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Basic Winterizing Tasks
Cleaning the Filter If you have a sand filter, clean the sand some time during the week before closing with a recognized filter sand cleaner according to the manufacturers instructions. If you have a d. E. Or cartridge filter, you can clean the media after you have finished closing the pool, again using a recognized cartridge or d. E. Filter cleaner. Chemical Treatment The chemical treatment for closing your pool is an on going process which begins one week before the actual closing. Removing the Deck Equipment Inground pools: on the morning of the day you are closing the pool, remove the safety line and ladder.* Diving boards and slides can be left on the pool over the winter, but we suggest cleaning them and wrapping them with builders plastic. Aboveground pools: you usually only have a ladder to remove Caution: when removing inground ladders ensure protective bumbers do not fall off or you will damage your liner. Lowering the Water Level Before lowering the water level, brush and vacuum the pool thoroughly with the filter set to the drain or waste position. For inground pools, set the suction line control valve to drain water only from the main drain. Set the dial valve on your filter to the backwash position for 5 minutes then set it to the waste or drain position and continue to drain water until the level is just below the return jets. If you do not have a flow control valve, or if you have an above ground pool, use your vacuum or submersible pump to lower the water level. Inground Skimmer Remove the skimmer basket and store in a safe place. Lower the waterlevel of your pool at least 3" below the skimmer opening. Insert styro-foam rod through the front and rear hole of your skimmer. Be sure that you use approximately 3' of rope to reach below the winter frost line. Loop it over so that it will not float out during the winter months and can easily be removed in the spring. Thread in a gizzmo into the rear hole to prevent against winter cracking of your skimmer. Thread in a winter plug into the front hole. Seal the deck opening against rain and snow by taping a plastic sheet over it. Aboveground Skimmer Remove the skimmer basket and floating wier and store in a safe place. Lower the water level of your pool at least 6" below the skimmer opening. Disconnect filter hoses from skimmer and wall return fitting. Be sure that skimmer is kept free from water accumulation during the winter months. Automatic Chlorinators Drain all water from feeder (for inline, permanently installed units, remove drain plug). Carefully remove undissolved tablets, and rinse out chlorinator thoroughly with water. Replace cover and engage 1 1/2 turns. Automatic Brominators Drain the brominator completely and remove the brominating tablets. Flush the brominator thoroughly with fresh water. Leave brominator open during the winter. Remove drain plug and store in safe place. Filter and Pump Completely drain tank by unscrewing drain cap at the base of the filter tank. Leave cap off during winter. Depress vari-flo control valve handle and rotate so as to set pointer on the valve top between any position. This will allow water to drain from the valve. Leave valve in this "inactive" position. Some filters may have the vari-flo valve on the side of the filter tank remove any pressure gauges and sight glass. Drain pump by removing drain plugs on the lint pot. Winterizing Your Heater IMPORTANT. In areas where freezing temperatures occur, the heater must be completely drained prior to the first frost. Serious damage to the heater is likely if water freezes inside the heater and piping.Your professional pool heater service technician is knowledgeable on preparing and protecting a heater for cold winter areas and can provide that service for you. If you choose to do so yourself, please be sure to carefully follow all instructions: 1. Turn the gas valve to the OFF position. The pilot will go out and not relight until you manually relight it the following season. (See section Starting up your heater for relighting.) 2. Completely drain the heater of all water by opening all the drain valves and plugs. There is one drain valve and one drain plug on the left side of the heater and one drain valve on the right side. It is recommended that you make sure no additional water remains by using an air compressor to blow out any standing water in the heat exchanger. 3. Leave the drain valves and plugs open until it is time to use the heater again. 4. Lightly but thoroughly grease the threads on the heater where you removed the drain valves and plugs. 5. Disconnect the copper tubing at the pressure switch. Winterizing Chemical Instructions At least 3 days before closing you should add a concentrated fast acting clarifier to the pool water as per manufactures instructions. On the Night Before Closing... 1st - check the p.H. And adjust if necessary to 7.2 2nd - superchlorinate the pool with 10 lt. Of liquid chlorine or 2 kg of granular unstabilized chlorine. On the Day of Closing... 1st - apply 1 lt. Stain & scale control around the entire perimeter of the pool water. 2nd - immediately after step 1, pre-mix 1 lt. Of concentrated algaecide with a pail of water and pour it around the entire perimeter of the pool. 3rd - about 2 hours before turning your filter off, broadcast 1 kg. Of oxidizer over the entire surface of the pool. Cover Installation Before installing the cover, make sure the water level in the pool is no more than 18" below the coping for water bag covers and abovegrounds, and no more than 15" for lock in covers. Closed Season Attention Needed Check the water level in the pool regularly over the winter. If you are losing water, keep the pool topped up until the leak can be found and repaired next spring. Drain excess water off the cover as it builds up. Remove leaves and debris from the cover during the fall. Use a pool leaf rake, not your leaf skimmer or it will damage it. Add a small amount of algaecide to a pail of water and pour it into the water on top of the cover every couple of weeks during the fall and spring. |
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