October 25th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

Protect Your Swimming Pool in Winter with This No-Nonsense Guide

As the weather starts to turn colder, you’re probably not going to want to swim in an outdoor pool anymore. However, you shouldn’t make the mistake of just covering up your pool and forgetting about it. Cold weather and lack of use can lead to your pool’s pipes freezing and becoming damaged or becoming clogged up with mould and algae. This can cause a real headache when the outdoor swimming season starts again as you’re left with expensive clean-up or repairs to carry out. To prevent this, you can winterise your swimming pool! With the right products, winterising your pool is simple and affordable, so follow our step-by-step guide below to learn how to do it.

Pick Up Some Swimming Pool Winteriser

Before you do anything else, you’ll need to pick up a swimming pool winteriser. Winteriser is a chemical solution that helps protect your pool through the winter, but not all winterisers are equal – some do a better job than others! We recommend Pro-Kleen’s Swimming Pool Winteriser as it’ll protect your swimming pool from both algae and limescale buildup. It’s also very easy to use and doesn’t require you to completely drain your swimming pool system. For a detailed step-by-step guide to winterising your pool, keep reading!

Step 1: Wait Until the Time is Right

It’s a good idea to wait until the temperatures drop to below 10°C before you clean your pool. The colder temperatures will help the cleaning chemicals to work more effectively.

Step 2: Adjust Your Pool’s pH

You probably already have some pH adjusters for your pool (and if you don’t, you can find pH increasers and pH reducers on our website), so before you start winterising your pool you should increase the pH of your water. You don’t need to increase it by much, only to around 7.2-7.6. This is because cold water is naturally slightly more corrosive and damaging to your pipes, so making your pool water more alkaline will help counteract this.

Step 3: Prepare Your Pool

Prepare to clean your pool by making sure any autumn leaves and other debris is removed from the water’s surface. You should also backwash your pool’s filter to make sure it’s thoroughly cleaned out.

Step 4: Shock Dose with Chlorine

Use some non-stabilised chlorine granules to “shock dose” your pool. Use a lot – about 700 grams of chlorine granules for every 10,000 gallons of water. Make sure you’re using stabiliser-free granules – this type of chlorine doesn’t last very long, so it’ll wipe out any bacteria or algae spores in your pool then dissipate within a few hours. Leave your pool alone for around 3-4 hours to let the chlorine circulate through your pool’s system.

Step 5: Lower the Water Level

Close your skimmer valves and lower the water level until it’s about 5cm lower than your skimmer or jets. Don’t let all the water out – leave some to circulate in the bottom drain. Leaving a bit of water in your pool will protect your pool lining from frost damage over the winter.

Step 6: Add the Winteriser

Add your Swimming Pool Winteriser while the water is still circulating in the bottom drain. This will ensure it’s thoroughly mixed in with your pool water so your pool is protected from algae and limescale all winter long. Use 1L of Winteriser for every 10,000L of water.

Step 7: Remove Ladders

If you have ladders, diving boards, or summer covers that are detachable, remove them now. You don’t want them to be damaged by ice, so store them in a shed or attic away where they’re protected from the cold.

Step 8: Switch Off and Drain Your Pump

Turn off your pool’s power supply and drain the pump, filter, and water heater. Make sure you look after your O-rings so you can use them again in when spring arrives!

Step 9: Disconnect Your Pump

Remove your pump and keep it stored somewhere safe. Pumps are particularly at risk from freezing, and while the winteriser and other chemicals in your pool do lower the freezing temperature of your water a little, pumps can still freeze and crack if the weather gets cold enough. Keep your pump stored somewhere it’s protected from the cold, preferably indoors.

Step 10: Close the Valves

Close any valves that are below water level. Leave the valves above water level open – this will protect your pipes from frost damage.

Step 11: Tie Some Bottles Together

This is an important step that many people miss, but it’s a real lifesaver for pool owners! Half-fill some polythene bottles (the one your Swimming Pool Winteriser comes in is perfect!) with sand or anti-freeze solution, seal them up and let them float in your pool. You can use plastic milk bottles, old bottles from gardening supplies, or anything else that’ll float and which has a bit of give. The weight added to the bottle will make sure it floats right-side up. It’s smart to tie these bottles together so that they float an even distance apart. Why is this important? Well, these bottles will act as a frost break – when water freezes, it expands, and that expansion has to go somewhere. If you don’t use frost breaks, that expanding water just pushes against the side of your pool which can cause serious damage if you’re not careful. By adding frost breaks to your pool, they’ll absorb the pressure from the expanding water, protecting the sides and lining of your pool.

Step 12: Cover Your Pool

The last step in preparing your pool for winter is an easy one; simply cover it with a heavy-duty winter pool and you’re done! However, you shouldn’t forget about your pool altogether – check it periodically to make sure your water looks healthy and the pH is still at the right level. Pro-Kleen’s Swimming Pool Winteriser features algaecide so your pool should stay healthy, but you can add another dose of algaecide if you think it’s necessary.