Results for "winter closing"

Winterizing Easy 1–2 hours (including pump circulation time) 22 👍 0

Stain Preventer vs Metal Sequestrant at Pool Closing

Found a stain and scale preventer bottle sitting in my pool closing kit and I'm second-guessing whether it's even doing what I think it is. My test strips show iron levels that seem higher than anything my neighbors deal with — we're on a private well — and last spring when I pulled the cover off, the walls had this ugly brownish tint that took forever to address. Everything I've read says sequestrants handle metal staining, but my closing kit just says 'stain and scale preventer' on the label, which is confusing me about whether they're the same thing or two totally different products.

The numbers that are throwing me off: my alkalinity is reading around 100 ppm and pH is at 7.4, so those seem fine going into winter. But I have no idea how to measure whether the stain preventer is even working or at what concentration it should be in the water. Is this the right product to stop the brown metal staining from my well water, and does it go in before or after the other closing chemicals? I don't want to waste the bottle if it's not actually helping.…more

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Winterizing Medium 2-3 hours over 2-3 days 878 👍 1

Should You Shock Your Pool Before Winter Closing?

Finally figured out why my neighbor's pool stays crystal clear all winter while mine turned into a swamp last year — is shocking before closing the secret? They're telling me I need to shock before adding winterizing chemicals, but of course they're also trying to sell me their premium shock treatment for twice what I can get it elsewhere.

Is shocking actually necessary before winter closing, or is this just another upsell? If I do need to shock, does the timing matter with when I add the other winterizing chemicals? I'm tired of spending a fortune on pool maintenance when I feel like half of what they recommend is just to boost their profits.…more

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Winterizing Medium 4-6 hours 292 👍 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

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Winterizing Medium 2-3 days 384 👍 0

Do I Need to Clean My Pool Before Closing? Winter Prep Guide

Apparently my spring pool opening is eating through way more cash and weekends than it should because I keep screwing up these same winter prep steps. My pool has been maintained throughout the summer, but I'm uncertain about the specific cleaning requirements before adding winterizing chemicals and covering.

What are the essential cleaning steps I must complete before winterization? I'm particularly concerned about preventing algae formation and protecting my equipment from potential damage during the closed season. Should I focus on debris removal, water chemistry adjustment, or are there additional cleaning procedures that are critical for a successful spring reopening?…more

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Salt Water Medium 45–90 minutes 33 👍 1

How to Winterize a Salt Cell: Closing Your Pool

Nobody left me any notes when I bought this house last spring — just a running saltwater inground pool and a shed full of chemicals I had to figure out on my own. Now that the season is wrapping up, I'm staring at the salt chlorine generator wondering what the previous owner used to do with it every fall. Do I pull the cell out of the plumbing and store it somewhere inside, or is it okay to leave it sitting in the unions all winter? I'm also not sure if I should clean it before I put it away, or if that's even necessary.

On top of that, I'm trying to figure out the right order of operations. Do I shut the generator off before I add the winterizing chemicals, or after? And should I be worried about what all that salt in the water does to the pool shell, fittings, or anything else while it just sits there for five or six months under a cover? I want to make sure I'm not inheriting a bigger problem in the spring than the one I already started with.…more

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Winterizing Easy Ongoing — 2–4 weeks of patience, then 2–3 hours to close 193 👍 1

What Water Temp Is Safe to Close Your Pool?

My neighbor closed her pool two weeks ago and keeps telling me I should have done the same, but my water is still sitting in the low 70s°F and I'm genuinely torn. Trying to decide between shutting everything down now in late September versus waiting another few weeks to see if temperatures drop more. I have a 20,000-gallon inground with a mesh safety cover, and I really don't want to pull it off in spring to find a swamp underneath.

Everybody seems to have an opinion on closing timing, but I can't find anyone who actually gives a specific water temperature to aim for. Is 72°F still too warm? Will algae keep growing under the cover if I close now, or does it just stop once I add the closing chemicals and block the sunlight? I'd love to understand what's actually happening chemically so I can make the right call rather than just guessing.…more

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Algae Green Pool Hard 3-7 days for proper treatment, 1 day for emergency closing 662 👍 0

Can You Close a Green Pool? Complete Winter Closing Guide

Our backyard pool is completely covered in thick green algae right now, but with winter coming and two young kids who love swimming, I'm not sure what to do.

I've heard that leaving algae over winter can make things worse, but I'm also concerned about using harsh chemicals with the kids playing nearby. What's the safest approach for families? Should I treat the algae before closing, or are there other winterizing options that won't create bigger problems come spring when the kids want to swim again?…more

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Winterizing Easy 15 minutes to decide and prep 15 👍 0

Chlorine Floater in Pool Over Winter: Good Idea?

