Why Professional Swimming Pool Closing Is a Must for Effective Winter Maintenance

If you're an experienced pool owner, you may feel fairly comfortable handling most of your pool maintenance jobs. However, there is one task that's best left to a professional. Because of the risks of damaging your pool and other concerns, closing a pool properly for winter maintenance is essential.

There are many factors that go into closing a pool correctly. Even timing is important - if you close your pool too early, the warm weather can put too much stress on pool chemicals. With our harsh Ontario winters, good winter pool maintenance is extra important to avoid damage to your pool plumbing and winter cover, and other issues. With our cold winter months, you can't just close your pool, you need to winterize it.

What Problems Can Occur?

If not done right, significant, costly damage can occur to your pool. You can end up with a broken swimming pool pump or other equipment damage, and even have cracks in your tiles and swimming pool walls. Both freezing temperatures and algae overgrowth can cause the damage.

Freezing Water Damage

As the water temperature drops to 0°C and below and as the pool water freezes, it expands and its volume increases by around 9%. This causes pressure that can burst swimming pool pipes, damage tiles and pool walls, and cause other damage.

Mould and Algae Damage

If you close your pool too early, or the closing isn't done properly, algae, mould, and bacteria will grow in the plumbing. At best, this will delay your pool opening in the spring, but at worst, it can severely damage a pool.

How a Pool Professional Can Help Ensure Winterizing Tasks Are Done Correctly

A pool expert can help ensure the different steps are done right. Different pools and equipment may have slightly different requirements. Making sure the right amounts of water are removed, chemicals added, and so on, can be complex, but all these details need to be handled precisely. A professional is experienced in the different needs of varying pools and systems. Pool professionals are also trained to know the little details that are so important when maintaining chemical levels and other detail-oriented tasks.

Lowering Pool Water Levels

Pool accessories need to be removed at the end of pool season, and the pool water needs to be drained to just the right amount.

Usually, this needs to be just below the lowest pool outlet. There are best practices to be followed, and different pools need different amounts of draining.

It's important not to completely drain the water. A water level that is too low may stress the winter cover and pool liner. A water level that's too high will crack decorative tiles and put pressure on pool walls, causing significant damage.

A pool expert will know what is best for your pool and will drain to the optimal level exactly.

Winterizing Equipment

Pool equipment needs special care, too. Once skimmer baskets, pool heater equipment, vacuums and cleaners, and other items have been removed, they need to be properly prepared for the winter months.

A professional will know what equipment has a drain plug or needs water blown out of it. They'll know about putting an appropriate antifreeze into equipment like your skimmer, too. Winter plugs need to be applied, and some types of pool lights need to be winterized. Different pool filters have different processes, and they need to be winterized according to manufacturer's instructions to avoid damage. Pool lines need to be blown out according to best practices, to prevent water from freezing inside them.

Your pool has a lot of different pieces of equipment, each with its own requirements for care. It's easy to miss a step or do it incorrectly, so having professionals that are familiar with all of the equipment and the different manufacturers helps ensure equipment is treated properly.

Pool Chemicals

The pool water needs to be perfectly balanced, with the right water chemistry. This involves testing and calculating the exact amounts of chemicals that need to be added, as well as a lot of manual effort with a pool brush and vacuum to clean the pool.

Doing this right ensures you'll have clean, healthy water, and prevents algae buildup that can damage your pool and equipment. It also makes it easier to open the pool again next spring.

A professional knows how to do this part of the pool closing properly, to prevent damage to your pool plumbing and other pool components.

Shock Treatment

An important part of getting your pool ready for winter is chlorine shocking it. This prevents algae and bacteria, with an extra boost to last your pool through the winter. Again, a professional knows how to do this safely and effectively.

Final Details

With everything else that needs to be done, it's easy to miss some final steps, or not complete them fully. A professional has a checklist and experience in the process, so will be sure to carefully stow any pool equipment and materials, including solar blankets, and properly install a winter cover, for optimal protection of your pool.

Save Time, Reduce Hassle, and Eliminate the Worry of Whether the Pool Closing Was Done Properly

If you choose to close your pool yourself, it takes a lot of effort and time. Although the critical reasons for hiring a professional to close your pool for the winter is for safety and to prevent costly damages, not having to put in the time and work yourself is definitely an added bonus.

Pool maintenance is complex, hard work at any time, and closing a pool is particularly difficult for pool owners to do themselves. Many pool owners find the process stressful, too, since they know how important it is to get it right. Getting a professional in will eliminate that stress and hassle.

For expert swimming pool closing in Toronto, trust People for Pools. We ensure your pool is thoroughly winterized to prevent damage, ensuring a smooth pool opening after winter. Contact us at 647-710-8926 or visit us at 1585 Britannia Rd E, Unit B3 Mississauga, ON L4W 2M4. Your pool is in capable hands.