Closing Your Pool For The Winter

Water Chemistry Correction
Prior to closing the pool, you will need to test the water chemistry. We recommend visiting one of our locations for a professional water test or schedule a one time cleaning with our professional Maintenance Department. We recommend for the pool water to be balanced within the ranges below:

• pH: 7.2-7.4

• Alkalinity: 80-120 ppm for plaster/pebble surface pools and 150 for vinyl liner pools

• Calcium Hardness: 180-220 ppm

Arctic Blue® Winter Kits from Bioguard is the easiest way to add closing chemicals to your pool. Within the kit, you will receive the following:

• Offered in two different sizes, one treats 12,000 gallons and the other treats 24,000 gallons

• Contains Arctic Blue Shock and Arctic Blue Algae Protector

• Convenient winterization guide included, with step-by-step instructions

If you need to adjust your calcium or alkalinity, we can assist you with Balance Pak 100 or 300.

Clean you pool (following the steps below) before adding your winter closing kit. After adding the winter kit, run your pool pump for 1-2 hours, then turn the pump off.

Remove Your Accessories

Pump and Skimmer baskets, wall fittings, eyebals, plugs, drain capes, cleaners, solar blankets and ladders from the pool. We suggest you keep any small accessories in your pump or skimmer baskets so they do not get lost. You will need to have easy access to these items next Spring when you open the pool or our Service Department open the pool for you.

We also suggestion not to coil pool cleaner hoses tightly and to make sure the cleaner and hoses are completely drained. This is also a good time to make sure that the cleaner bag is empty of all debris and check for any tears or rips in the cleaner bag.

When removing your solar blanket, you will need to make sure the blanket is completely clean. Removes all leaf debris, dirt, and any chemical residue. Once you clean the blanket, you need to make sure to dry the blanket on both sides, this will prevent mildew and mold from forming on the blanket. Once everything is clean and dry, then store away with your other accessories.

Clean the pool

Skim, vacuum and brush the swimming pool. Leaf Rakes or "bag type" skim nets work best, and are useful for scooping large amounts of leaves/debris from pool floor. If the pool is especially dirty or has lots of algae, vacuum the pool to waste. This means you will bypass the filter and vacuum the dirt from the floors or walls out the waste line. This prevent any clogs from forming in the lines. To vacuum to waste using a sand filter, place the multiport filter valve on drain to waste position (usually at 2 P.M. position if viewed as a clock face). After vacuuming the pool to waste, you will need to brush the pool thoroughly (make sure to brush after vacuuming because doing so before will stir up the dirt in the water, preventing you from vacuuming to waste). Before closing the pool, it should be as clean and clear as possible. If you see any floating debris before placing the cover on the pool, make sure to skim the pool again. If you need assistance in cleaning your pool, our maintenance department can schedule a one time cleaning for you before closing your pool. 

Then, follow these instructions for the remainder of closing your pool:

Closing an In-Ground Pool:

- Move the multiport handle to WASTE.

- Turn skimmer valve off, so water is being pulled from main drain.

- Turn on pump.

- Drain the water below the returns.

- Turn off the pump.

- Reposition valve to ½ skimmer and ½ main drain.

YOU WILL NOT RUN YOUR PUMP AGAIN THIS YEAR!

Now follow these remaining steps:

Remove the return eyeballs and Polaris fitting.

Move the multiport handle to RECIRCULATE.

Move the three way valve from bottom drain to both or skimmer.

Using the exhaust of a shop vac or leaf blower, blow at the skimmer that is farthest away from the pump until the water stops coming out of the first return closest to the skimmer.

Place a winter plug into the return fitting.

Continue blowing the skimmer until the water does not come out of all return openings, plugging each return opening as your work your way around the pool.

Put the multiport handle on WINTER or cock the handle between two settings. Leave the handle in this position during winter.

Remove two plugs from the pump (one at the end and one at the side of the pump).

Remove one plug from the front of the Polaris booster pump.

Remove one plug from the bottom of the chlorinator.

Remove one plug from the heater.

Remove the drain cap from the bottom of the filter tank.

Remove plugs from any remaining equipment that is not mentioned above.

Place any small accessories you removed (eyeball fittings, Polaris fittings, plugs, and drain caps) in the pump or skimmer basket until opening season.

OPTIONAL: Pour pool antifreeze into skimmer hole before inserting the gizzmo.

Thread a Gizzmo into the skimmer hole.

 

Closing an Above- Ground Pool:

Add your winter kit to the pool.

Run pump 1-2 hours.

Turn off the pump.

Remove skimmer basket and thread Gizzmo into the skimmer hole.

Remove the directional eyeball fitting and insert a winter plug into the hole.

Move the multiport handle to winter.

Remove the flexible hoses and store them indoors or drain the PVC pipe by opening the unions before the pump and after the return.

Remove the plug from the front of the pump. Remove the drain cap from the bottom of the chlorinator.

Remove the plug from the heater.

Remove any other plugs from the pump/filter areas not mentioned above.

Place the plugs and drain cap in the pump basket until next spring.

Place winter cover on the pool.

 

*** This is a guide for closing in-ground and above-ground pools. As all pools are different, Brown's Pools IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FREEZE DAMAGE TO YOUR POOL IF YOU CLOSE THE POOL BY YOURSELF. We recommend having all pool closed by a pool professional.