Close Your Above Ground Pool with These Five Steps

Close Your Above Ground Pool

Labor Day is on its way, and with it comes the crisp air of fall, pumpkins, apples, hayrides and football. It also means the end of pool season. Don’t fret, you can close up the pool on your own if you do your homework and gather all the necessary supplies. Of course, if you get overwhelmed, you can always call in a professional to handle the job.

Take a look at these five easy tips:

1. Clean the pool and test the pH and alkalinity: Take a sample of your water and bring it to your local pool store, call in a technician, or use your own test strips to test the water. However you choose to do it, you want to make sure the pH falls between 7.4 and 7.6, and the alkalinity falls between 100 and 150ppm. Next up, brush down the walls of the pool to get all the stuck-on dirt off, then skim the surface to get all the debris.
2. Apply chemicals and shock: Adding the right winter chemicals is imperative when it comes to healthy pool water all winter. Here’s an example: if you have an alkalinity that is too low, add a base such as sodium bicarbonate. If it is too high, add acid. Next up: it’s time to apply a chlorine shock as well as winter algaecide. Follow the manufacturer’s specifications precisely. Instead of an eight-hour treatment like you would normally do, use a 15-minute fast-dissolving shock to save time.
3. Plug up the return line: Remove the eyeball fitting on the return line. Add the plug. Remove the skimmer basket; store it in a cool, dry place. Or, you may choose to use a winter skimmer cover to avoid draining the water below the skimmer line.
4. Winterize the filter and pump: Take out all plugs, the pump, hoses, and chlorinator. To keep all drain plugs safe in one place, put them in the pump basket. Got a sand filter? Switch the multiport valve to “Winterize” and remove the drain plug at the bottom. Got a D.E. filter? Drain the filter, rinse off the grids, and keep the valves open. Got a cartridge filter? Drain the filter, rinse it, store it safely indoors, and keep the valves open.
5. Put the cover on: After you have placed the air pillow in the middle of the pool, secure the cover to the pool with winter clips, water bags or cables. Never use rocks or bricks because they can really damage your pool or cover if they fell in. Brush off debris regularly from the cover and keep it dry all winter.