Winterizing your pool is a task that needs to be undertaken every winter season, but what most pool owners tend to forget is that winterizing their gear is an essential part of that process too. That being said, what exactly do you need to winterize? What needs to be properly put away until next season? Let’s take a closer look at what to focus on when winterizing your pool equipment so that you can make sure it is in pristine condition for use next year.
Winterizing Your Sand Filter
Your pool’s filter is one of the most important parts of your pool, keeping your pool clean and safe. But once it comes time to winterize the pool, you don’t want to be running this filter for hours on end when your pool isn’t getting any use. Fortunately, it’s very easy to winterize your sand filter. Let’s take a look at some of the basic steps involved.
- Perform a Backwash: Giving your filter a backwash is vital to clearing out any debris and preventing anything from growing in your filter during the winter months. Perform a backwash until you’re sure that the water is running clearly and all of the gunk has been expelled.
- Rinse It Out: Once you’re done with your backwash, set the pump to the “rinse” position for around 30 seconds to make sure that everything is good to go.
- Set to “Winterize”: The good news when it comes to winterizing certain pool equipment? You’ll find that your sand filter is designed for this. If you look around, you should be able to locate a handy “winterize” setting. This setting allows water to drain from the valve.
- Drain Your Filter: When you get to this point in the process, there’s still a ton of water left in your sand filter, which can become moldy and problematic if left stagnant. Unscrew the drain cap at the bottom of your filter to empty all of the water and prepare it for storage.
- Disconnect Everything: Once the above is done, you can then disconnect everything to make your whole sand filter easier to store.
This is one big example of winterizing pool equipment that you’ll need to know. But once you tackle this and other tasks, you’ll also need to know how to make sure that everything is being properly stored over the winter season.
Proper Storage of Pool Equipment Over the Winter
Pool equipment shouldn’t be kept outside during the winter months for a wide range of reasons. Here are a few tips to make sure that you’re storing everything safely and making sure that your equipment will be in good condition come next year.
- Never store pool equipment in areas where you know they’ll be subjected to freezing temperatures. Much like you wouldn’t store plastic pool equipment outside in the intense summer heat due to the potential for cracking, extremely low temperatures can have the same effect. All pool equipment should be in an indoor space that stays relatively warm during winter.
- Make sure that you properly drain and dry everything before storage. Leaving items with water in them outside or elsewhere can result in frozen equipment or mold growth that stays there until you’re able to clean everything in time to open the pool.
- Keep everything with each other so you don’t end up losing the parts that you need. Make sure not to store easily damaged parts with sharp objects that could puncture necessary hoses and beyond.
Prepare for Winter With Scott Payne Custom Pools
No matter whether you’re just getting started with a brand new custom pool in Collegeville, PA, or you’re looking to delegate maintenance to an experienced pool company in Berwyn, PA, we’re here to help. Contact us today so we can learn more about your project and help you get a better idea of what comes next.
