With summer coming to a close, that sadly means many people will be closing their pools. As the leaves change, winterizing your pool seems like a tall task. However, it doesn’t have to be! To ensure your pool is glistening clean next summer, here are 7 easy and simple pool closing tips.

  1. Start a Week Early. When you want to close your pool, it is best to wait until the water temperature is consistently 65 degrees or lower. Closing at a higher temperature will promote algae growth and risk a messy opening next summer. The week prior to closing your pool, add a phosphate remover or a chemical your pool company recommends to further prevent any algae blooms.
  2. Remove All Debris. Preventing algae growth is the main goal of winterizing your pool. By cleaning your pool prior to closing for the winter, your spring opening will be much easier. You will need to brush down the sides and floor of the pool, skim off debris from the surface, and clean out the skimmer and pump baskets.
  3. Prevent Freezing. If you have a LOOP-LOC lined pool and live in an area where your pool can freeze over, ensure that your water level s 4-6 inches below the skimmer. Since water expands when it freezes, keeping water at that level will keep the liner in pristine condition and prevent the skimmer from being damaged.
  4. Chemical Balance. Using a kit from your local pool store, test your water and see what chemicals are needed. For the most part, if your pool has been in use and maintained prior to closing, nothing out of the ordinary will be needed other than chlorine and shock. Chlorinating and shocking your pool will kill any bacteria that will fester during the winter. If you can shock a few days prior, that would be ideal. If that is not possible, shock and chlorinate the night before putting on a safety cover and that should do the trick!
  5. Drain Pool Lines and Add Antifreeze. As with your home, pipes freezing is a real possibility for your pool lines. That is why you need to take precautions in preventing that from occurring. All of your pool filtering equipment - pool filter, pool pump, pool heater, etc. - should have a valve that allows water to drain out of it. Once that is done, use a liner vacuum to suck out any remaining water. If you live an area where the temperature reaches freezing, pour antifreeze into the pool lines to ensure that the lines are protected from the weather and prevent any costly repairs that could occur.
  6. Install a Safety Cover. Safety for your family and protecting your pool is a priority. The key to a proper safety cover installation is to first clean the surrounding pool area. Once all the debris is cleared, a local LOOP-LOC dealer will install the safety cover. Ensuring that it is anchored properly and tightly sealed across the pool, a LOOP-LOC safety cover will keep out any critters and provide safety for family and friends who visit your backyard oasis.
  7. Check Monthly. Finally, once you have successfully closed your pool for the offseason, make sure to periodically check your safety cover that it stays properly secured. Once you do that, you will be on the path for a clean pool for spring opening!

The end of summer is inevitable. The best thing you can do is to set your pool up for success next summer! By following these pool closing tips, you will be swimming over a crystal clear pool liner with no problem the next time you open up your pool.