Get Your Pool Winter-Ready in 4 Easy Steps

Tips For Shutting Your Pool Down For Winter

With the swim season coming to a close, we wanted to offer you some simple tips on shutting your pool down for winter.

Completing these 4 simple steps outlined below, will ensure your pool water quality is maintained whilst not in use and prolong the life of your pool equipment - saving you time and money when the weather warms up again!

Step 1: Clean and balance your pool.

Brush the walls and vacuum

Empty skimmer and pump baskets of collected debris. Continue to check these baskets regularly during the winter period to avoid build up.

Use Lo Chlor Enviro Clean (to clean the pipework and filter to eliminate any build up).

For Media Filters - add Enviro Clean directly into the skimmer box and complete a backwash.

For Cartridge Filters - after rinsing filter elements, soak filter elements in a 50:1 mix of Enviro Clean and soak for 60 minutes. Rinse filters thoroughly before returning to filter housing.

Bring a water sample into Central West Pool and Spa Shop for testing

Balance pool as per advice provided by our experts.

Step 2: Set equipment

Turn the Chlorinator output down, ensuring you are not over chlorinating your pool. Ideal output levels vary based on chlorinator type and pool volume. To ensure you have set the chlorinator to the correct level, test your chlorine levels in the pool and adjust up or down accordingly.

Reduce running times to approximately 2 hours in the morning 2 hours in the afternoon (Running times may vary depending on your equipment and pool volume).

If you have a Heatpump - it should be set to wintermode. If your model does not have winter mode, you can either - turn temp settings down to below 16C or turn unit off at isolation switch. If turning unit off completely, it is important that you turn the unit on once a month for 30 mins to circulate any trapped gasses in the unit.

If you have Solar Heating - In the afternoon set controller to wintermode (as per models’ instruction). All solar systems are run on a 24-hour timer, meaning the system will run a winter cycle at the time you originally set the winter mode. Due to the potential for pipework to freeze in the mornings, it is important to initiate the winter setting late in the afternoon to allow pipes to defrost before the cycle commences.

Step 3: Add preventative Winter chemicals to maintain the pool.

Add a Winteriser algaecide – This will prevent algae from forming all winter long, stopping your pool from turning green and maintaining the health of your pool water. Add 85mls per 10,000 litres as per instructions on bottle.

Starver M phosphate remover - will remove any phosphates in your pool water. Phosphates come from leaf debris and soil that washes into your pool and are food for algae. Adding a monthly dose of 50mls per 10,000 litres of Starver M, will assist your winteriser algaecide keep the algae away all winter.

Clarifier

- A miraclear cube or Sparkle pill is a great addition to the winter chemical routine. Adding one to the pool helps keep your water crystal clear over the winter months.

Central West Pool and Spa Shop have prepared Winteriser kits to make these steps even easier. See the flyer attached or come and see us in our showroom at 125 Sydney Road, Kelso.

Step 4: Pool Accessories

The use of a pool blanket through winter is a great idea, it helps to eliminate evaporation of the pool water and can assist to keep large items from being blown into the pool and raising your phosphate levels. Remember; it is important to remove the blanket to allow for oxidisation of the water. We recommend 1 week per month. You can do this in a week block or break it up across the month.

For those with inbuilt pool lights it is important, even through the winter months, to turn on your pool lights for at least 30 minutes per week to ensure condensation does not build up inside the light.

Robotic cleaners should be used as required during the winter months.

Following these simple tips will mean your pool will be ready for the warmer weather, without the difficult task of transforming the pool from a swamp to crystal clear.

As always if you need any assistance or wish to discuss any of this information further, please call our office on 6331 4453