An in ground swimming pool can be a positive godsend during hot summer days, but in climates prone to frost it is necessary to winterize the swimming pool. Winterising an in ground swimming pool can help prevent damage during the winter months, and can also help make it ready for springtime use.

Preparation for winterizing the swimming pool begins about a week before the closing day decided upon. At this time it is necessary to start to chemically balance the water in the swimming pool. This can be done with the pool chemicals normally used on the swimming pool. The swimming pool's pH level should be within the range of 7.2 to 7.6, with alkalinity levels at 100 to 150oom. Chlorine levels should also be higher than normally, and with the addition of a Chlorine Shock product, this should then return a chlorine level of somewhere in the region of 3.0ppm. The other major level to consider is the calcium hardness level, which should for winter be in the region of 175-250ppm.

Having tested the water, more physical steps can be taken in the winterizing of the in ground swimming pool. Any wall fittings, solar blankets, ladders and rails should be removed from the swimming pool, and stored away safely so that they will not be damaged during the winter months.

The winterizing process is also the ideal time to undertake a through clean of the pool, starting with the sides and floor of the pool. Cleaning should then extend to the pool filters, skimmers and pump baskets, and if present the sandfilter should be cleaned by backwashing it. Pumps, filters and heaters should be drained of all water and chemicals, and plugged to ensure that no further water can enter them. These parts of the pool can easily be damaged by expanding ice during the winter freeze.

In most cases the water levels of the in ground swimming pool should then be lowered, although not totally drained. The water should be lowered to a depth of about a foot below the level that a pool cover will take, and ideally below the level of any water jets. Algaecide and other winterizing swimming pool chemicals can then be added to pool in line with the recommended doses.

The in ground swimming pool should then be covered. There are a lot of pool covers available including mesh swimming pool covers and solid pool ones. The mesh cover requires the least amount of work, but in both cases it is essential that the covers are not damaged. If using a solid pool cover it is necessary to position a pump in the centre of the cover, in order that any ice, snow or rain can be pumped away, thus preventing any damage to the pool cover.

Pool covers of course need to be fixed in position, and whilst many people make use of bricks, these can damage the pool cover, and a safer option is to make use of water tubes to hold the edges of the pool cover down. Water tubes should of course only be filled to about three quarters full, as the water will expand if the water freezes.

Winterizing an in ground swimming pool can be relatively easy, and can save a lot of money and headaches from winter damage.

Learn more about this author, Tim Harry.
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