Pool maintenance in winter

[marco79]

What do I do with my pool in winter? Do I keep maintaining it like in summer? It is a bigger than average pool (10 x 4). Or do I just leave it without chemicals for the winter months and shock treat it is September or October?

TIA

 

[Grubscrew]

Continue to monitor the chemical levels and add as needed, but you should be using a lot less than in summer now and perhaps put the pump on 3-4 hours now.

 

[Geoff.D]

What do I do with my pool in winter? Do I keep maintaining it like in summer? It is a bigger than average pool (10 x 4). Or do I just leave it without chemicals for the winter months and shock treat it is September or October?

TIA

A pool cover is a good idea I think although I have never had one. And no, don't let it go green, it is really difficult to fix next summer.

 

[Priapus]

Continue to monitor the chemical levels and add as needed, but you should be using a lot less than in summer now and perhaps put the pump on 3-4 hours now.

I still run my pump 8/9hrs a day in winter.

 

[Magnum]

You could Cl2 it. Never goes green (Seawater)...

 

[richjdavies]

Wow... Ive only run my pool pump for 3 hours per day all summer (massive pool 12 x 4 i guess), but plastic (with poles) safety cover on 95% of the time. Pool guys have not complained and still looks fine (despite same pool.guys talking about replacing sand 2 years ago, still no problems!)
I'm guessing this is the HUGE advantage of a hard cover!

Was thinking of dropping to 1-2 hours over winter.

I've heard 2 schools of thought:
- drop hours down but maintain
- let it go green and solve in summer (take sample to good pool shop and they can tell you what you've bred and how to kill it!)

Or you could keep spending a fortune running your pump!

 

[Priapus]

Wow... Ive only run my pool pump for 3 hours per day all summer (massive pool 12 x 4 i guess), but plastic (with poles) safety cover on 95% of the time. Pool guys have not complained and still looks fine (despite same pool.guys talking about replacing sand 2 years ago, still no problems!)
I'm guessing this is the HUGE advantage of a hard cover!

Was thinking of dropping to 1-2 hours over winter.

I've heard 2 schools of thought:
- drop hours down but maintain
- let it go green and solve in summer (take sample to good pool shop and they can tell you what you've bred and how to kill it!)

Or you could keep spending a fortune running your pump!

What size pump?
My pool runs off the solar; so I run it as long as there is enough sun.

 

[cguy]

I’m in a cold climate, but I drain the the pool, empty the pump pipes, and put on a cover.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Why would you want to look at a green pool the whole winter? I just switch it off for like 5 days and run it then for 2 days and repeat. Maybe add 1 cup hth every 3 weeks.

 

[TedLasso]

What do I do with my pool in winter? Do I keep maintaining it like in summer? It is a bigger than average pool (10 x 4). Or do I just leave it without chemicals for the winter months and shock treat it is September or October?

TIA

My schedule is as follows.

Large pool. 10.5 * 6m and 2.2m deep. Have a solar heating and 1.25 kWh pump. Previously had a solid PVC cover but for last 7 months a leaf catcher net.

All I ever put in my pool for the four years I owned it is HTH chlorine .

In Summer, pump runs daily for 6 hours during the times just when sun is at its peak (SEP - FEB)

In Winter, pump runs 3 hours every alternate day.

Backwash only when my pool over flows due to rain, otherwise cover keeps the crud out so rare for me to clean Weir and pump baskets.

Never had a green pool and also only put chlorine in every two weeks.

 

[marco79]

- let it go green and solve in summer (take sample to good pool shop and they can tell you what you've bred and how to kill it!)

This is in my line of thought. We do have a pool cover over the pool and I will top up with water every few weeks.

 

[Geoff.D]

I’m in a cold climate, but I drain the the pool, empty the pump pipes, and put on a cover.

And the water? What happens to that?

 

[cguy]

And the water? What happens to that?

We drain it off the side of our garden. About half the pool volume (several weeks after last chlorination).

 

[Geoff.D]

My schedule is as follows.

Large pool. 10.5 * 6m and 2.2m deep. Have a solar heating and 1.25 kWh pump. Previously had a solid PVC cover but for last 7 months a leaf catcher net.

All I ever put in my pool for the four years I owned it is HTH chlorine .

In Summer, pump runs daily for 6 hours during the times just when sun is at its peak (SEP - FEB)

In Winter, pump runs 3 hours every alternate day.

Backwash only when my pool over flows due to rain, otherwise cover keeps the crud out so rare for me to clean Weir and pump baskets.

Never had a green pool and also only put chlorine in every two weeks.

Would love to believe you. Inwhichbnpart of the country do you reside?

 

[TedLasso]

Would love to believe you. Inwhichbnpart of the country do you reside?

What reason do I have to lie??

Live in the Sandton area.

Seriously only HTH chlorine ( and a HTH sparkle cube about twice a year) and no other brand. When I started on my pool maintenance journey, bought the other chemicals to use like acid, etc) but they are still sealed.

From this forum learnt never to use blu52 ! Has worked well for all this time.

 

[jdido87]

I will continue leaving my hth floater in there and run the pump as usual. I just have to do something about the leaves. It's causing me moerse headaches for the last month or two already.

 

[cguy]

I will continue leaving my hth floater in there and run the pump as usual. I just have to do something about the leaves. It's causing me moerse headaches for the last month or two already.

I’m considering a pool enclosure myself.

 

[jdido87]

I’m considering a pool enclosure myself.

I considered taking the trees out but they virtually block all the wind so they staying put. They can get an instant online quote from the Power Plastics website. They have those ratchet type covers which you can walk over.

 

[Geoff.D]

What reason do I have to lie??

Live in the Sandton area.

Seriously only HTH chlorine ( and a HTH sparkle cube about twice a year) and no other brand. When I started on my pool maintenance journey, bought the other chemicals to use like acid, etc) but they are still sealed.

From this forum learnt never to use blu52 ! Has worked well for all this time.

You are just plain lucky then.

 

[Geoff.D]

What reason do I have to lie??

Live in the Sandton area.

Seriously only HTH chlorine ( and a HTH sparkle cube about twice a year) and no other brand. When I started on my pool maintenance journey, bought the other chemicals to use like acid, etc) but they are still sealed.

From this forum learnt never to use blu52 ! Has worked well for all this time.

Yes many additives are a recipe for disaster.
It all hinges around how well the pool was started off.