Results for "antifreeze"

Winterizing Easy 45 minutes 249 👍 1

Do I Need Pool Antifreeze? Complete Winterizing Guide

According to my old above-ground pool routine I never needed antifreeze, but now I'm questioning everything with this inground setup. My neighbor swears by it but another friend says it's totally unnecessary. I live in an area where we definitely get below freezing temps, but I'm not sure if my equipment can be completely drained or not.

What are the situations where pool antifreeze is actually needed? And if I do need it, does it matter what type I buy? Don't want to mess this up and end up with burst pipes come spring!…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 4-6 hours 203 👍 0

Do I Need Pool Closing Chemicals? Complete Winter Guide

Staring at my pool after that brutal cold snap hit last week, I'm scrambling to winterize but drowning in conflicting advice about which chemicals I actually need. Some people say I need a whole arsenal of closing chemicals, others tell me just throw a tarp on it and call it good.

I really don't want to deal with a swamp when I open it back up in spring, but I also don't want to buy a bunch of stuff I don't actually need. What are the must-have chemicals for winterizing? I've heard about algaecide and antifreeze but not sure what else or if those are even necessary.…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 45 minutes 394 👍 1

Do You Remove Skimmer When Closing Pool? Step-by-Step Guide

I opened my weather app to see the first freeze hits this weekend and I'm staring at this skimmer wondering if I need to yank it out or leave it. I know I need to do something with the skimmers, but I'm getting conflicting advice online about what exactly needs to come out.

Do I need to physically remove the entire skimmer unit from the pool wall, or just certain components? I've heard about removing baskets and doors, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that could get damaged over winter. Last thing I need is expensive repairs come spring after this disaster of a season.…more

Read answer

Editor's Pick

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum (2026)

Wall-climbing scrubber brush and Wi-Fi control — ideal for in-ground pools up to 40 ft. View on Amazon →

Sponsored

Salt Water Medium 2-4 hours for complete winterization 347 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Freeze? Winter Protection Guide

Between the $800 winterizing quote I just got and hearing horror stories about frozen saltwater pools, I'm wondering if there's anything special I need to know before winter hits.
The pool store told me that salt water systems are different from regular chlorine pools, but they didn't really explain much about winterization.

Do salt water pools actually freeze like regular pools? I've heard conflicting things - some people say the salt prevents freezing, others say it doesn't matter. I want to make sure I'm preparing properly and not going to come back to any nasty surprises in the spring. Any guidance would be really appreciated!…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 4-8 hours 309 👍 0

Do I Need to Winterize My Pool? Complete Regional Guide 2026

My 20,000 gallon inground pool looked fine yesterday, but walked out this morning and spotted ice crystals forming around the edges that definitely weren't there last night. I live in central Pennsylvania where we definitely get freezing temperatures, but I'm trying to figure out the right strategy.

I've been maintaining my pool chemistry pretty well - chlorine stays around 2-3 ppm, pH is balanced at 7.4, and alkalinity is good at 100 ppm. The pool has been crystal clear all season. But now that October is here and nighttime temps are starting to drop into the 40s, I'm wondering what level of winterization is actually necessary for my climate zone.

Do I need to drain the pool, blow out all the lines, and do the full winterization process? Or are there different approaches depending on how cold it gets in my area? I want to make sure I protect my equipment and plumbing from freeze damage, but I also don't want to do more work than necessary if my climate doesn't require it.…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 4-6 hours 207 👍 0

How to Winterize Your Pool: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Tried winterizing my pool last week using online guides, but algae is already forming — did I screw up the process somehow? What's the proper order? Chemistry first or cleaning? How low should water go? What chemicals do I need?

Don't want to mess this up and deal with a green swamp come spring. Last year skipped some steps and regretted it.…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 2-4 hours for winterization 298 👍 1

How Long Can You Keep a Pool Closed? Complete Guide

During winter I'm trying to decide between keeping my pool closed all season to save on chemicals versus opening it and dealing with the constant money drain from maintenance. Every time I go to the pool store they're trying to upsell me on some expensive treatment or service. I'm thinking about just closing my pool for an extended period to avoid all these costs.

