Believe it or not, summer is drawing to an end and autumn will arrive more quickly than any of us want. Some trees are already tarnishing our summer enjoyment with a few yellow leaves and closing your pool is already on the horizon if not already done! With the change in season, we are already scheduling the following projects for this winter after closing your pool, so now is the time to start thinking about what you need to do to protect your investment.
Winter Pool Closing
There are a number of tasks our technicians will perform in closing your pool for the winter:
- Vacuum, clean, and skim the pool
- Test water chemistry for chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness for the off-season
- Add environmentally safe algae inhibitor
- Add sequestering agent to prevent staining
- Drain pool water to proper winter level
- Drain and seal all plumbing lines and equipment
- Add non-toxic, biodegradable, environmentally safe antifreeze to all plumbing lines
- Remove and store any equipment – ladders, handrails, etc.
The final step in closing your pool is to install and secure your winter cover. We don’t recommend using your expensive automatic pool cover for the winter, as the wear and tear significantly shortens the usefulness and lifespan of that expensive accessory. And an old, dirty tarp cover can be a death trap for pets and animals. Tarp covers can also slip into the pool water itself, dumping hundreds of gallons of dirty, debris-filled water into the clean pool water.
New or Replacement Winter Mesh Safety Covers
Now is the time to consider a new winter mesh safety cover. A mesh safety cover is a tightly woven, lightweight, long-lasting material that allows snow to melt through while keeping out leaves and other debris. There are two big advantages of the mesh pool cover. Firstly, the mesh safety cover is exactly as the name implies – safe – as several adults can walk on the trampoline-like surface (although we don’t recommend you do so) and only get wet to the knees as it dips into the cold water, thereby ensuring that you won’t be trapped. Secondly, the aesthetics of the tarp are pleasing, offering a clean, debris-free look to your winterized pool. Leaves and small twigs simply blow off with the next windy day, and you don’t have to put up with a swampy tarp or concrete blocks that hold down that old tarp cover.
Pool Painting After Closing Your Pool
Giving your pool a fresh coat of paint can happen because you want yet another way to improve the aesthetics of your pool area or it can be a practical way to extend the life of your pool. Pool, fountain, and deck paints come in a variety of colors and can breathe new life into your concrete or fiberglass pool. Most pool paints can also be used on gunite and plastered pools.
Tile Work
You go to the dentist every six months for a cleaning, but you’re also there so that they can inspect your teeth and repair any damage to the enamel before it can erode away, eventually causing problems larger than a simple cavity. Repairing tile is a lot like filling a cavity before you need a root canal – it prevents damage from getting worse, keeps your pool from eroding away, and is far more cost effective than replacing an entire pool shell. Hastings Water Works can help you protect your pool investment by making small repairs during the off-season that will give your pool a longer life.
Replacement Vinyl Liner
One of the toughest decisions for a pool owner is knowing the best time to replace the vinyl liner, but since the vinyl liner is the only waterproofing pool owners have, it’s something that should be taken seriously. Unfortunately, many homeowners wait too long to make the call, trying to stretch the liner lifespan one more season. They end up missing out on much of an already-too-short summer season, waiting for a last-minute liner replacement when pool service companies are at their busiest time of year.
New Pool Heater
Replacing your pool heater and other equipment during the winter can ensure that you’re up and running as soon as the weather is warm enough to reopen your pool. With time for any pool repairs at a premium during the spring, replacing a heater that is more than 10 years old should be done over the winter months when you can get your best pricing.
We’ll all be singing the winter blues fairly soon. So, make the most of your off-season to get the repairs and upgrades your pool needs to make next season even better. Schedule your services today.