A. IF YOU HAVE A HIGH METALS OR CALCIUM CONTENT (MOST WELL WATER) ADD DOUBLE YOUR NORMAL MAINTENANCE DOSE OF SEQUESTRANT (STAIN AND SCALE CONTROL).
B. ADJUST THE TOTAL ALKALINITY TO 80 - 100 ppm FOR PLASTER POOLS, OR 100 - 125 ppm FOR VINYL, PAINTED, OR FIBERGLASS POOLS.
C. ADJUST CALCIUM HARDNESS TO 200 - 250 ppm FOR PLASTER POOLS, AND 175 - 225 FOR ALL OTHER TYPES OF POOLS.
D. SUPER CHLORINATE POOL WATER WITH 2lbs OF GRANULAR CHLORINE (DICHLORO) PER 10,000 GALS. LET CIRCULATE FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS BEFORE PROCEEDING.
E. PREVENT ALGAE BY ADDING WINTER ALGAECIDE; CIRCULATE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS BEFORE PROCEEDING.
F. ADJUST pH to 7.4ppm FOR WINTER.
2. FILTRATION SYSTEMS
THOROUGHLY CLEAN YOUR FILTER SYSTEM; ADD FILTER CLEANER TO SAND FILTER SYSTEMS, TURN PUMP OFF AND LET SOAK PER LABEL INSTRUCTIONS. BACKWASH FILTER UNTIL CLEAN. NEVER STORE A DIRTY FILTER! DEPOSITS AND SCALE MAY HARDEN OVER THE WINTER LEAVING YOU A TOUGH, DIRTY REPAIR JOB IN THE SPRING.
CARTRIDGES (ELEMENTS) SHOULD BE REMOVED AND SOAKED IN A SOLUTION OF FILTER CLEANER FOR SEVERAL HOURS, PRESSURE WASHED AND STORED IN A PLASTIC BAG FOR WINTER.
3. NORMAL HOUSEKEEPING CHORES BRUSH WALLS OF POOL, CLEAN WATER/TILE LINE WITH TILE AND VINYL CLEANER. CLEAN AND WASH ALL BASKETS.
4. PARTIALLY DRAIN POOL A LEVEL OF 12 INCHES BELOW THE SKIMMER IS MOST OFTEN RECOMMENDED.
5. COMPLETE THE APPLICABLE REQUIRED TASKS AS LISTED BELOW:
----------POWER TO LIGHT, PUMP IS TURNED OFF
----------LIGHT IS REMOVED AND SECURED TO THE DECK
----------DISCONNECT AND DRAIN CHLORINATOR
----------POOL SWEEP HOSES REMOVED AND STORED
----------SLIDE LINE BLOWN OUT / ANTI FREEZE ADDED
----------FILTER TANK DRAINED / PLUG REMOVED
----------MULTI PORT VALVE IN WINTERIZE POSITION
----------DRAIN PLUG REMOVED FROM PUMP
----------HLP LID LUBED AND SECURED
----------GAS LINE IS SHUT OFF
----------HEATER GAS VALVE IS IN THE OFF POSITION
----------ALL HEATER FREEZE PLUGS REMOVED
----------DISCONNECT WATER LINE TO PRESSURE SWITCH
----------DIRECTIONAL EYEBALLS REMOVED (IN GROUND POOLS)
----------INLET LINES BLOWN OUT / ANTI FREEZE ADDED (IN GROUND POOLS )
----------PLUGS INSTALLED IN INLET LINES (IN GROUND POOLS )
----------BASKETS REMOVED AND STORED
----------SKIMMER LINES BLOWN OUT / ANTI FREEZE ADDED (IN GROUND POOLS)
----------GIZZMOS INSTALLED IN SKIMMERS
----------REMOVE ALL HOSES AND STORE INDOORS (ABOVE GROUND POOLS)
----------LADDERS REMOVED AND STORED
----------DIVING BOARD REMOVED AND STORED (IN GROUND POOLS)
----------SOLAR COVER CLEANED AND STORED
----------SOLAR REEL REMOVED AND STORED
----------AIR PILLOW INSTALLED / TIED IN PLACE
----------COVER INSTALLED / TIED DOWN
----------WATER TUBES INSTALLED / SECURED (IN GROUND POOLS)
--------- DRAIN PLUGS, BOLTS, BASKETS, INLETS, ETC. BAGGED
CLOSING YOUR POOL Part 2
View Video Part 1 - How to Close & Winterize Inground Pools
View Video Part 2 - How to Close & Winterize Inground Pools
FIRST THE WATER MUST BE PREPARED FOR WINTERIZING:
(Water temp of approx 60 degrees) THE CHLORINE LEVEL SHOULD BE 3ppm (GRANULAR CHLORINE IS THE BEST PRODUCT FOR COOL WATER APPLICATION), Ph SHOULD BE ADJUSTED TO 7.4 ppm, AND THE ALKALINITY SHOULD BE 100ppm.
