The cold can be rough on your swimming pool; winterizing it helps prevent major damage like overflows, cracks, and stains. If you’ve procrastinated and aren’t sure what to do, learn more about the proper process. Here’s a quick list of tasks to do as soon as possible.

How to Get Your Swimming Pool Ready for Winter

1. Clean It

The first step is to clean the pool. Run a net over the top to remove any debris. If you have a pool cleaning machine to remove grime from the sides, use it. Leaving debris in the water causes you to find a rotting mess when the warm weather returns, and it lessens the efficacy of the chemicals that balance and treat the water.

2. Test, Balance, & Shock the Water

Use a store-bought kit to test the water or hire a professional pool water testing company to do it for you. The kit should come with a guide of recommended levels for pH, chlorine, and other chemicals. Ensure the chlorine concentration is less than 5 parts per million (ppm); otherwise, it negates the balancing chemicals. Add winterizing chemicals like algaecide and enzymes to keep algae growth low, and then shock the water one final time to ensure it’s bacteria- and algae-free before closing.

3. Drain Some Water & Cover It

Since Ohio gets cold, drain some water before closing your pool. Set it below the tile or the bottom edge of the skimmer. Lowering the water level ensures that the pool doesn’t overflow or cause damage through expansion when it freezes. Once it’s drained, clean out the skimmer, pump, and lines so they aren’t damaged by freezing, and then install a winter cover.

4. Check as Needed

Inspect the pool every month or so to see how it’s doing and ensure there’s no algae growth. It’s also wise to check it when it freezes and thaws to ensure the water level stays low enough.

Do you need help closing your swimming pool correctly? The pool maintenance experts at All-American Pools in Cincinnati, OH, will perform accurate pool water testing and recommend the appropriate winterizing chemicals and covers to keep your pool safe this season. They’ll perform the full closing process for you. If you do it yourself and something happens during winter, they offer skilled repairs backed by 60 years of experience. View their pool services online, and call (513) 753-6923 to schedule your closing today.