Maintenance
What Do I Do With My Pool Over Winter?
The age old question of what to do with my pool when it’s not being used.
Well you have two main options
Forget about it and let it turn into a frog pond until it warms up again or
Keep it clean!
The most economical way to maintain your pool is by continuing to look after it. It will save you a lot of time, money and effort in the long run. Anything else is a false economy!
When summer returns, you’ll have to spend even more time and money to bring back the science experiment that was created in your pool by ignoring it over winter!
Some easy suggestions to help you through the winter months –
Firstly, keep safe.
Always add chemicals to water in a bucket and never add water to chemicals
Never mix different chemicals together
Always read chemical labels and follow their advice.
Cleaning your pool
Remove all floating debris by scooping and vacuuming
Clean your filtration equipment
Empty baskets, skimmer & pump lint pot
Clean your filter
Backwash the sand filter; or
Hose out the cartridge filter; or
Take apart the D/E filter and clean; and
Clean chlorinator cell if required.
Re-balancing chemicals. Adjust the alkalinity level to between 80-120ppm.
To increase the alkalinity, add sodium bicarbonate to the pool (never more than two kilos per day)
The re-balancing of alkalinity (to lower levels) will be addressed when re-balancing the pH levels.
Adjust pH to between 7.2-7.6
To reduce the pH Level, add pool acid (no more than 500mls at a time)
To increase the pH Level, add soda ash.
Super chlorinate your pool
Remove your pool cover and only replace after the chlorine has returned to normal range
Shock dose your pool with 500gms of granular chlorine for a 50,000 litre pool (or 10 litres of liquid chlorine).
Add algaecide
Add a long life algaecide, at the recommended dosage, to the specific volume of pool water.
Run your pool filtration equipment
Run for at least eight hours to thoroughly mix chemicals during the process of re-balancing
Adjust the filter timer to operate between 3-4 hours per day to maintain over the winter.
Use a pool cover!
If installing a pool cover over winter, wait until the chlorine level has reduced to between 2-3ppm.
Reduce the Chlorine Production Output (CPO on your chlorinator). The pool cover will maintain 90% of the chlorine (produced by your chlorinator) in the pool, as opposed to loosing 70% of chlorine in an uncovered pool. A pool cover is really worth it!
Check the chlorine level after one week. If the result is between 2- 3ppm, you will only need to check levels every two weeks thereafter. If the level is higher, you will need to reduce the chlorine production (via CPO) and re-check levels one week later.
Check and adjust the pH level every two weeks.
The water level must sit half way up the skimmer box. Don’t forget that you will need to drain water out of your pool after rain.
Don’t ever completely drain your pool as hydrostatic pressure can cause serious damage – even to the extent of having pools ‘pop’ out of the ground!
Keep an eye on the pool every few weeks, remove any floating debris and even vacuum! With just a bit of time and a watchful eye over the winter months, you will save you a lot when the summer comes along! And it will be ready for you!
If you need any assistance with your pool, check in with one of our Daisy Experts for advice.
