During the cooler fall months, and into the colder winter months, there are a few things that should be added to your to-do list for the swimming pool. Below are some suggestions that will help keep your pool in good shape through to spring time. If you’re in the warmer sunbelt states of the USA, then you’ll need to do less to winterize your pool compared to the colder months in other states. This to do list is for the sunbelt states of the USA. If you’re in colder climates then you’ll need to do a full winterization of your pool.
Fall time is a good time to re clean the filter tank so that it has good suction and filtration in preparation for the leaves that are about to fall into the pool.
Pool timer control box
Fall time is also the time to reduce the pump run times. If the system doesn’t have a freeze protection option then it would be best to run the pump during the night hours. If it does freeze, it will be less likely you have cracked pipes or other issues. Turn off and drain down all solar systems as these too can have issues if there is a freeze.
Check your water chemistry. If you have high TDS (Total dissolved solids), high calcium hardness, or high CYA (Cyanuric acid) levels then the cooler temps are a good time to drain and refill the pool if needed. When draining a pool also consider having any repairs done such as the lights or main drain covers (as you can imagine, this is most feasible while the pool is empty). An acid wash can also be done if needed.
Lastly, also cover any exposed faucets and PVBs that are the source water for the pool’s autofill. These are prone to issues when it freezes and a simple frost cover on them can help prevent costly repairs.
Freeze protection