We have always had a company come out and close down our pools for us at the end of the season but this year we want to do it ourselves.Anyone out there able to give us advice on the basics we need to do.We are in Central Brittany so we do get frosts etc in the Winter
Help
Pendle
Closing down a swimming pool
I'll be doing mine in about a month's time (best to wait until the water temperature is below 15 degrees if possible) so I'm happy to tell you what I do. Ours is an 11m x 5m Everblue liner pool, capacity approx 75 cu m.
1) Keep filter running and Cl + pH balanced until ready to close down, but turn off auto top-up.
2) When ready to close down, first thoroughly clean pool.
3) Run pump to waste and dump about one third of water until the level is about 500mm below the skimmer outlets.
4) Empty a 5 litre bottle of "hivernage" fluid into the water and circulate water with pump for a short while to aid its dispersal.
4) String a row of special linking floats across the pool diagonally - these can be purchased from pool supplier - to stop any damage if the water freezes.
5) Insert special stoppers into the outlet of each skimmer base (these should be the tall type which will also stop damage if water in the skimmer freezes.
6) Wave goodbye to the pool and put the winter cover on.
7) Take in and out pipes off the heat pump and allow to drain - not forgetting to go back later and reconnect the pipes loosely to stop small creatures from making their winter nest in them ! Hose down the outside of the heat pump to clean off debris and algae growth.
8) Drain down filtration system and clean filter.
9) Switch off pump, disconnect water supply and look forward to next spring !
That's about it - around half a day's work. I have to get help with the winter cover though - big heavy beast it is. As long as you open it up and get the filter running again before the weather starts to warm up next spring (probably at the very end of March) then it shouldn't be too dirty.
1) Keep filter running and Cl + pH balanced until ready to close down, but turn off auto top-up.
2) When ready to close down, first thoroughly clean pool.
3) Run pump to waste and dump about one third of water until the level is about 500mm below the skimmer outlets.
4) Empty a 5 litre bottle of "hivernage" fluid into the water and circulate water with pump for a short while to aid its dispersal.
4) String a row of special linking floats across the pool diagonally - these can be purchased from pool supplier - to stop any damage if the water freezes.
5) Insert special stoppers into the outlet of each skimmer base (these should be the tall type which will also stop damage if water in the skimmer freezes.
6) Wave goodbye to the pool and put the winter cover on.
7) Take in and out pipes off the heat pump and allow to drain - not forgetting to go back later and reconnect the pipes loosely to stop small creatures from making their winter nest in them ! Hose down the outside of the heat pump to clean off debris and algae growth.
8) Drain down filtration system and clean filter.
9) Switch off pump, disconnect water supply and look forward to next spring !
That's about it - around half a day's work. I have to get help with the winter cover though - big heavy beast it is. As long as you open it up and get the filter running again before the weather starts to warm up next spring (probably at the very end of March) then it shouldn't be too dirty.
It is fairly straight forward to do. If you haven't got a pool cover, don't let pets near the pool that has been winterised incase they decide to drink .
You backwash and rinse the sand filter.Drop water level to below skimmers.
Try to get pH to about 7.4
Add the winteriser -it prevents alge growth
Turn pump on 4 hours to mix
Drain water from pump , pipes, filter and grease metal surfaces
Leave valves above water level open and close the lower ones - protect from frost
Take ladder out
Switch off electric, remove fuses
As you are in frost area, float some empty polythene containers on top to absorb ice expansion
Fit cover
Check pH once a month
It should only take half a day to close it down - good luck.
It is a lot cheaper to do it yourself
You backwash and rinse the sand filter.Drop water level to below skimmers.
Try to get pH to about 7.4
Add the winteriser -it prevents alge growth
Turn pump on 4 hours to mix
Drain water from pump , pipes, filter and grease metal surfaces
Leave valves above water level open and close the lower ones - protect from frost
Take ladder out
Switch off electric, remove fuses
As you are in frost area, float some empty polythene containers on top to absorb ice expansion
Fit cover
Check pH once a month
It should only take half a day to close it down - good luck.
It is a lot cheaper to do it yourself
