Poolmanual.com definitely recommends that you contract your local pool professionals and pay them to winterize your pool, especially to blow all of the water from all of the plumbing lines and to add the antifreeze. You can save money by removing your own hand rails and ladders and by installing your own winter cover; it is not necessary to remove the diving board or the in-pool light. But, for the plumbing lines, it really is best to pay your local pool professionals to make sure that the pool is properly winterized. If you do not get all of the water out of the plumbing lines and properly flush them with anti-freeze, the lines can (and probably will) crack, causing your pool to leak, resulting in a very expensive and very time-consuming service call.
If you do decide to winterize the pool yourself, let it be known that you are taking a major risk. Your pool, which consists of necessary plumbing, was a multi-thousand dollar investment. Pay the money to have it professionally winterized.
But, should you decide to winterize the pool yourself, follow these recommendations:
FINAL CHEMICAL ADDITIONS: Before you HAVE YOUR POOL WINTERIZED, you must have your chlorine (or its alternative), pH, Alkalinity, and Hardness levels in range. If they are in range, your water will look a lot better when you open the pool next season. If, however, these chemicals are neglected, your water will be outright filthy next season. About 1 week before you winterize, go visit your local pool professionals and have them test your chemicals on the computer. Then, listen to their advice. Spend the minimal amount of time and money to balance your chemicals. It is very important that ANY pool surface (concrete, gunite, shotcrete, vinyl-liner, or fiberglass) have balanced pool water while sitting idle all winter. Also, if you use an automatic chemical feeder, make sure the chemical (typically chlorine or bromine) is gone before winterizing.
The reason poolmanual.com previously said "have your pool winterized," is because we fully believe that due to the liability that YOU will incur winterizing your own pool, you are better off paying your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED local pool professionals to PROPERLY winterize your pool for you.
FINAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE: You will want to do a final vacuum before you HAVE YOUR POOL WINTERIZED. The night before the vacuum, brush the walls and floor. Allow the equipment to operate for at least 2 hours so that the recently brushed and currently suspended dirt and debris can be picked up by the main drain or skimmer(s) and go to the filter for permanent removal. Then, shut "off" the equipment overnight to allow any remaining dirt or debris to settle to the pool floor. The next morning, with the equipment still "off," clean out the pump and skimmer baskets. Then, turn the equipment back "on," net out any leaves or other large debris (it is common to winterize in autumn), and then vacuum the pool (to filter). Once vacuumed, clean the filter. The cleaning will vary based on the type of filter that you use:
Keep netting until you are ready to put the winter cover on. (a winterize is typically performed during autumn). The reason poolmanual.com previously said "have your pool winterized," is because we fully believe that due to the liability that YOU will incur winterizing your own pool, you are better off paying your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED local pool professionals to PROPERLY winterize your pool for you.
DRAINING THE POOL: You will need to drain the pool 3" - 5" below your lowest plumbing line, which is typically the return jets. To do this:
- Turn the equipment "off."
- Move the skimmer valve(s) to the "closed" position so that ONLY the main drain valve is "open."
- Move the multiport handle from "Filter" (or the current position) to Waste" (or "Drain").
- Turn the equipment back "on."
- The water will drain through the waste-line.
- If you do not have a main drain, you will need to drain the pool with a submersible pump or create a siphon with your garden hose.
WHAT TO DO WHILE THE POOL IS DRAINING: These are items you can take care of while the water level is draining:
- If you have a heater, make sure you turn off the power source (natural gas, propane, or electricity) to the heater.
- Remove your ladder(s).
- Remove your hand rail(s).
- Find your winter cover (and any accessories for the install) and remove it from storage.
- If you use a mesh safety cover, begin pulling up the anchors with your allen-wrench, or better yet, a cordless drill.
- If you use a waterbag cover, begin filling the waterbags (or hauling out the heavy sandbags).
- If you use a "Foxx" cover, begin recruiting the army that it takes to install such a cover.
- Consider the consequences of actually trying to winterize your pool by yourself. The reason that poolmanual.com will repeat this is because we fully believe that due to the liability that YOU will incur winterizing your own pool, you are better off paying your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED local pool professionals to PROPERLY winterize your pool for you.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE POOL IS DRAINED: Once the water level is approximately 3" - 5" below the lowest plumbing line (typically the return jets), take care of these items:
- Trun "off" the equipment in order to stop draining the pool.
- Remove the eyeballs from the return jets
- Remove the skimmer basket(s) from the skimmer(s).
- Add your winterizing chemicals:
- 2 LBS of a strong chlorine-based shock treatment-Dichlor (granular chlorine) works best for a winterize. Since it is stabilized chlorine, the Dichlor will be more effective at preventing algae growth over the winter. You must dilute the Dichlor, 1 LB at a time. If you use warm water, the granules will dilute much faster. Use 3 LBS if your pool is over 35,000 gallons.
