As the days become shorter and the air gets its first crisp decline in temperature, the last thing on your mind will be dealing with your pool. However, on the other side of winter will be your itch for those lazy weekends spent floating around in the sunshine, and the pool will become a priority. The better prepared your pool is for the cooler months, when the water stands idle and without swimmers, the easier it will be to jump back in come summer. Check out this URL for more tips and the supplies to tuck your pool in for hibernation.

Clean

What is the best way to ensure your pool is swimmable by the time summer rolls around? Make sure it’s clean. Remove obvious leaves and foreign objects, scrub the sides for algae, and don’t forget to check the filter systems for objects that should be flushed away. This way, nothing is left to break down in pipes, potentially causing blockages or damage to rubber tubing that will prove a nasty interruption to your first sunny afternoon dip. Properly clean the filter for any naturally-occurring deposits of oil or lime scale, as they can harden in cold weather making the task of cleaning them later a particularly difficult one.

Prepare

In addition to cleaning your pool, there are other steps that should not be skipped. Be sure to level the water’s pH levels so that the alkalinity falls between 7.4 and 7.6. If it falls outside these parameters, more chlorine can be added, or neutralising agents can be filtered through. Find an algaecide that is appropriate for your pool type and size to give the water its best chance to fight off murky sides.

Winter Pool
Winter Pool

Cover

So that all of your preparation will not have gone to waste, be sure to invest in a high-quality pool cover. This will prohibit any debris from entering the pool, including falling winter leaves or animal droppings, and will maintain the water levels. Depending on your pool usage, you can buy covers that can be easily rolled away.

Heating

Various heating options are available for in-ground pools. They can be bought depending on the size of your pool and your individual heating needs. The right combination of heating and pool cover will result in an energy efficient year-round pool—covers maintain the heat of the pool as well as its cleanliness, two important factors that will make your pool usable at any time of your choosing.

Maintain

If you have an in-ground pool, and live in warmer climates, it is advisable that you test your chlorine regularly; water between 10 and 21 degrees Celsius should be checked monthly to ensure the chlorine levels are maintained, while water warmer than this should be checked fortnightly. Run the filter daily if possible, for up to 6 hours at a time. Be sure to clean the pool of any obvious debris to give the filter the best chance of maintaining the pool while not accumulating its own blockages in the process.

Do you have tips of your own to share? Have you had a nightmare experience when it comes to maintaining your pool? Share your stories and advice by commenting below.