Neglecting your pool during autumn and winter is a big mistake. While swimming pools do not need as much attention as summer, a small amount of regular maintenance will ensure everything looks goods and operates well – saving you a bigger (and perhaps costly) job later on.
To find out how to winterise your pool, we turned to the experts at Swimart, who provided the following checklist:
Brushing the walls and floor, and then vacuuming the whole pool every couple of weeks helps prevent algae from forming. Cleaning the skimmer baskets and the pump’s lint basket of leaves will also ensure the filtration system works efficiently.
The pool’s pH level needs to be between 7.2 and 7.6, which you can easily check by taking a water sample from elbow deep and adding the appropriate treatment to bring the pool to the correct level. If you’re unsure about this process, take a sample to your local Swimart store and they can measure it for you.
Ensure that the pool’s filter is regularly cleaned, as any grease or oil deposits will harden over winter and make the filter even harder to clean in the warmer months.
To keep your pool clean and clear, it’s important to maintain your pool’s free available chlorine at a constant level of 2-3 PPM (parts per million) throughout winter. If you’re using a salt chlorinator and a pool blanket, remember to reduce the output of the chlorinator to 1-2 PPM, as pool blankets trap chemicals and chlorine, and can cause high chlorine levels to occur – potentially damaging pool equipment if not monitored carefully.
Regularly ‘shocking’ your pool helps remove organic and inorganic wastes (referred to as chloramines), which includes sweat, suntan lotion, bird droppings and dead bugs. It also ensures that the sanitiser can concentrate on killing bacteria and algae instead of these contaminants. Once you’ve added the shock treatment appropriate for your pool, run both the pump and filter for several hours to ensure it has been evenly distributed throughout the pool. If you’re still unsure what shocking means, read this.
When there is an algal bloom, most of the sanitiser in your pool is used trying to control and kill the algae, leaving no residual to keep pool water clean and healthy. Swimart recommends Aqua-Health Concide as it provides year-round protection against algae without the need for constant use.
The pool’s filter should operate 3-4 hours each day during winter. If you’re using a timer, adjust it to suit. You can save money by switching the filter on during off-peak periods.
If you don’t have an automatic controller on your solar pool heating system, manually switch it to Winter Mode or switch it off completely if you’re heading out of town.
Rolling out the pool cover when you’re not using the pool will help keep leaves and other organic material out of the water, which means less cleaning for you and less food for algae and bugs to feed on. Pool covers and blankets also help minimise chemical evaporation – saving you time and money.
Once you’ve completed your preparation for winter, it’s important that you keep to a weekly maintenance schedule even when you’re not using the pool. This involves doing a visual inspection to make sure all of your equipment is working properly, checking the water level and topping up if necessary, emptying the skimmer basket, and checking your chlorine and pH levels.
Sourced: http://www.homestolove.com.au/pool-winterising-a-10-step-checklist-5184
This Christmas, Ray White Forest Lake will continue its popular tradition of giving with the return of ‘A little Ray of Giving’. The inspiring Christmas campaign will see the team at Ray White Forest Lake partner with Rotary Forest Lake to help disadvantaged children who may need a little extra light in … Read more
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so let’s celebrate with some colour and creativity! The team at Ray White Forest Lake are holding a Children’s Christmas Colouring-In Competition this year to win great prizes: 1st Prize – $50 Gift Card from Event Cinema’s 2nd Prize – $30 Gift … Read more