- 1 quart of a super strength (Polymer) Algaecide. Many pool professionals sell a specially formulated Winterizing Algaecide.
- 1 quart of a Metal Sequestering Agent is optional, but beneficial. It will help prevent any staining or the formation of scale.
BLOWING WATER OUT OF THE PLUMBING LINES: Read this:
The information, material, and content contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or its printed manuals are provided "AS IS," without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of such information as it relates to your specific swimming pool and its accompanying water. Neither poolmanual.com nor, without limitation, its authors, consultants and associates, as well as any other related persons or entities, shall be responsible for any claims attributable to errors, omissions, or any other inaccuracies in the information contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or it printed manuals. Also, neither poolmanual.com nor, without limitation, its authors, consultants and associates, as well as any other related persons or entities, shall be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of such information contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or it printed materials.
The reason that poolmanual.com prints this text HERE is because winterizing a pool is a difficult task and is clearly best left to be handled by your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED pool professionals. Your pool was a multi-thousand dollar investment. If you winterize your own pool and the lines freeze, you will be faced with a multi-thousand dollar repair and headache, rendering your pool inoperative for weeks, months, or maybe even the season. Is the risk worth saving a couple hundred dollars? Let poolmanual.com answer the question for you-NO. Contract your local pool professionals and pay them to PROPERLY winterize your pool. But, if you are the bravest of the brave, you will need some professional advice. But remember, this advice comes with no warranty…..to be honest, we cannot believe you are still reading-call your local pool professionals and have them winterize your pool.
Still reading? You are a braver soul than most. Here is some helpful information, which again, is provided "AS IS," with NO warranty of any kind. Al least read the steps completely before you start so that you really know what you are getting into. Good luck:
- Step #1: call your local pool professionals. If you still insist on actually doing this alone, proceed to the next step.
- You will need at least a 4HP (Horse Power) Wet/Dry Vacuum (also known as a shop-vac) with both a VACUUM side and a BLOWER side. If you do not own one, do not purchase one. Rather, contact your local pool professionals and pay them to winterize your pool.
- If you do have the required 4HP blower, proceed-if we have not talked you out winterizing your pool yourself yet, we will never talk you out of it.
- Remove the drain plug(s) from the pump. Some pumps have more than one drain plug. This, of course, will allow water to drain from the pump.
- Remove the lid from the pump housing-the front part of the pump.
- Once the pump is empty, thread the drain plug(s) back in the pump temporarily.
- The main drain valve was probably already open-since you used it to drain your pool. Leave it open. Also, make sure your skimmer valve(s) are now open as well. Basically, you want all your valves OPEN.
- Walk over to the skimmer. With your 4HP Shop-vac (USING THE VACUUM SIDE), suck as much water as possible out of the skimmer. Place the hose in the opening at the bottom of the skimmer-this opening leads to the plumbing. Do this for every skimmer.
- You must now go over to the equipment and blow out each suction line (main drain and skimmers)-one at a time. Make sure you are using the BLOWER side of the shop-vac (versus the vacuum side). Since you are blowing out the suction lines, it does not matter what position the multiport handle is located.
- Start with a skimmer-any skimmer. Close the main drain valve and any other skimmer valve. The only valve that you want open is for the skimmer that you will be blowing free of water. Turn on the blower and blow through the pump housing-where the suction lines come into the pump. You want to make sure the hose of the blower is inside the pump housing and pressed against the opening that leads to the suction lines. Blow the skimmer line until nothing more than a faint mist is blowing out from that skimmer. If there is more than one skimmer, repeat the process for each skimmer. Remember to close the valve for the skimmer you just completed and open the valve for the skimmer you are about to do next.
- Once the skimmer(s) are free of water, blow out the main drain. Remember to close the skimmer valve(s) so that only the main drain valve is open. Turn on the blower and blow out the main drain line. Again, put the hose of the blower inside the pump housing and blow out the main drain. It is very difficult to know when enough is enough since you are blowing out a line on the floor of your pool. Basically, blow the main drain line until tiny bubbles turn into a steady stream of bubbles. Once this steady stream of bubbles is apparent, blow the main drain for an additional 30 seconds. This is the best information we can provide. Your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED pool professionals can blow out the main drain line completely by feel-that is why they are professionals. You also must close the main drain valve while the blower is still blowing out the line. This will help prevent water from back-flushing into the main drain line while you are closing the valve.
- You are now ready to blow out the return lines.
- Remove the drain plug/cap from the filter to allow the water to drain from the filter.
