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Winter Pool Care in Eastern North Carolina

Posted by Janine Varholick on Mon, Jan 2, 2012 07:41 PM

Here in Eastern North Carolina we have about 50% of our pool owners leaving their pools open year round.  We are often asked, “How do I take care of my Swimming Pool during the winter months?”  If you follow the simple steps below you will be able to maintain your pool though the winter and Spring start-up will be a breeze!

First and foremost you need to keep all leaves and debris out of your Pool! All of the leaves that have gotten into your pool while the trees were losing their leaves must be scooped or vacuumed out. There are tools available that can make this job easier, a leaf rake or leaf vacuum are the most popular.Inground Pool with Pavers

You should run your Pump at least 3-4 hours daily.  I know quite a few people who run them at night.  You can run your pool at night but ONLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS when the daytime temps are below 60 degrees.  If the night time temps are going to be freezing you will need to leave your pump on for 24 hours or until the threat of freeze is over.  There are freeze timers available for In-ground Swimming Pools that can make this job a bit easier for you. On our Facebook Page we usually remind people to leave their pumps running when we see freezing temps.

It is recommended that you have some type of Sanitizer in your pool.  I recommend using a chlorine stick in the skimmer.  You should get a chlorine stick that only decomposes while the filter is on.   A chlorine tab will also work but they generally decompose as long as they are wet.  What if you have a salt system on your swimming pool?  Most salt cells DO NOT produce chlorine of the water is below 65 degrees.  If this is the case with your pool you will need to use sometime of chorine during the winter months.  If you are not sure if your salt system produces chlorine during the winter months you should ask your Pool Professional.

Once a month you should shock your pool with a good chorine shock and follow that up with a dose of algaecide.  I would also recommend having your Water Tested at least once a month so you can keep up with the water balance.

If you follow these steps Opening Your Pool in the Spring should be a breeze.  Your water will be clear and balanced and you will be swimming sooner!!

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