book unto itself. You'll need to tap into both the return and the suction lines. Typically for the returns, you disconnect a line between your filter and heater (if equipped) and for the suction, you can go directly in from the front of the pump, without disconnecting anything. Doing it this way, will allow you to blow all the water out of the heater, pool returns, any waterfall or fountain(if equipped) or attached spa. Same goes for the suction line for skimmer, in wall suction for a pool cleaner and attached spa suctions (if equipped). You can rent a line blower from a renta all or your local pool shop. Blow out the lines, until you only see a tiny dribble at the pool, both suction and return. Charge the line with plumber's antifreeze (not automotive) and blow that through to the pool, for all lines. When you see the dye colour of the antifreeze at the pool, it means that the antifreeze protection is sufficient. Plug with your telflon taped winter plugs, all lines ending at the pool. Put something squishable (empty chemical containers or an old partially filled inner tube) into the skimmer to protect it from freeze damage. Remove the pressure guages from the filter and put them in the pump basket with your equipment plugs.

There are 3 basic types of pool heater, electric, gas and solar. You don't mention which you have, so I'll assume if you do have one, it's gas. Open the drain cocks on both sides of the heater header (you blew out all the water , when doing the lines, should just be a little anti freeze that dribbles out) and disconnect the pressure switch from it's compression fitting. No need to store it, just let it hang from it's electrical wires. Turn off both the gas valve on the interior and the gas feed line going to the heater. Toss a couple of moth balls inside the heater, to deter mice and Spiders from nesting and clogging gas orifices as well as pulling out insulation.You're done here. Any pipes you disconnected during the blow out process should be hooked back up. If the equipment is located in a sheltered environment, nothing else need be done. If out of doors, some form of lean to would be a good idea. Don't wrap up the equipment in plastic. There's no cross flow ventilation and it willl expidite corrosion. Just something over head works. Sweep out leaves from the area around the pump motor as well. They promote corrosion.

Cover time. If your pool cover has a different colour on each side, pick your favourite. You'll be looking at it for a few months and it doesn't matter which side of a polytarp faces down.

Add a little water from your tap to the top of the cover now. It'll help stabilize it in a high wind situation, until it fills naturally with precipitation. If the water was balanced, all equipment winterized and lines blown and the cover stays on, you should have a pool that looks and behaves exactly as it did when you closed it, upon pool opening in the spring. That's about it. I can't be more specific, without a bit more info on the pool, they are all done slightly differently and differ in equipment, but this will get you started and contains all the important bits. Go have a beer or 10. You've been at it for at least 3 hours from start to finnish

Answer 3

This is a link I found to be useful. I have an above ground saltwater pool. Good luck. http://ezinearticles.com/?Above-Ground-Pool-Winterization-is-Not-Just-About-Pool-Chemicals&id=1492615

Answer 4

Clean it and protect it from the weather. Or, do like I do and use it all winter long. Fine grilled food can be enjoyed all the time. Switch to slow cooking on the grill in colder months. Slow cooking does not require constant attention, like grilling a steak, burgers and hotdogs. Slow cooking is just that slow; faster than smoking, think of it as an outdoor oven for roasting for whole birds including turkey, large beef and pork roasts. Ever had meatloaf from a grill? There's nothing like it. The only attention to this cooking method is that you need to do is add some coals once in awhile. Something I easily take care of during football commercials breaks.

Answer 5

yes you do close the pool actually you call the buliders of the pool and ask them when it is time to winterize it.