How to Winterize a Pool

Any Kansas City homeowner with a backyard pool should know the importance of winterizing your pool. Pools are an investment, meaning there will be upkeep. Whether you plan on selling your home or just want to keep your pool in good shape (and save on unnecessary maintenance!), properly preparing your pool for cold weather will help you later down the road. Here’s our Kansas City pool experts’ rundown on how to winterize a pool ❄️

When to start

The first (and key????) step of how to winterize a pool is knowing when to start. Kansas City weather can be unpredictable, so it’s always best to be prepared for snow early. The good news is you can partially winterize your pool in the fall! According to This Old House, starting too early could cause algae problems due to overheating. The general rule is to start when the temperature is consistently below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Deep clean

Before you begin, remove all toys and debris from the pool. You’ll need to prepare for winter with a deep clean and rebalance the chemistry. A benefit of colder weather is that your pool requires less chemicals! After shocking and applying algaecide to the pool, you can lower the water level and cover it for good.

Cover

Covering the pool is the final and arguably the most important step to know about how to winterize a pool. Investing in a proper cover will not only protect your pool from algae, but also protect your family and pets from falling in. An automated pool cover is the safest of the types of covers. Plus, when it’s time to uncover you won’t have to worry about any debris getting through or overwhelming algae that would happen with many cheap (especially mesh) covers!