We call it "winterizing" — blowing out the lines, covering the skimmer, anchoring a cover and adding certain chemicals, etc. — as if we're preparing for winter, but in the North the pool is closed in the early fall and it usually remains closed throughout most of the spring.
Indeed, much of the procedure has to do with preparing for the warmer months of the off-season — preventing algae and damage caused by unbalanced water — instead of the frigid months of January and February when the water is as stiff as a brick.
The term makes even less sense in temperate areas where the closing procedure is less stringent, and the pool is simply moved into a dormant state where the lines will remain primed and pumps will run periodically.
Here's to the gradual decline of a misnomer. Whether you call it winterizing or pool closing, you still need quality tools and products to do the job. Examine these useful items from prominent manufacturers for the pool closing items you require.
Commercial Fabrics' safety cover provides 500 pounds of tensile strength webbing on both sides of the cover with heavy-duty, triple-reinforced stitching. Tough, durable polypropylene mesh allows rainwater to pass through while dirt and debris simply blow away, so the cover stays clean and dry year-round. Standard and free-form custom sizes are available in mesh, Mighty Mesh and solid material.
LOOP-LOC Safety Swimming Pool Covers are the only pool covers in the world proven safe and strong enough to support the weight of an elephant, the company says. LOOP-LOC covers are built with an extremely dense mesh that blocks virtually all sunlight but allows rain and melting snow to drain through. Now available in designer tan, along with standard spring green and optional blue, black and gray designer colors.
The Winter Duck Plug enables plumbing lines to be blown out without lowering the water level. The plug screws into standard 112-inch threaded fittings and includes a patented "duck-bill" valve that allows a large flow of air and water to be blown out of the lines but does not allow pool water back in.
E-Z Pool's unique chemistry simplifies the maintenance process with a proactive approach that allows users to prevent problems instead of treating them, the company says. The simple once-a-week application works with just a single dose to maintain balance, oxidize contaminants and sustain clarity in swimming pools all summer long. E-Z Pool has also recently entered the market as a highly effective winterizing program.
The WinterPill, from AquaPill, offers a patented, pre-measured release delivery system that is perfect for closing pools in the fall and winter, the company says. The WinterPill's all-in-one formula is an exclusive four-part blend to make spring openings faster and easier than ever. It has a clarifier to maintain sparkling clear water and a scale inhibitor to prevent scale build-up, and a stain inhibitor to prevent iron, copper and manganese stains. The WinterPill floats under the winter cover all season and performs well with mesh safety covers.
Auraco's Pool Winter Guard & Spring Starter can cut spring cleaning time in half, the company says. Formulated to work in cold water all winter long, the product breaks down and reduces organic contaminants that form in pool water over the winter months. It preserves pool liners and finishes while reducing stains and the need to acid wash in the spring, while small amounts of phosphates are precipitated to the bottom for easy spring cleanup.
G&P Tools' laser-cut steel wrench perfectly fits the Anderson Winter Duck Plug for easy tightening and removal. Other wrenches may slip, tearing vinyl liners or damaging other pool surfaces or the plug, the company says.
Gladon's unique two-piece cover clip system provides superior holding power for winter covers on aboveground pools. It's available as a 42-inch-long clip that provides maximum performance under the most severe wind conditions, and also as a convenient, economical 12-pack of junior-size 6-inch clips.
From the inventor of the original snap-on lid, the patented SkimSaver LID'L Seal makes winterizing a snap. Available for abovegrounds and ingrounds, SkimSaver is the only faceplate that offers year-round skimmer protection, the company says. In the winter the LID'L Seal offers a water-tight lid; in the summer months the LID'L Guard keeps out toys and unwanted objects.
The manufacturer of "Gizzmo" introduces Permanon. Apply this spray-on product while the water is low during winterizing. Nothing sticks to it, making spring cleanup easy, and in season, Permanon protects waterline surfaces from UV and continues to make routine cleaning a breeze, the company says. Permanon is a 21st Century nano-coating developed to enhance the appearance and increase the durability of manufactured surfaces, factory finishes and industrial coatings.
Pen Fabricators says it has created a revolutionary new safety cover that does not use straps across the length and width of the cover. This new ASTM-certified solid safety cover has absolutely no stitching anywhere on the cover. Manufactured using reinforced vinyl materials, the cover is lighter in weight and creates a "clean line" cover that the company says is attractive and easier to install (free-form pools use 10 to 15 percent fewer springs and anchors). No more worrying about making sure straps are straight across the pool, the company says.
The Skimmer Plug offers the most simple and affordable method for servicing and winterizing aboveground and inground skimmers. The Skimmer Plug fits OEM skimmers without the need to replace the original skimmer faceplate and serves as a replacement lid for all specialty faceplates. No tools required. Simply insert the water-tight plug into skimmer opening, and it "fits like a cork in a bottle," the company says.
Sunguard Self-Draining Mesh is VynAll's most technologically advanced easy-care cover. Its lightweight, ultra-fine weave filters out sunlight, debris and fine particles down to 40 microns, making water clean, not green for pool openings. Sunguard is produced in four manufacturing locations. When choosing a safety cover system, the difference is in the details, the company says.
Merlin calls its SmartMesh the ultimate in safety cover innovation. SmartMesh is designed to provide 100 percent shade against sunlight, thus reducing or eliminating the chance of algae formation under the cover while still allowing clean water to pass through. SmartMesh filters debris as small as 40 microns, according to Merlin, making it like putting a filter over the pool for the winter. SmartMesh weighs 40 percent less than solid material and meets or exceeds all ASTM safety standards, according to the company.
The Cover Company provides high-quality safety covers with heavy-duty springs with locking pieces for quick installation. Tough-to-fit water features including waterfalls, walls and other obstacles are handled with ease. Builders looking for a quote can fax or email a drawing.
SeaKlear offers four products it says are perfect for winterizing pools: 90-day Algaecide, Metal Klear, Free & Klear as well as their popular and powerful SeaKlear Phosphate Remover. Each of these products is designed to keep swimming pool water clean and clear during winter months, whether the pool is open or closed for the season.