NEXT, A COMPLETE CLEANING IS IN ORDER. LEAVES OR OTHER ORGANIC MATTER IN THE POOL MAY CAUSE PERMANENT STAINS. BE SURE TO CLEAN THE WATERLINE AND SKIMMER NOW; WAITING UNTIL SPRING WILL MAKE YOUR JOB MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
REMOVE ANY CHLORINE LEFT IN THE CHLORINATOR THEN TURN UP TO THE FULL FLOW POSITION TO FLUSH IT OUT.
PROPER WINTER CHEMICALS ARE CRUCIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL POOL CLOSING.
FOR PREVENTION OF SCALE AND MINERAL DEPOSITS, THE USE OF A STRONG STAIN AND SCALE PREVENTIVE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. THIS WILL ALSO PREVENT THE “RING AROUND THE COLLAR” AT THE WATER LEVEL.
FOR ALGAE CONTROL OVER THE WINTER MONTHS, A WINTER ALGAECIDE MUST BE UTILIZED,
AND FINALLY,WINTER SHOCK SHOULD BE ADDED AT A RATE OF 1 TO 2 lbs. PER 10,000 GALLONS.
ADD THE ABOVE CHEMICALS PER LABEL INSTRUCTIONS AND ALLOW TO CIRCULATE AT LEAST FOUR HOURS FOR PROPER DISTRIBUTION.
THIS IS THE TIME TO REMOVE LADDERS, SOLAR REELS, SLIDES, ETC . . . SO THEY MAY BE CLEANED AND STORED FOR THE WINTER.
NOW THAT THE WINTER CHEMICALS ARE WELL DISPERSED, WE’ WiLL TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE FILTER.
IF YOU HAVE A CARTRIDGE FILTER, REMOVE THE CARTRIDGE AND SOAK IT IN FILTER CLEANER FOR THE TIME SPECIFIED BY THE CLEANER, THEN RINSE, DRY AND STORE FOR THE WINTER.
SAND FILTERS REQUIRE A FILTER WASH OR FILTER CLEANER. FOLLOW THE LABEL INSTRUCTION. THIS PROCEDURE WILL NORMALLY ELIMINATE THE NEED TO CHANGE THE SAND NEXT SPRING.
TIME FOR DRAINING: THE WATER LEVEL SHOULD BE APPROXIMATELY TWELVE INCHES BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE SKIMMER ON ABOVE GROUND POOLS.
FOR IN GROUND POOLS: DRAIN BELOW LIGHT OR RETURN FITTINGS (WHICHEVER IS LOWER). OPEN THE MAIN DRAIN, AND CLOSE THE SKIMMERS.
ABOVE GROUND POOLS:
HOOK YOUR VACUUM HOSE UP AND DRAIN DOWN TO THE PROPER LEVEL USING THE BACKWASH POSITION TO GIVE THE FILTER A LITTLE EXTRA RINSING ACTION.
ABOVE GROUND: REMOVE WINTER DRAIN PLUGS FROM THE PUMP, HLP, FILTER, AND CHLORINATOR. STORE THE PLUGS IN A SAFE PLACE LIKE PUMP THE HAIR AND LINT POT. REMOVE AND STORE THE SKIMMER BASKET. PUT YOUR FILTER VALVE IN THE WINTERIZE POSITION.
ALL HOSES SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM ABOVE GROUND POOLS. STORE ALL HOSES AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
AFTER EQUIPMENT IS DRAINED, COVER WITH PLASTIC OR STORE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE.
NOTE: ALL EXPOSED THREADS AND O-RINGS SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY AN AMPLE APPLICATION OF “MAGIC LUBE” OR SIMILAR PRODUCT.
REMOVAL OF PRESSURE GAUGE IS ALSO RECOMMENDED.
IN GROUND POOLS: REMOVE THE DRAIN PLUGS FROM THE PUMP, HLP, FILTER, AND CHLORINATOR. REMOVE AND STORE THE SKIMMER BASKET(S),
REMOVE EYEBALLS FROM INLETS AND BLOW WATER FROM SKIMMER AND INLET LINES. IF YOUR FILTER VALVE HAS A WINTERIZE POSITION, PUT IT THERE.
AND PROTECT THREADS ON PUMPS/VALVES WITH A LIBERAL COATING OF MAGIC LUBE.
FILL ALL LINES INCLUDING MAIN DRAIN WITH NONTOXIC ANTIFREEZE (ONE GALLON PER 12 FT. OF PIPE).
NEXT, PLUG THE INLET FITTINGS AND INSTALL GIZZMOS IN SKIMMERS. GIZZMO AND PLUG THREADS SHOULD BE COATED WITH MAGIC LUBE FOR EASY SPRING REMOVAL.
MAKE SURE THE GAS IS TURNED OFF TO THE HEATER; DISCONNECT AND REMOVE THE PRESSURE SWITCH AND HEATER FREEZE PLUGS.
REMOVE LIGHT ASSEMBLY FROM NICHE, WRAP IN PLASTIC AND SECURE TO DECK.
REMOVE PRESSURE GAUGE AND SIGHT GLASS FROM FILTER.
BAG ALL PLUGS AND HARDWARE AND STORE THEM IN THE PUMP BASKET.
Now please see our Winter Swimming Pool Cover Guide >>>
Learn about the various types of covers available,
Determine the Proper Cover Size for your pool
and How to Properly Install it.
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