Closing Your Swimming Pool for Fall

There comes a time when closing your swimming pool for fall isn't just a good idea, but also an important safety step. The reason for this is actually rather simple, and multifaceted. For example, if you leave a lot of water in your pool over the fall and winter months, you can easily find yourself needing to replace expensive equipment that got broken when the ice begins to form. In addition, by not closing the pool during these months you also invite health problems from the potentially stagnant water. Here are some rather simple directions that you can use to ensure you have closed your pool properly.

1. Clean the pool thoroughly. The very first step in closing the pool for the fall is to do a complete and thorough cleaning. This will help reduce the chances of any problems developing with your pipes, and also ensure that your water is debris free. You will want to clean both the water with the use of a skimmer, and the bottom of the pool with a pool vacuum.
2. Backwash and blow the filter. When you have finished cleaning the pool, you can begin working on the filter itself. This will entail that you backwash the filter according the instructions that came from the manufacturer, and also blowing the filter lines clear of any water. Make sure that you have turned off the filter before you blow the lines though.
3. Drain the heater and skimmer. Oftentimes people forget to drain the pool heater and the skimmer before they close the pool for the fall. This can lead to water remaining in the lines of these two systems which can freeze and break the lines. When you have finished draining the heater and the skimmer, disconnect them from the pool, and blow the lines to ensure that they are water free.
4. Remove and winterize all accessories. Continue to remove any and all pool accessories that you may have. Clean them off, and properly winterize them before you store them away for the season. The instructions that came with them should have some helpful advice on winterizing them properly.
5. Drain the pool. You will need to drain the pool before you can finish closing it for the fall season. This often varies by pool type, though a good rule of thumb is to drain the pool below the skimmer line, or simply emptying it of 2/3 of the water.
6. Empty and blow main drain. When you have drained the water from the pool, you can then empty the main drain, and blow it to ensure that water does not remain in those lines. Often you can tell when this is done when bubbles begin to appear from the main drain as you pump air through it. Don't forget to also blow any and all lines that remain to the pool at this time as well.
7. Cover the pool When you have finished checking the lines, it is time to cover the pool. By simply covering the pool you can dramatically reduce the amount of preseason cleaning you will need to do later on.

Now that your pool as been closed for the fall, you can begin focusing on other winterizing tasks around the home. Keep in mind that you should not reuse the pool until the temperature has risen to safe levels for at least two weeks. In addition, do not use your pool again without the proper start up steps being taken. The first and foremost of which should always be a thorough cleaning.