What Can You Do with Your Pool When It’s Closed?

What can you do with your pool when it is closed?

You’ve enjoyed your swimming pool all summer long, but now that the mornings and afternoons are getting colder, it’s time to think about what you’re going to do with your pool during the off-season. We don’t recommend draining it and using it for skateboarding, but there are different things you can do to improve it. What kind of maintenance should you do on your pool in the off-season? Let’s discuss the options.

Use the Winter Season for Pool Renovation

The winter months are an excellent occasion for pool projects since they won’t interfere with your swimming fun. If your pool isn’t looking as new as it once did, you might consider having it professionally renovated. Maybe you just need to replace worn-out or broken tiles, replaster a stained surface, or refinish your pool to refresh it and make it look like new. On the other hand, you have time in the winter to do more extensive renovations, changing your pool’s configuration, adding a saltwater system, or replacing the deck. Of course, you can also do a pool renovation that’s fun! Improve your pool’s aesthetic appeal and overall comfort with a new lighting system, a fire feature, a waterfall,  built-in seating on the deck, or some other must-have feature.

Make Some Necessary Repairs

Winter is also perfect for catching up on pool repairs you’ve been meaning to have done, to make sure your pool is in great shape when you open it next season. You won’t want to make major repairs when the ground is frozen, but you can certainly replace a faulty pool pump, fix a broken light, or repair a broken cover. Taking care of these things during the off-season means you don’t have to take time away from the pool when people want to swim. No matter what you intend to have done to your pool over the winter months, make sure it’s done by a professional.

Caring for the Pool Cover in Winter

Your pool cover is essential because it keeps debris out of your pool and makes the pool safer for your family and friends. It can easily be damaged during the winter, though, if you are not careful. Pump excess water off of the cover, taking care not to over-pump. You should leave one to three inches of water because this will protect the cover from wind damage. Make sure you check the pool water level, because draining water from the cover can also pull water out of the pool. Make sure to keep your cover free of debris, using a deep leaf net to remove leaves and other items. If the pool cover is dry but covered in debris, you can also use a leaf blower to remove it. It is very important to keep your pool cover clean, because too much water or excessive flotsam and jetsam can cause the pool cover to sink into the pool.

Keeping Up with Maintenance

If your pool has iced over, don’t move the sheets of ice. Shifting ice can cause damage to the pool liner, and your pool shouldn’t be damaged by freezing water if it’s been properly winterized. Take care of your regular maintenance, maintaining the proper levels of pool chemicals so that the water will be clear when you reopen the pool in spring. While your pool is closed, deep clean your pool filter, and you’ll have better filtration once the pool is back in use. It’s wise to do this task right after you close the pool, while the dirt and grime is still fresh, and before it has had time to sit for months and really stick to the filter. Use filter cleaning products designed to remove oil, scale buildup, metals, and dirt, rather than just cleaning the filter with a hose. While you’re at it, clean your salt cell if you have a saltwater pool, to remove scale buildup and prolong the use of your system. To properly clean your salt cell, you will need to soak it in cell cleaning solution for about half an hour.

Swimming Pool Cleaning, Maintenance, Renovation, and Repair

When you need swimming pool maintenance services, trust Millennium Pools and Spas to do the job right. With over 30 combined years of experience in the pool industry, we provide a comprehensive range of pool services for both residential and commercial customers in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland. When you hire Millennium Pool Service, you get a well-qualified, industry-trained staff of pool contractors and technicians, services that are tailored to your needs, and a commitment to 100% customer satisfaction. Contact us for more information.