London Pool Closing Services

Beating the First Frost: Why Late September is Ideal for Winterizing your Pool

Swimming pools are built tough to withstand the elements but they are not invincible. Canadian winters are no joke and even the toughest materials are vulnerable to the elements. Skating rinks are a dime a dozen across London but your swimming pool shouldn’t be one of them! Sub-zero temperatures make plastic brittle and frozen water can cause pipes to burst. 

Frozen water can expand by up to 9% and while this isn’t a huge number, it is enough to cause significant warping and even bursting. A burst pipe unleashes a ton of water into sensitive areas, meaning flooded lawns, drowned walkways, water damage to structures and even flooded basements. There is never a good time to have a flooded yard but it is even worse in the winter where it will freeze and create serious hazards. An onslaught of ice is bad enough but when you consider the cost of repairing pools and surrounding areas, it is even worse. In order to prevent unnecessary damage and protect pools during the off-season, Puddle technicians have developed a multi-step approach to pool closings that cater to the areas of your swim space that you can see and the ones that you can’t. 

Water Care: Water chemistry is a priority during the swim season but it is easy to forget about chlorine levels when you aren’t using your pool. Imbalanced water chemistry can lead to algae growth at the best of times but during the off-season, this is even worse. If water is sitting stagnant, there is a much higher chance of algae growth taking over and that means a more difficult opening in spring. Winterizing chemicals can reduce contamination rates and help to prevent freezing. 

It takes prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures for an entire pool basin to freeze over but for small amounts of water, it is much faster than this. Small amounts of water sitting in return lines will freeze quickly, impacting the integrity of lines and the same is true of water sitting around pumps and other components. The best way to avoid damage caused by cold weather is to drain the water from basins so it falls below jets and skimmer lines. This prevents water from seeping into internal water systems where it will cause damage. It is also a good idea to winterize drain plugs to prevent water from seeping in and flushing return lines to remove any sitting water. 

Checking Filtration & Circulation Systems: When going into the off-season it is a good idea to inspect water systems to make sure that there is no existing damage that might become worse when exposed to cold weather. Removing detachable components so they can be dried and stored for the winter season is a great way to avoid damage. If a pool pump is on its last legs, a frigid winter might just be the thing that breaks it all together. A closing is also an ideal time to take stock of your pool filters. Cartridge filters can be removed, cleaned and stored so they can be used again in spring. When dealing with sand filters, it is a good idea to check up on pressure gauges to determine whether or not sand should be removed and replaced with new materials. 

Easier Openings: Whether you are keen to open your pool at the first sign of warm weather or you prefer to wait until the height of summer, pulling back a pool cover can mean coming face to face with green water, bad smells and a ton of algae blooms. If this is the case, a basic test kit can’t help to restore water condition. A proper closing can help to reduce growth rates while installing safety covers can help to keep out unwanted debris.