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No matter how much we may wish for the opposite to be true, sooner or later every swimming pool season ends and you will need to winterize your pool. This is one of those times where you realize that you do pay a price in terms of labor when it comes to the privilege of owning a pool, as winterizing can be a pretty involved process that can take a while and will require some foresight.
To winterize your pool, you need to be sure to get all excess water out of the lines as well as draining your water from the pool and getting it ready for the big hibernation. Here is one way of making sure your pool is ready for the season. In winterizing your pool, make sure you empty it of all its accessories and play toys, including the area around your deck. Take out any ladders you might have, as well as unbolting and taking the diving board or slide out- taking your diving board off will help to prevent any accidents over the winter and will also make sure that your bolts don’t rust out their moldings. The next step in winterizing your pool is to drain the water level down to about 6-10” below your jets. Remove the eyeballs from the jets. Now blow out the return jet lines with an air compressor, with about 120 lbs of pressure, to get out all of the water, Keep your compressor on until no more water comes out- this is very important, as any amount of water left in the lines can lead to freezing and cracking over the winter. Next, blow some antifreeze through the lines, until it begins to come out of the jets. Now blow out your skimmer, making sure to take the plug out of the bottom- there are a few more plugs you are going to have to take out, so store them all together in a spot you will easily remember come next season. As with your jet lines, blow out all the water and then blow antifreeze through the skimmer line. The next step in winterization is to go over to your pool heater and various filters. Again, remove any cocks from the heater (there will usually be two) and blow air through. Take the drain plug out of your sand filter, and the SAM filter as well as the dial that is used on the filter. Pump both to remove any remaining water. Remember to keep all your drains, eyeballs, and plugs together over the winter, in your shed or wherever you keep your pool supplies. Pull the winter cover over your pool and put about 3-6” of water on top of that, then weigh the cover down with sand bags on the edges and at the corners. Your swimming pool should now be ready for its dormant season, until the good weather returns and you can use your swimming pool again. Winterizing a pool takes some effort, but it's always worth it when the sun comes to play again.
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Cleaning and Care 
