How to Close Kelowna Pools for Winter in the Okanagan?
Closing Kelowna pools for winter requires knowledge and experience to do it right.
It’s that time of year when the temperatures are starting to dip, which means it’s time to winterize your Kelowna pools. There are several key steps to closing down a pool that will ensure:
- Your investment is protected
- You experience a trouble-free opening next spring
For total peace of mind, it’s a good idea to have this work done by professional pool companies Kelowna residents recommend. However, it never hurts to understand the process so you can follow what they’re doing.
Why Winterize Kelowna Pools?
The purpose of winterizing a pool is to protect it from damage due to freezing water. As water freezes, it expands, which can crack pipes and break equipment. The other goal is to ensure your pool is in optimal shape heading into winter. This greatly reduces the amount of work needed when you reopen it in spring.
Balancing Water Chemistry
This should be your first step. The more balanced it is, the better it will endure winter. That means monitoring and adjusting levels for:
- pH
- Alkalinity
- Hardness
- Bromine, chlorine or salt (depending on sanitization chemical used)
It’s not a bad idea to give your pool a final shock treatment and apply an algaecide before putting it to bed.
Tidy Pool Area
As part of their closing routine, many people who own Kelowna pools take the time to remove and store things like:
- Toys
- Deck furniture
- Ladders, slides and diving boards
- Pool cleaners
- Other fittings and equipment
Having fewer obstacles in the way makes winterizing easier.
Lower Water Level
In order to blow out your lines (which is coming up), you first need to lower the water level to expose the lines from the skimmer. This also makes it easier to install the pool cover.
Drain Equipment
To prevent lines from freezing, drain water from your:
- Chlorinator
- Filter
- Pump
- Heater
Blow Out Lines
Using either an air compressor or Shop-Vac, blow out the pool lines to remove any standing water left in the system. Follow this by sealing the lines with the appropriate sized plugs to prevent moisture from reentering the system.
Remove and Clean Filters
Once your lines are drained, remove your pool filter and clean it prior to storing it. It’s a recommended that you store all removable pool equipment out of the elements (a temperature-controlled environment is best).
Add Winterizing Chemicals
To maintain proper water balance throughout winter, there are special winterizing chemical kits available.
Install Pool Cover
Last but not least, install your pool cover. The swimming pools Kelowna residents prefer most tend to use solid covers because they:
- Prevent debris from entering the water
- Reduce the possibility of someone falling into the pool
- Inhibit algae growth
- Require little maintenance when not in use
For more on pool maintenance, read: Kelowna Pools: 4 Maintenance and Upgrade Items Best Left to Professionals.
Do you lack the time or experience to properly close down your pool for winter? Rafter 4K Contracting Ltd. has experience winterizing Kelowna pools of all shapes and sizes for peace of mind. Call us to make an appointment.
