Nowadays most people love to have a swimming pool in the garden of their home. Swimming is a great source of enjoyment in summer.
If you have a pool in your house then you might be in search of how to winterize an above-ground pool when summer is going to be an end. You might be thinking that winterizing is a complicated task but you can do it by preparing for it.
In this article, you will learn about the closing of an above-ground pool. If you will follow the mentioned instructions then you will surely winterize your pool successfully.
You can do the task by yourself or can get assistance from some professional. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What to do with Above Ground Pool in Winter?
When summer is at the end you need to do something that avoids collapses with your above-ground pool.
You can leave water in your pool in the winter but have to do some precautions for it.
Remove pool accessories and adjust the chemical level in the pool before closing it. If you will not take proper action then the ice in the winter can damage your pool.
Also, check the weather predictions for the next few days and if you notice a fall in temperature then immediately start the process to close the pool.
In the next sections, you will learn to winterize your pool using different methods.
How to Winterize an Above Ground Pool with a Sand Filter?
To winterize your above-ground pool it is important to keep all equipment safe. This is done so the equipment runs accurately in the next season.
You can maintain an above-ground filter with a sand filter for the winter by the following steps.
- First of all, you need to do a backwash. When you notice that the water in the nozzle is clear then you should turn the system off.
- Let the valve for rinsing approximately for one minute.
- Now you need to place the valve at winterizing position. In this way, you will let the water drain out of the valve.
- At this point, you should drain all the water from the filter tank. Unscrew the drain cap and remove it from the bottom of the barrel filter. Keep this cap in a safe place and don’t attach it until using your pool again. The sand of the sand filter is not bad even for five years, so don’t bother about the sand.
- In the end, you are good to go and disconnect the filter from all the holes. Take all the equipment and place them in a safe place.
How to Cover an Above Ground Pool with a Deck?
Most of the homeowners want to make a pool in their house but they think that the pool will take a lot of space that is why they design a deck in their garden that is similar to the actual pool.
But you have still need to cover your pool with a deck. So you need to cover it to avoid any damages.
There are three types of pool covers (solid, mesh, sliding). You can install any one of these three in the following manner.
- Drill the hardware in the deck to place the cover on the deck easily.
- Pull the cover over the deck then strap it with the hardware drilled in the deck.
- You might need to have the assistance of your friends or family if the cover is heavy.
- The straps should be fixed accurately; it might take some extra effort.
- Detach the cover in the next season by using a swimming pool and enjoy.
What Chemicals Do You Put in Your Pool for Winter?
Some chemicals can help you to keep your filter in a good shape.
First of all, put chlorine in your pool for the balanced chemistry of water and pH level. In this way, the water will be in a balanced position in the winter.
The chlorine shock treatment can also be enough for this. The other chemical that is solid and popular for winterizing an above-ground pool is Algaecide that kills algae and prevents it in the future.
Buy some stain prevention chemicals to winterize your pool. These chemicals will prevent the stains of iron or copper in the pool.
There is a chemical kit available for winterizing pools in the market. You can buy it and do the task.
Above Ground Pool Closing Instructions
To close an above-ground pool at the end of the season, follow the below instructions.
- Clean the pool from all the debris and vacuum it properly.
- Test the alkalinity and pH level of the water and adjust it.
- Buy a winterizing kit and add it to the pool. Be sure to follow the instructions of the manufacturer.
- Run the filter system of your pool for approximately one hour and then attach the winterizing skimmer on the thru-wall skimmer.
- Take a threaded winterizing plug and plug it inside water. It should be flushed in the light hosing.
- Expand the air pillow to the center of the pool.
- Now place the winter cover over the air pillow.
- To keep the cover away from wind damage, you can add some water to it.
- Empty the filter and remove all plugs. Let them dry and keep them in a safe place.
- Blow the excessive water in the pool heater. Be sure to clean the ice and snow from the winter cover when possible.
How to Drain an Above Ground Pool for Winter?
Sometimes you might think that it is good to drain the above-ground pool rather than winterizing.
- At first, check where you should dump the pool water. Like it contains chemicals. This can be found in the city guidelines about the pool. Most of the cities dispose of the water in the sewage.
- Cut the pool hose and attach a pipe with it. Keep one end of the pipe in your hand and quickly take it to the place where you have decided to dispose of the water.
- Now let the water drains out until the pool is empty.
How Far to Drain an Above Ground Pool for Winter?
The above-ground pool with a vinyl liner should be drained one inch below the skimmer bottom. But if you live in an area when there is heavy precipitation in winters then you can drain a few more inches down.
Conclusion
Having pools at the house is a favorable choice for many people, especially those living in hot areas. Pools serve as a source of cheap refreshment. However, as the cold days start to approach, people start thinking of how to winterize an above ground pool.