That time of the year is just around the corner when the season comes to ends and signals it about time to close the pool. Closing the pool is often a reality that people have to deal with every year. Only people who happen to live in areas that enjoy relatively warm weather throughout the year have the luxury of keeping the pool open all the time.
Carrying out pool closing in a proper way helps in making pool opening smoother next spring. The following are tips from Laughlin Pools in Ottawa that will help you close your pool properly.
The onset of winter implies that any standing water will freeze and turn into ice. Your biggest priority in getting your pool ready is to drain all water from pipes and fixtures. Water freezing in these pipes will make them expand and even break meaning you will be dealing with leaks next summer and the inevitable replacement. You must carry out a thorough job when clearing pipes especially those that are found underground. The use of a high powered air compressor or a shop vac will ensure that no water remains in the underground pipes that will turn to ice during winter.
Another common challenge when closing pools is that of tiled pools. Failure to lower the water level to below the tile will cause breakage of tile after water freezes and expands. You can keep your tiles in tip-top shape by lowering the water level. Where you have a liner in the pool, you do not need to significantly lower to the water levels. The water that remains in the pool will serve to prevent the cover from dipping too much during the harsh winter weather.
A winterizing mix of chemical is required for optimal results after closing the pool. Experts recommend that for better results a concentrated shock treatment with winter algaecide alongside the use of a stain treatment product. The water left remaining in the pool should also be adjusted for pH and alkalinity. Caution should be practiced when using the granular chemical that should be thoroughly mixed in a bucket before pouring them into the pool so as to avoid staining the bottom of the pool.
Laughlin Pools recommends that everything detached from the pool is well stored, preferably in the same spot, to guarantee that all these parts will be found when spring comes and it’s time to open the pool.
