How To Close An Inground Swimming Pool For The Winter

For those of us here in the Midwest, a year-round swimming pool is unfortunately out of the question for the majority of people. Bummer, I know. In regions that are warm year-round, pool owners are free from the burden of having to close their pools. Closing a pool… what does that entail? Covering the pool? Shutting the pool down? Closing a pool is not an overly difficult process, but there are a lot of small yet vital steps along the way that must be taken properly to ensure that your pool won’t open up green come springtime. 

Royal Pools G2 Landscaping has been closing and opening inground swimming pools in the Northwest Indiana Chicagoland region for 25 years now, and in that time we have refined a process that has held up and proven effective at allowing pools to rest throughout the winter without you worrying about opening up to a green or cloudy pool. For this process to be effective, however, you the pool owner need to do some maintenance before the closing, but don’t worry, it’s not too bad! Like the maintenance you do to the pool throughout the swim season, these steps will ultimately benefit your pool and equipment. 

A lot of homeowners elect to hire a pool service company to open, close, and maintain their pool throughout the swim season, but it can be done by yourself so long as you know exactly what you’re doing. So without further ado, what are the steps to closing an inground pool? 

Pool Closing Step #1 – Clean The Pool 

Something we strongly enforce to pool owners is the importance of keeping your pool clean all season long. You should regularly be doing the following:

• Check water chemistry 
• Add chemicals when needed 
• Clean the pool with a pool brush
• Skim out all floating debris 
• Clean pool equipment
• Cover pool when necessary

The simple truth is, that getting your pool clean prior to closing it can go a long way come springtime when it is time to open the pool back up. Keeping the pool clean and chemically balanced throughout the swim season is essential for keeping the water safe and swim-ready. Although you’re not swimming while the pool is closed during the winter, you still want the water to be as balanced as possible from the start, since the water will be sitting stagnant for a few months. 

Pool Closing Step #2 – Lower the Water Level

This should be done to decrease the possibility of freeze damage as the outside temperatures begin to fall. The recommended level to leave the pool water for the winter is just below the skimmer. However, it can differ depending on the type of pool you have (fiberglass, vinyl liner, or concrete) and the type of pool cover you’ll be using for the winter.

Throughout the winter, you should check the water level to see if it has gotten any higher—especially if your area has had a rainy winter or a period of warmer days after an extended period of drastically cold days.

Pool Closing Step #3 – Remove Pool Accessories

This probably goes without saying, but you should always remove any accessories such as ladders, rails, pool games, fittings for return lines, skimmer baskets, etc. where applicable. These should not be left out in the winter as they would be at risk of being damaged, including rusting over, cracking, or breaking. They should be removed from the pool, dried completely, and stored in a dry place out of direct sunlight for the off-season.

Pool Closing Step #4 – Blow Out Pipes and Add Winterizing Chemicals

You’re going to want to shut your pump system down once the pool is cleaned and clear of debris and accessories. This is the beginning of the actual closing process. At this point, you’re going to need a shop vacuum or some high-powered vacuum machine to attach to the pump and blow out all the water remaining in the various pipes. When each pipeline is blown out, the returns lines will be plugged to prevent any more air from getting out, and any water getting in. If you have a cartridge or D.E. filter, and an extra set of hands, use this time to clean the filter as well, so you don’t have to in the spring. Now the pool requires a few chemicals to keep it clear and clean during the winter. 

Antifreeze

Antifreeze is an effective chemical for pool plumbing as it can be difficult to clear every pipe of every drop of water for the winter. Clearing the pipes of water is done by blowing out the plumbing lines, which involves passing air through the plumbing lines at a high speed. This is a delicate process that requires precision and care but can be very effective for the winter when done correctly. The last thing you want is to have the pipes freeze with water still in them during the winter. That will lead to some major expenses the next season. So, the addition of antifreeze provides a good insurance policy for the winter.

It is worth noting, that whatever you do, use pool antifreeze, NOT car antifreeze!

Algaecide

One dose of algaecide should be added to your pool to prevent the growth of algae throughout the winter. Algae can grow in quite annoying places like porous areas, around lighting, near steps, and other hard-to-reach areas. So, without the consistent treatment that the pool is used to receiving during the summer, algaecide is necessary to make up for the lack of care available during the winter.

Metal Sequestrant

For pools that have a high level of metal in the pool water, a metal-sequestrant product like Natural Chemistry’s Metal Free is an effective chemical to add for the winter. A metal sequestrant raises any metal in the water so it cannot settle onto the pool’s surfaces, oxidize, or stain the pool.

Pool Shock

Pool shock is essentially a disinfectant that cleans the pool, raises chlorine levels, and adds other chemicals that will keep the water balanced. This is something that should be done the day before the pool is closed and will aid in keeping the pool clean for the winter. Additionally, pool shock will battle algae blooms and help further prevent the growth of algae over the winter while the pool is idle.

Pool Closing Step #5 – Install Winter Cover

A winter cover will protect the pool from contaminants, debris, and other objects throughout the offseason. A winter cover should also have a cover pump that rests on the cover itself and removes any water that winds up on top of it. A winter cover can be a spring-loaded mesh or solid cover that will be manually placed on and off of the pool. Or it can be an automatic cover, which covers the pool with just the flip of a switch or the press of a couple of buttons.

To ensure that the pool cover does its job over the winter, make sure you keep it clean by using a broom to remove leaves, snow, or other debris. Of course, you don’t want to use anything sharp as it could puncture or tear the cover. 

Who Completes Pool Closings?

Now that you know about what goes into closing an inground pool, you could do it yourself! It really is not a hard process. It is best done with a couple of people, one who can focus on the equipment pad, blowing out the lines, and cleaning the filter, and one person to plug the lines and add the winter chemicals.

However, if you don’t know how to complete each step of the closing process down to the smallest detail or are nervous about damaging your pool, we recommend researching pool service companies in your area and finding one that can close the pool for you. If you’re a new pool owner, more often than not, your pool builder offers closing services for a fee, so you can contact them when you’re ready to close your pool for the year.

At Royal Pools G2 Landscaping, we offer our own inground pool closing services. If you need one come fall time, give us a call at (219) 322-2797, or reach out to [email protected]. If you have more questions about pools, head over to our learning hub where you will find educational blogs and videos on all things pools and landscaping. Get started with some of these articles below!

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