Pool Closing Mistakes

Every year, as the trees shed their leaves and the cold air creeps up, pool owners come to terms with the fact that it’s time to close up their pools for the season. And even though it seems like a straightforward process, there are many ways to accidentally sabotage yourself when closing your pool. 

These mistakes can make your reopening a nightmare and even reduce the lifespan of your pool equipment. Here’s what they are and how you can avoid them this year.

Forgetting the Filter

Every part of your pool requires attention before you close it, including the filter. Cleaning the filter is something many pool owners already do. But since the closing list can be somewhat daunting, many will forget to clean out their filter, assuming backwashing will be enough.

Backwashing is essential in ensuring there’s no large debris floating around in your pool. But it’s not a substitute for cleaning the filter, as oils and smaller debris will stay stuck until you reopen next year. Use a filter cleaning chemical before your last backwash, and you’ll keep everything nice and clean for the next pool season.

Carelessly Adding Pool Chemicals

Your pool chemicals will only work if they have enough time to do their job. Too often, pool owners will use closing kits right before they close their pools. Doing so is a mistake because the chemicals must distribute evenly throughout the water. Otherwise, some areas will hold too much of the cleaner, while other areas won’t have enough.

Adding in the chemicals without considering when to do it can lead to algae growth over the winter. You can easily combat this by remembering to add your closing chemicals around 24 to 48 hours before you shut the pool down for the season.

Ignoring the Chemical Balance of Your Pool Water

You should be testing your pool water for chemical balances religiously already. But even if you miss it a few times, you should never close your pool without testing the water first. It’s the most crucial time of the year to check in on the chemical balance.

If you close with an unbalanced pool, you can’t fix the mistake for months. And a lot can happen to your pool during that time, like scale from the chemicals building up on the walls, floor, and equipment or metal components rusting over. 

Shutting It Down Prematurely

You might think it’s smart to get ahead and close the pool when you think you’ll stop using it. It makes sense — closing down early could save you on energy costs and make it easier if the weather is slightly warmer. However, doing so also creates a breeding ground for algae.

The safest route is to wait until the temperature is consistently under 65 degrees. Waiting even just an extra week for this could increase the possibility of you opening up a crystal-clear pool next spring. If you don’t wait, you’ll spend the first part of the season trying to kill off the algae growth.

Waiting Until Spring to Address Water Quality

If you suspect an issue with your water quality, like algae or scale buildup, you shouldn’t close your pool until you get it under control. Closing down and hoping the problem will resolve itself is misguided; instead, you’ll have an even worse issue. Besides the extra growth, you could also cause permanent damage to your pool’s finish.

Take extra time to clean everything from your pool, including organic matter like branches or leaves. If you leave them there all winter, they can eat away at your pool’s chlorine, which leads directly to the next common mistake.

Pretending You Don’t Need a Leaf Net 

Invest in a leaf net and place it on top of your winter cover. This will trap any leaves caught on the cover, making it easy to remove them the next time you open your pool. Get this up early, before the leaves start falling, and remove it once the trees are mostly bare. This way, you aren’t accidentally dumping a bunch of old leaves into your pool come spring.

Make No Mistake: WCI Pools & Spas Is Here to Help 

With the clock running down on pool season, the time to call for professional maintenance is now! Get in touch with us at WCI Pools & Spas today and request services to ensure your pool is ready for winter.