When winter comes along you might find yourself swimming in your pool less than usual. You might even be inclined to avoid your pool and outdoor area altogether. However, if you ignore your pool area, the mess and debris will accumulate, which will leave you with a lot of work to do before your pool can be used again in the summer. A sparkling clean swimming pool is
obviously a requisite in summer, but your pool maintenance routine will still need your attention in the winter. It is, of course, far easier to maintain a swimming pool over the winter, than to bring it out of hibernation and its swamp-like state. Caring for your swimming pool during winter means it will be far less expensive and time-consuming come spring time, when you are having to prepare your swimming pool for the summer season.
Below, we list some tasks worth completing during winter to maintain and prepare your swimming pool and its outdoor area for a fun summer ahead.
Maintain the water:
As the cooler weather sets in, you can seek a professional for pool maintenance to make sure your water is balanced correctly, and it is at its best after the busy summer of swimming and before the stagnant winter. You should also use a testing kit to check the pH, alkalinity and chlorine levels occasionally throughout winter. You might feel that you don’t need your filter on while your pool isn’t in use, but it is still important that you run the pool filter for at least a few hours each week to keep the water moving and for filter maintenance to keep the filter working at its best. Another way to maintain the water after summer and over the winter, is to ‘Shock’ your pool. Shocking is essentially adding a high dosage of pool cleaning chemicals to your pool in one hit. It is also a good idea to run a pump after shocking it to make sure the chemicals are spread evenly.
Tidying up pool toys and equipment:
You may have collected a lot of pool toys and inflatables if you have children. It’s easy for these items to blow around into the garden, or to be left near the pool. If those pool toys and inflatables are left out in the elements, they will become damaged, and you will have to pay for new pool toys and inflatables each swim season. Save yourself the hassle by properly storing them after each swim session. Make sure they are stored somewhere where they won’t be a tripping hazard, and keep them away from chemicals and cleaning products. You should also give all of your pool equipment a good clean. Equipment like skimmers, filters and any other pool cleaning devices which are likely to harbour scum which could infect your pool as it lays dormant over winter.
A chemical clean-up:
Carry out a stocktake of the chemicals and cleaning products to determine if there’s any out of date or empty packets you can get rid of. Always refer to the disposal instructions on the packaging. You can also check which chemicals and products you will need to re-order for the upcoming months. To keep your children and pets from coming into contact with them, keep all your chemicals and cleaning products locked away in a shed or garage.
Garden Maintenance:
Whilst it’s tempting to just leave the lawn and garden untouched over winter, it means there will be a jungle to deal with later on. To avoid that situation, stay on top of the gardening by mowing the lawn when you can, pull out the weeds, and prune any bushes or plants which may need it. By maintaining your garden throughout winter, you can prevent debris making its way into your
pool. Plants can also stain unsealed pavers, so it’s important to be aware of what you have planted around your pool. If you have a pool cover, this will prevent debris entering your pool when you are moving or pruning. Also when it comes to gardening and mowing the lawn, it’s a good idea to check the forecast to avoid undoing all your hard work if heavy rainfall or strong winds are predicted.
Other odd jobs to organise:
An easy way to keep your pool free from contaminants through winter is to cover it. Buying a pool cover will stop leaves and dirt from entering your swimming pool. If you have glass pool fences, they might need to be cleaned. Pavers around your swimming pool may need to be re-sealed. You should also check your poolside accessories like umbrellas, deck chairs, tables, for any signs of damage. Don’t forget to give your deck chairs a hose down before the family returns to the pool in summer, as spiders can hide underneath them!
Your hard work with the winter clean-up and maintenance of your swimming pool will be well worth it, and give you peace of mind as soon as the weather starts heating up. You will be thanking yourself for getting the time-consuming backyard chores sorted out so that you are not playing catch up to get the pool ready for the summer swimming season. For any further information or any questions about winter maintenance, please contact the experienced team at Barrier Reef Pools Perth, and we will be happy to help.
If you haven’t got a swimming pool yet but are intrigued by the idea of summer with a wonderful new backyard addition, you can start the process by arranging a free quote with Barrier Reef Pools Perth. Your dedicated local perth pool builder will be there to support you along the journey to the pool you’ve always wanted.