- Thread a winter plug in every return jet EXCEPT FOR ONE.
- Turn the multiport to "RECIRCULATE."
- Turn on the blower and blow through the discharge side of the pump-where the pump forces water back to the pool. Blow the return line until nothing more than a faint mist is blowing out from that return jet. Once you have nothing more than the mist coming out of the return jet, thread a winter plug into that return, and unthread the winter plug from another return jet. Repeat the process for each return line until the water is blown out of each line.
- You are now ready to add anti-freeze to your return lines. One at a time, again unthread the winter plug from a return jet. Place a funnel in the opening and add approximately ½ gallon of anti-freeze per each return line. Once added, immediately plug the return line-hand tighten the plug to prevent water from somehow entering the return line. Do this for every return jet- ½ gallon for each line-one at a time. Make sure either an O-ring or Teflon tape is on the threads of the winter plug.
- You are now ready to add anti-freeze to the skimmer(s). Add approximately ¾ of the anti-freeze to the skimmer opening. Then thread a gizzmo (which you can purchase from any pool professional-make sure you know the diameter of your skimmer opening; usually either1 ½" or 2") into the skimmer. Pour the remaining ¼ of the anti-freeze into the skimmer for additional protection. If there is more than one skimmer, repeat the process of adding anti-freeze for each skimmer. Make sure either an O-ring or Teflon tape is on the threads of the gizzmo.
- You now have to winterize the equipment itself. To do so, move your multiport handle to the "CLOSED" (or "Winterize") position.
- If you have a heater, remove any plugs from the heater. Also, disconnect the pressure switch. Also, turn the gas valve to the "off" position-if your heater is natural gas or propane. Finally, isolate the heater and blow water through it to make sure that it is free of any standing water.
- If you have an automatic chemical feeder, remove any plugs from the automatic chemical feeder. Make sure any chemical (usually chlorine or bromine) is fully removed. Finally, isolate the automatic chemical feeder and blow water through it to make sure that it is free of any standing water.
- Remove the plug(s) from the pump. You should already have the plug/cap removed from the filter, as the standing water needs to gravity drain from the filter. Go ahead and also remove the pressure guage (as well as the sight glass and the air relief valve, if applicable).
- A GOOD PLACE TO STORE ALL THESE MISCELLANEOUS PARTS IS THE PUMP BASKET WITHIN THE PUMP HOUSING-keep the lid on all winter long to protect these parts.
- What a list of duties. Seriously contemplate paying your local pool professionals to perform any winterize. If you did this yourself, congratulations-the lines and equipment are all winterized. But, only time will tell if they are PROPERLY winterized.
The information, material, and content contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or its printed manuals are provided "AS IS," without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of such information as it relates to your specific swimming pool and its accompanying water. Neither poolmanual.com nor, without limitation, its authors, consultants and associates, as well as any other related persons or entities, shall be responsible for any claims attributable to errors, omissions, or any other inaccuracies in the information contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or it printed manuals. Also, neither poolmanual.com nor, without limitation, its authors, consultants and associates, as well as any other related persons or entities, shall be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of such information contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or it printed materials.
INSTALLING A SAFETY COVER: Here are the steps to installing a safety cover:
- With your allen-wrench, or better yet, a cordless drill, pull up the heads of all of the anchors.
- Unfold the cover so that you can see how it will fit over the pool.
- Using your safety cover tool, install the springs to the anchors on one side of the pool:
- If you have a rectangle pool, attach the springs to the anchors on a short side.
- If you have any other shape of pool, attach the springs to the anchors on any strategic side in order to start.
- Walk the cover to the opposite side and, using your tool, attach the springs to these anchors.
- Using your tool, attach the springs to the remaining anchors.
- Yes, installing a safety cover is literally this easy.
INSTALLING A WATERBAG COVER: Here are the steps to installing a waterbag cover:
- Fill all of your waterbags ¾ full of water. Leave them approximately ¼ empty in order to account for the expansion of freezing water.
- Unfold the cover so that you can see how it will fit over the pool.
- Install the waterbags over the cover on one side of the pool:
- If you have a rectangle pool, install the waterbags over the cover on a short side.
- If you have any other shape of pool, install the waterbags over the cover on any strategic side in order to start.
- Walk the cover to the opposite side and install the waterbags over the cover on this opposite side.
- Install the waterbags over the cover on the remaining sides of the pool.
- No, installing a waterbag cover is NOT this easy. It is a heavy cover and literally a headache to deal with. Since a goal of poolmanual.com is to reduce your headaches, here is a suggestion: order a mesh safety cover for the next season.
- You should immediately run your garden hose to add about ¾" - 1" of water on the cover to keep the wind from blowing the cover off. Rain and melted snow will take care of this later as well.
