How to winterise a pool?

How to winterise a swimming pool?

By taking the right right measures at the beginning of winter your pool will stay healthy throughout the off season and the water will look inviting once it warms up and it's time to use the pool again.
 

The main focus of the winterising is:

• Proper cleaning of the filter making sure that it works efficiently.
• Removing phosphates – the food for algae, preventing it’s growth.
• Getting rid of pool contaminants and oxidising unfiltered particles by shock treatment.
• Avoiding algae outbreak by adding an algaecide.
• Reducing pump running times and chlorinator output.
   

Depending on the Winterising Kit you are using, the steps for winterising are:

1. Clean your chlorinator cell to improve the efficiency of your chlorinator.
2. Balance your pool water (PH, Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness)
3. Clean your filter cartridge or backwash your sand filter.
4. If your Winteriser kit contains a Phosphate remover, add 200ml of the product for each 10 000lt of pool water directly to skimmer basket and run your pool filter continuously for 24h. This will remove algae food from the water and prevents an outbreak.
5. If your Winteriser Kit contains Clarifier add it together with Phosphate Remover at the rate of 40ml for each 10 000lt of pool water. Dilute the product in a bucket of pool water, and then apply the solution evenly around the edges of the pool.
6. Because the phosphates removed from the pool water will be picked up by the filter, it will be necessary time to backwash or clean your filter element again. If your Winteriser kits contains a Filter Cleaner, soak your filter element in the solution or add it to the sand filter housing as per instructions on the label. Filter Cleaner will rid the filter media of oils and greases and restores its efficiency. Remember, the cleaner the filter, the cleaner the water.
7.  If your Winteriser Kits contains Long Life Algaecide use 200ml of the product for each 10 000l of pool water. Mix it in the bucket of pool water and spread it around the edges of the pool.
8. After adding any Algaecide wait for half a day or until the next morning and shock your pool. (If the Winteriser Kit contains Shock Treatment). Add shock treatment as per instructions on the label.
9. Run the pool filtration for your normal hours for a week.
10. Cover your pool with a winter pool cover if you have one to avoid any leaves and debris getting into the pool. Reduce the pump / filter running time and chlorinator output levels accordingly.
     

Please note that even you have now prepared your pool for winter regular checks of the pool still should be performed for the following:

• Water Chemical Balance (PH, Free Chlorine, Total Alkalinity)
• Cleaning or backwashing the filter.
• Keep eye on the water level and top up if required.