Winter Pool Closing Checklist – DIY Pool Resources

We’re all pool pals here. Let’s be honest; closing your inground or aboveground pool is not fun. Not only is winterizing your pool a reminder that the summer fun days are over but there’s also much work to be done. And since it’s been almost a year since you last did it, there’s a chance that you may have forgotten one of two things to have on hand.

Inyo Pool Exclusive – Pureline Closing Kits for Inground Pools or Aboveground Pools

Pick Your Pool Cover

Pool Winter Covers are made of woven tarpaulin material and are available in solid and mesh styles. Winter covers are held in place by a ring of water tubes and an air pillow to keep the cover afloat at the pool’s center.

Safety covers are the best for protecting your pool and preventing accidental entry. Safety covers are strong enough to prevent children, animals, and even adults from falling into the pool accidentally. Safety covers are anchored to your deck and held into place by spring-loaded support straps. This tension anchoring allows the cover to hold thousands of pounds.

Leaf Nets are one of the biggest killers of pool covers is molted, decaying foliage left on the cover all season long. To prevent

No pool cover can stand alone against the winter elements. Inground and above ground pools have their own specific tools to ensure a proper pool closing.

Inground Pools

Water Tubes

Winter covers require a ring of weighted vinyl water tubes around the full circumference of the pool to prevent it from sinking into your pool. I have seen some pool owners use a series of milk jugs filled with gravel or sand. But water tubes are the better choice for the longevity of the cover. Water tubes disperse the weight of the cover and any debris/water weight evenly around the circumference of the cover’s edge. Milk jugs spaced every 5 feet create stress points that winter covers are not meant to stand up to

Available in single or dual-chamber versions, the dual-chamber water tubes ensure that if one tube chamber bursts, there’s still enough weight to hold the winter cover in place.

How many water tubes do you need? Measure the circumference of the pool, then divide that sum by the length of water tubes you want (8′ Tubes – 10′ Tubes).

**Pro Tip – Only fill water tubes one-half to two-thirds full to all space for the water to freeze without bursting the tube’s vinyl.**

Air Pillow

For inground pools, an air pillow’s job is to keep the center of the pool cover afloat and to help distribute the weight of any standing water or leaf debris. The pillow hump ensure water is evenly distributed away from the pool’s center; this will help prevent cover from slipping into the pool.

An air pillow is not a required addition to any winter cover, but it is one that we strongly recommend.

Cover Pump (for Inground & Above Ground Pools

Cover pumps are a must-have for pool owners using a solid winter or safety cover. Cover pumps are lightweight sump pumps you can place on the cover to drain any standing water. Draining water from your cover will also help boost its lifespan.

Above Ground Pools

Coping Clips

If your region experiences high winds, pool cover clips will ensure your pool is sealed tight for the whole winter.

Air Pillow

An above ground pool’s winter cover air pillow acts as a center support, keeping your cover afloat, but also as freeze protection for your pool. Like the pool skimmer freeze guard, we discuss further down, when your pool water freezes and expands, that crushing force is focused inward, pressuring the air pillow instead of outward toward your (very expensive to replace) pool walls.

besides, after as much needed center support for your pool cover and watershed to disperse weight evenly, pool cover air pillows also act

Chemicals

Chemical Kits

A pool chemical closing kit is the easiest choice, usually cheaper than buying separate bottles. Specially formulated versions of algaecide to ensure they stay active and linger in your water.

Pool Algaecide (Winter Formula)

is the most important part of pool winterizing water chemistry. You will virtually guarantee a nightmare pool opening if you neglect to use a long-stay pool algaecide.

Not all algaecides are equal; your standard in-season use of algaecide will not stay active in your water for the winter months. We suggest you use specifically formulated dry granular winterizer powder or liquid winterizer.

Metal Sequestrant

If your water has heavier metals like iron, copper, or manganese, or if you have a high water hardness level or 

Phosphate Remover

is ideal for mesh winter or safety cover because of the increased dirt debris and water drainage allowed into the pool. Maintaining a low phosphate level ensures algae has no food source, reducing the chance of an algae bloom.

Plumbing Protection and Sealing

Pool Antifreeze

For anyone wanting extra insurance to avoid a burst pool plumbing line, pool antifreeze should be your best friend. The specially formulated, non-toxic form of antifreeze is poured into the skimmer suction and equalizer lines, as well as any other pipes of concern you can directly access.

Before you add your skimmer Gizzmo, but after you plug your return lines and skimmer equalizer line, pour a dose of pool antifreeze into the lines to ensure

Skimmer Freeze Guard

Commonly called a Skimmer Gizzmo, protects your skimmer housing by absorbing the force of freezing water; the expanding ice’s force is pushed inward, crushing the skimmer instead of outward, which would crack your pool skimmer’s housing.

The Skimmer Freeze Guard screws into the base of your skimmer into the return line; we offer a skimmer guard that is compatible with 1-1/2″ or 2″ internal thread.

Skimmer Door

Seal your pool skimmer with what is essentially a Tupperware top. It’s a fun description, but that’s what it is.

Return Plugs

These simple rubber slip or threaded PVC plugs prevent basin water from entering your plumbing during the winter. If water is allowed into your PVC pipes and left to freeze, burst pipes are a more than likely outcome. This is a costly and easily preventable repair bill with a couple of cheap plugs.

Drain Pool Equipment

Remove the drain plugs to purge any trapped water in your pool equipment, like the pool pump, pool filter, and heater. Your pool pump’s housing or pool filter tank could be cracked by undrained water.

Swimming pool expert at InyoPools and host of Poolside Chat, brings over a decade of experience in the pool industry.