INSTALLING A "FOXX" COVER: Here are the steps to installing a "Foxx" cover:
- Unfold the cover so that you can see how it will fit over the pool
- Install the lip of the "Foxx" cover into the special track that accompanies ONLY "Foxx" pools on one side of the pool:
- If you have a rectangle pool, install the cover on a short side.
- If you have any other shape of pool, install the cover on any strategic side in order to start.
- Walk the cover to the opposite side and install the lip of the cover into the track on this opposite side.
- Install the lip of the cover into the track on the remaining sides of the pool.
- No, installing a "Foxx" cover is NOT this easy. It is the heaviest winter cover on the market and literally a headache to deal with. Since a goal of poolmanual.com is to reduce your headaches, here is a suggestion: order a mesh safety cover for the next season.
- You should immediately run your garden hose to add about ¾" - 1" of water on the cover to keep the wind from blowing the cover from out of the track. Rain and melted snow will take care of this later as well.
LIABILITY WITH WINTERIZING YOUR OWN POOL: poolmanual.com cannot even begin to tell you the liability that YOU are assuming if you winterize your own pool. Your pool itself was a multi-thousand dollar investment. A professional pool winterize is also an investment, versus a service call. Since water has a DEFINITE potential to freeze, you must make 100% sure that the water is out of the plumbing lines and the equipment. You must also make sure that the plumbing lines are properly flushed with anti freeze. You are much better off paying your TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED pool professionals to perform your pool winterize. Ask yourself this: Am I really better off saving myself a couple hundred dollars and risk the chance to do thousands of dollars worth of damage? Let poolmanual.com answer this question for you. NO, you are not-contract your local pool professionals and pay them to winterize your pool.
- The information, material, and content contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or its printed manuals are provided "AS IS," without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of such information as it relates to your specific swimming pool and its accompanying water. Neither poolmanual.com nor, without limitation, its authors, consultants and associates, as well as any other related persons or entities, shall be responsible for any claims attributable to errors, omissions, or any other inaccuracies in the information contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or it printed manuals. Also, neither poolmanual.com nor, without limitation, its authors, consultants and associates, as well as any other related persons or entities, shall be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of such information contained within the entire poolmanual.com website or it printed materials.
Are you tired of reading this warranty. Well then, NEVER winterize your own pool. Rather, contract your local pool professionals and pay them to PROPERLY winterize your pool for you.
WINTERIZING AN ABOVEGROUND POOL: Most aboveground pool owners will contract and pay their local pool professionals to winterize their pool. If you decide to winterize your own aboveground pool, keep these tips in mind:
- Within a week of closing your pool, go visit your local pool professionals and have them test your chemicals on the computer. You want to make sure that your chemical readings are ALL in range prior to closing your pool. If your chemicals are in range, it will be so much easier to re-attain water chemistry the next spring when the pool is again opened and operational. If your chemicals are not in range, your water very well may be a mess the next spring when the pool is opened.
- Perform a final vacuum of the pool.
- Once finished with the vacuum, clean the filter.
- Drain the water approximately 3" below your lowest plumbing line, which is typically the return jet.
- While the water is draining, remove your ladder (or the in-pool step that is now available with aboveground pools) and your skimmer basket.
- Once the water is below the lowest plumbing line, remove the drain plug(s) from the pump and the drain plug/cap from the filter. If you have an automatic chemical feeder, remove any plugs to drain the water. If you have a heater, disconnect the pressure switch and remove any plugs. Make sure that all of the water is removed to prevent freezing (and damage) of the equipment over the winter.
- Disconnect the hoses:
- Skimmer to the suction side of the pump.
- Discharge side of the pump to the filter.
- Filter to the return jet.
- If you are capable of moving the pump and filter into a garage or storage shed, it really is a good idea. The pump is light and easy to carry. The filter is heavy. Either use a "dolly" and wheel the filter into storage or recruit a couple of friends to help you carry the filter into storage. Again, this is not necessary, but it does really reduce the chance of freeze damage to any of your equipment.
- Add your winterizing chemicals:
- 2 LBS of chlorine-based shock. Dichlor (chlorine granules) would be the best choice. Since it is stabilized chlorine, it will do the best job at preventing algae growth while the pool is winterized. Be sure to fully dilute the granular chlorine in water before adding it to the pool.
- 1 quart of a super strength Algaecide. Actually, many pool professionals sell a specially formulated Winterizing Algaeicde.
- Many regions recommend adding a Metal Sequestering Agent. This is actually a good idea for any region. A Metal Sequestering Agent will help prevent staining on your pool walls and floor while the pool is winterized.
- Install your winter cover.