Prepare your Above Ground Pool for Winter

Fall is setting in and the leaves are getting that “I am about to break into full color look.”  I now know it’s time to prepare my above ground swimming pool for winter weather.
photo credit: lepiaf.geo

Preparing the pool for winter will protect it from the elements, wandering animals and possible inquisitive children. And by preparing your pool properly, reopening it in the spring will be much easier and you will also add years to the pools life.

How to prepare the above ground pool for winter

Clean the pool first. Hopefully you have all your pool supplies close at hand. Use a net to remove bugs and leaves from the surface of the water. Remove the ladder and all toys from the pool and store them for the winter. I store all my pool accessories in the garage near the pool. Basements and a shed are also good storage places.

Next, vacuum the pool as you normally do throughout the season. Once clean, its time to add any chemicals that are needed to control bacteria. Consult your local pool company for suggestions. I use a winter pool kit that seems to have all the right products for my climate.
photo credit: JoshMcConnell

Carefully place plugs in all the inlets and a skimmer cover over the skimmer. This will protect them from getting water inside that could freeze and break parts of your pool. In my zone 5 climate this is a very important step.

Unplug your pump and make sure you get all the water out. Do the same with the filter and the filter hoses. Again, you don’t want the water to freeze and break the pump.

I buy additional air pillows, inflate them, and place them on the surface of the pool’s water. This will keep the pool cover from touching the water, which is easier on the pool cover. And later in the fall season air pillows are on sale so you will save quite a bit of money buying late in the fall.

Tip: Don’t inflate your air pillows all the way Climate change will affect the pillows, so less air is better.

Drape your pool cover over the top of the pool and over the air pillows.  Tighten the pool cover in place with buckles. Make sure the pool cover is secure for you winter storms and high winds.

I always take one more check around the backyard and make sure any pool accessories are cleaned and put away. I also store the leftover chemicals in cool dry place, my garage, so that they will be useable for the following year.

Swimming pools can be work, but the added fun and activity they add to the backyard oasis area make them worth the extra time. And by preparing the pool in the winter you will have a much easier time in the spring preparing the pool for the summer.