Can I keep it closed for longer than just the winter months? What's the maximum time I can leave it shut down without causing permanent damage? I'd rather do the work myself when I reopen it than keep throwing money at these overpriced pool companies all season long.…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 4-6 hours 196 👍 0

Can You Close a Pool Without a Cover? Winterizing Steps

Planning to winterize my pool this year but my cover is doing something completely bizarre — it's literally disintegrating into shreds every time the wind picks up. Is it possible to winterize my pool without one? What extra steps would I need to take to keep it maintained through the cold months?…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 4-6 hours 306 👍 0

Do I Need to Winterize My Above Ground Pool? Complete Guide

Standing at the pool store listening to this guy insist I need to drop hundreds on winterizing chemicals and equipment for my above ground pool when I'm not even convinced it's necessary.

The guy at the pool store mentioned something about winterizing when I was buying chemicals last week, but I didn't want to seem clueless so I just nodded along. I live in the Midwest where it definitely gets cold in winter - like below freezing for months. Is winterizing actually necessary for above ground pools, or is it just something people do to be extra cautious? I'm trying to figure out what I absolutely need to do versus what's just nice to have.…more

Read answer

Filters Medium 45 minutes 250 👍 0

Can I Leave Pool Filter Outside for Winter? Storage Guide

This Hayward sand filter is sitting in my backyard and the pool store warned me the housing will crack if I leave it outside this winter. They're saying I absolutely MUST bring my filter inside and store it properly or it'll crack from freezing water. Is this just another upsell, or will my filter actually get damaged if I leave it outside during winter?

I'm in a climate that gets below freezing, and I'm trying to handle as much of the winterization myself as possible. The pool store quoted me $200 just for filter removal and storage! Can I really not just drain it well and leave it in place, or am I risking expensive damage? Looking for honest advice from people who've actually dealt with this.…more

Read answer

Above Ground Medium 4-6 hours for winterization 243 👍 0

Can You Leave Above Ground Pool in Winter? Complete Guide

The frost is creeping up the sides of my above ground pool right now and I'm staring at it wondering if I should tear this whole thing down or just leave it up all winter. I live in an area that gets pretty cold with some snow, and I'm not sure if my pool can handle it or if I'm just asking for a disaster come spring.

I've got one of those steel frame pools, not the super cheap inflatable kind. What do I need to do to winterize it properly? Or should I just bite the bullet and take it down? Really hoping someone can save me from hours of disassembly work!…more

Read answer

Product Ranking 8 compared

Best Salt Chlorine Generators

4.3 (6,200 reviews)

Winterizing Medium 4-6 hours 218 👍 0

How to Winterize Pool: Complete Troubleshooting Guide 2026

After ignoring winterization last fall, my pool pipes started making weird cracking sounds this spring and now I'm staring at burst pipes and algae soup. I'm determined not to repeat that nightmare! I know it involves chemicals and lowering water levels, but I'm clearly missing something important in my process.

What's the complete step-by-step process for winterizing? How long should I plan for this whole ordeal, and what are the critical steps I probably screwed up last time? I want to make sure I'm protecting against freeze damage while keeping the water in decent shape for spring startup.…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 6-8 hours over 2-3 weeks 205 👍 0

How to Winterize Your Inground Pool: Complete Step Guide

Planning to winterize my new inground pool using the same routine that worked perfectly on my old above-ground, but worried the chemical and equipment needs are completely different.

What are the specific steps I should follow for proper winterization? I'm particularly concerned about getting the water chemistry balanced correctly and protecting my filtration system and plumbing from freeze damage. Should I be targeting specific chemical levels, and what's the proper sequence for draining, cleaning, and applying winterizing treatments?…more

Read answer

Winterizing Medium 2-3 hours 188 👍 0

Do You Need to Cover Pool Equipment? Winterizing Guide

Last winter I didn't cover anything and ended up with a cracked pump housing that cost me $400 to replace - apparently freeze damage is no joke.

This year I want to be smarter about it. I've got the usual setup - pump, heater, control panel, filter system. Do I really need to buy covers for all this equipment, or am I being paranoid? I keep reading conflicting advice online and I just want to protect my investment without going overboard on unnecessary gear.…more

Read answer

Above Ground Medium 4-6 hours initial setup, monthly maintenance 326 👍 0

Can You Leave Above Ground Pool Up All Year? Winter Guide

Halfway through winter prep I've tried partial winterization, full chemical shutdown, and running it with a heater — but I'm still getting conflicting advice about leaving my above ground pool up year-round.

Is it actually possible to leave my above ground pool up through winter and do the winterization myself? What really needs to be done to prevent damage, and can I skip some of these expensive add-ons they keep pushing? I'd rather invest time than keep throwing money at the pool store every season.…more

Read answer

Loading more Q&A...

You've seen all 26 Q&A articles!