Few things will bring you and your family more joy and entertainment during the hot summer months than a swimming pool. You can even use it occasionally in the fall depending on where you live! However, as temperatures begin to drop and cooler weather starts creeping in, it will be time to close your pool for the season.
To properly close your pool down for the winter, you'll need to winterize your pool filtration system. This will help prevent damage to the system and ensure it's ready to go for next year. Winterizing your pool filtration system is essential, whether you have an above ground pool or an in ground pool. However, the process may be different depending on the type of pool equipment you have.
Winterizing your pool pump and filter isn't overly difficult, but it's important that you do it properly. Otherwise, your filtration system may get damaged during the winter and you'll need to replace it for next year. This article will walk you through the steps of how to winterize your filtration system, as well as common problems to watch out for.
Risks of Not Winterizing Your Pool Filter System
Winterizing your pool is an important step in owning and caring for one. As a general rule, if you live in an area where the temperatures fall below freezing during winter, you should winterize your pool. If you don't, the water inside your pool filter will freeze, causing serious damage. Damage occurs because freezing water expands and can break piping, fittings, valves, or the tank itself.
The same is true of your pool pump and heater. When water freezes inside of these components, it expands and can damage them. Therefore, if you live in an area with freezing temperatures, ice, and snow, winterizing is essential.
Preparation Steps Before Winterizing
Before you get started with the winterization process, there are a few initial steps to perform. Doing these things will make for faster and easier winterization and will also ensure it's done properly.
Cleaning
The first step is to thoroughly clean your pool. That means using your pool vacuum to sweep and scrub the bottom and pool walls. You should also use your net to remove any floating debris. A clean pool is easier to winterize, and will also be less work when you open it for the next pool season.
Lowering the Water Level
Next, you'll want to lower the water level. This will help prevent freezing and will make it easier to properly mix your winterization chemicals. If you're using a mesh pool cover, lower the pool water one foot below the skimmer. For a solid winter cover, however, lower it six inches below the skimmer.
Gathering the Right Tools and Supplies
Once you've cleaned your pool and lowered the water level, you're ready to begin the winterization process. To properly winterize your pool, you'll need the following pool accessories and equipment:
• Filter cleaner
• Antifreeze
• Skimmer baskets and net
• Water testing kit
• Expansion plugs
• Alkalinity increaser and decreaser
How to Winterize Your Pool Filtration System: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you have all the supplies and equipment you'll need, let's start the winterization process!
Test and Adjust the Water Chemistry
You can test and adjust the water chemistry now or before you lower the water level. Either way, you'll want to use a water testing kit to get the chemistry just right. This will help prevent algae growth during winter, and ensure your pool water is ready to go for next year.
Using your water testing kit, ensure your water is set to the following parameters:
•Alkalinity: 80 to 150 ppm
• pH:2 to 7.6
• Calcium hardness: 175 to 275 ppm
Use chemicals and products to adjust the levels as needed.
Backwash the Filter
If you have a cartridge filter, you can skip this step. However, if you have sand filters, you'll need to backwash it before continuing.
Drain the Pump and Filter
Next, completely drain the pool pump and filter system so that it's completely empty of water. Consider using an air compressor to blow air through these components and ensure all the water is removed.
Use Winterization Chemicals and Drain Plugs
If you properly blew out and drained the pipes, filter, and pump, you don't need to add pool antifreeze. If you didn't, however, you should add antifreeze to these components to prevent freezing.
You should also add shock and algaecide to your pool before covering it up. These winterizing chemicals float in your pool and kill bacteria and algae as they appear.
Cover the Pool
Lastly, you're ready to install your pool cover for winter. This is the most important step, as it will keep your water as clean and warm as possible. Safety covers are your best option, as they are solid enough to keep animals, debris, and even people from falling through the cover and into the pool. However, any pool cover will do, as long as it completely encompasses the pool.
Removing your Filtration Equipment
Next, you're ready to remove your filtration equipment. It's important to note that removing the filtration equipment is optional, as some people choose to winterize their pump, whereas others leave it in place throughout the winter.
If you choose to remove your filtration equipment and pump, here's what you need to do:
Remove the Pump Motor and/or the Pump
Your first decision is whether you want to remove the entire pump or just the pump motor. If your pump has a pair of unions in front of and behind the pump, you can simply loosen the unions and remove the entire pump.
However, if your pump doesn't have unions, it's easier to simply remove the motor from the pump housing. To do that, remove the mounting bolts or clamp band that hold the motor in place. Or, if you have a Jacuzzi pool pump, you would loosen the mounting nut to remove the motor. Once you loosen the necessary fasteners, detach the pump from the motor and remove the motor.
Disconnect the Power Supply
Before doing anything with the electrical side of things, go to your breaker box and turn OFF the breaker that provides power to the pool pump. Next, if you have an above-ground pool, you can simply unplug and remove the pool pump.
However, if you have an in-ground pool, the pump will be hard-wired, so you must disconnect the wiring. To do that, follow the power supply wires providing power to the pump. Typically, they will connect to the bottom of the pump, but you'll need to remove a protective cover plate to access them.
Once you remove the cover plate, use a screwdriver to loosen the screws holding the wires in place. Cover the ends of the wires with wire nuts or electrical tape to protect you and anyone else from electrocution in case someone accidentally turns the pump breaker on. Lastly, loosen the ground screw, which should be located above the terminal board.
Loosen the Conduit Connected to the Pump
To remove the power wires from the pump, you'll first need to loosen the nut that attaches the conduit to the pump. You can do this using a wrench or a channel-lock tool. Once ready, detach the conduit from the pump and pull the wires out through the opening. Cover the conduit opening with electrical tape to keep rain out.
Remove the Bonding Wire
Last but not least, loosen and remove the bonding wire that attaches to the pool pump. This should be a bare copper wire, and you can loosen it using a ¼" nut driver or screwdriver. Make sure to reattach the nut once the wire is removed to ensure you don't lose it over the winter.
Winterize the Pool Equipment
To winterize your pool equipment - the pump, chlorinator, hoses, and filter - start by completely draining each component. Use an air compressor to blow out the equipment so every drop of water is gone.
Store it Properly
It's best to store your pump, hoses, chlorinator, and filtration equipment in a cool, dry area, preferably under a roof to protect it from rain and snow. A garage or shop area is your best option.
Additional Winterization Tips and Tricks
Here are a few additional tips and tricks to ensure your pool filtration system is properly winterized.
Don't Close Your Pool Too Early
In addition to cutting your swim season short, closing the pool too early can also lead to algae growth. Therefore, you want to wait until the temperatures drop consistently below at least 60 degrees.
Not Balancing the Chemicals
Balancing the chemicals before winterization will help prevent rust, corrosion, and other forms of damage to your pool filter system and the rest of your pool equipment.
Call a Professional
If you're not sure you can properly winterize your swimming pool and filtration system, call a pool professional. Even if you don't hire them to winterize your pool, they can offer guidance, products recommendations, and instructions as to how to best winterize your specific pool and filter system.