Nobody warned me how quickly pool closing decisions can snowball. Ever since I started prepping for winter shutdown last week, I've been second-guessing every step — but the one I keep coming back to is whether to toss a floater loaded with trichlor pucks in before I pull the cover on. My thinking was that it would keep things sanitized all season while the pump sits idle, but now I'm hearing it might cause more problems than it solves.

I have a vinyl liner pool, and I'm a little nervous about anything that could stain or bleach it while I'm not checking the water regularly. Is there a smarter way to keep the water from going completely feral under the cover, or is a floater actually fine if I set it up right?…more

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Winterizing Medium 30–45 minutes 124 👍 1

What Goes in Your Skimmer When Closing for Winter?

Found myself in a debate with a neighbor and now I'm second-guessing everything I thought I knew about winterizing my inground pool. We get legitimate hard freezes here — not just a few nights of light frost — and I want to make sure I'm not cracking my skimmer housing this year.

My neighbor swears by dropping a half-filled milk jug into the skimmer and calling it a day, but a guy at the pool store told me I really need antifreeze poured in there or my skimmer will crack no matter what. A friend who closed pools professionally said just blow the lines and plug it — no antifreeze needed. Now I've got three different opinions and I'm reading about Gizzmos, rubber expansion plugs, foam backer rod, and antifreeze on top of all of it.

After blowing out the skimmer line with a shop vac, what actually needs to go into the skimmer, in what order? Is the antifreeze genuinely necessary or is that the pool store upselling me? And does it matter whether I use a Gizzmo versus a rubber plug versus the milk jug trick?…more

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Maintenance Easy 45 minutes 622 👍 1

Do I Need a Pool Pillow for Winter? Complete Guide

Despite being on a tight budget for winter pool closing, I'm wondering if a pool pillow is actually necessary or just another expense I can skip? I've been researching proper closing procedures and keep seeing conflicting information about pool pillows (air pillows). Some sources say they're absolutely critical, while others suggest they're optional accessories.

Specifically, I need to understand whether pool pillows actually provide meaningful protection against freeze damage to pool walls and equipment. My pool is located in an area where temperatures regularly drop below freezing for extended periods during winter months. What's the technical reasoning behind using these pillows, and what risks am I facing if I skip this component of winterization?…more

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Maintenance Medium 2-4 hours 380 👍 1

Do I Need to Shock My Pool in Winter? Complete Guide

Between the musty, swamp-like stench seeping through my pool cover and that weird chemical smell hitting me every time I walk by, I'm wondering if I should still be shocking it this winter.

I have a 20,000 gallon inground pool that I keep open year-round here in the Southeast, but I've heard conflicting advice about whether I need to shock as often in winter as I do in summer.

Right now my water temperature is around 55°F and my free chlorine levels have been holding steady at about 2.5 ppm. During summer I was shocking every two weeks religiously, but with the cooler temps and less usage, I'm wondering if I can scale back. Does the type of pool setup (open vs closed for winter) make a difference in shocking frequency? And should I be adjusting based on water temperature or just stick to my summer routine?…more

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Winterizing Medium 45 minutes 665 👍 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

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Maintenance Medium 3-4 hours 327 👍 0

Do You Have to Drain Your Pool in Winter? Complete Guide

Finally getting tired of the third round of conflicting advice about draining my pool this winter and I'm done with all the guesswork. I've seen conflicting information about whether complete drainage is necessary or if partial water removal is sufficient for proper winterization.

Specifically, I need to know the optimal water level in relation to the skimmer system and what additional chemical treatments and equipment protection measures are required. What are the technical specifications for winter water levels, and how do these relate to preventing freeze damage while maintaining water chemistry balance during the off-season?…more

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Winterizing Medium 2–4 hours (full closing day, including water adjustment and line blow-out) 440 👍 1

How Far to Lower Water When Closing Your Pool

Three weeks ago my husband and I bought our first house with an inground vinyl pool, and now everyone is telling us we need to close it for winter — but nobody can agree on exactly what that means. We have a mesh safety cover, and I've gotten completely opposite advice about how much water to drain out before we put it on. One neighbor says drop it below the skimmer, another says below the returns, and my pool store guy shrugged and said we might not even need to lower it at all with a mesh cover?

I honestly have no idea what any of those terms even mean yet, or where those parts are on my pool. I'm afraid of draining too much and damaging the liner, or not draining enough and having pipes freeze and crack over the winter. Is there a standard answer here, or does it really depend on what type of cover you're using?

Also — a few people have mentioned that the rules are different for above-ground pools and solid covers, and now I'm even more confused. Can someone break this down in plain language for a complete first-timer?…more

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Above Ground Medium 4-6 hours for winterization 1,674 👍 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

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