Yes, it’s that time of year already. The sun sets earlier, the temperature has dropped, the nights have gotten chili, and we just turned our clocks back. As a Dallas swimming pool owner, these indications of the seasons changing mean it’s time to winterize your swimming pool.

General Steps For Winterizing a Swimming Pool

1. Clean out your pool – The first step to getting your pool ready for the off season involves the standard swimming pool cleaning Dallas customers already receive as part of their swimming pool maintenance. If you are handling this on you own, make sure you clean out all the leaves, twigs, bugs and dirt. You can use your pool vacuum or just fish them out with the pool net, and be sure to clean out the pump basket and skimmer as well. To save a step in the spring when you re-open your pool, clean the tile along the side of the pool as well.
2. Balance the water chemistry – By balancing the chemistry levels of the water, it protects the pool from corrosion and scale build up; to do this you can pick up a water test kit at most pool supply stores and adjust the water to the recommended levels of calcium, pH, total alkalinity, and chlorination. Your Dallas-area pool cleaning and maintenance experts at A Better Pool Service can assist in this process and we can add a winterization kit as well.
3. Avoid freezing of the pool water – Even in Texas the temperatures can drop below freezing for multiple days at a time, which can put your pool surface, filters, pumps and other parts at risk of damage. It is recommended that if you are closing your pool for the winter to drain it down below the skimmer mouth, but do not empty the pool water fully.
4. Winterize swimming pool pump and heater – Disconnect your pool pump and filter, and make sure all of the water is drained from the pump completely. Remove the drain plugs as they may trap water inside. Then, once you have drained the pump, turn it on for just one or two seconds to push out any remaining water in the impeller. For pool heater winterizing, drain the heater to remove any standing water and blow it out with a shop vacuum or compressor. Then, completely drain the heater, remove any drain plugs, and securely store them where you can easily get to them in the spring. Do the same to remove the excess water in the pool piping to avoid freeze damage during the winter.
5. Pool filter cleaning – First, remove the filter hoses, spray the cartridge filter elements and grids with filter cleaner and rinse with clean water. Open the drain on the bottom of the filter to allow any excess water in the filter to drain out, move the multiport valve in the closed “winter” position, blow any excess water out and remove the pressure gauge and securely store it until spring.
6. Pool Cover – If you already have a pool safety cover or a pool winter cover, inspect it and make sure there are no rips or tears and that all of straps are still securely attached to the cover prior to putting the cover on. As long as it is still in good shape, put the pool cover on; as you may already know, this requires more than one person so you will need one or two more people to help you get the pool cover on correctly. Our Dallas pool service technicians will be glad to handle this task for you if you don’t have enough help around, just give us a call.
7. Storing your pool equipment and toys – To preserve the life of your swimming pool accessories, equipment and toys, it is recommended to clean and dry them off and store them in a closed container in the garage or somewhere they will not get wet or damaged during the winter.

As you go along the steps of cleaning, draining and storing your equipment, make sure you also refer to the manufacturers guide for proper care. If you come across an issue during the pool winterizing steps or you don’t want to do this on your own, A Better Pool Service is here to help you with any and all of the steps for your Dallas swimming pool winterizing.