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WINTERIZING
YOUR ABOVE-GROUND POOL
Along with the cool nights of autumn comes the end of the
swimming season. Trendium Pool Products Inc., has prepared
this pamphlet to help make your job easier. If you follow these
recommendations, you will be able to winterize your pool properly
in a few hours. Properly winterizing your pool will protect it from
damage and make it easier for you to reopen it when spring
arrives. The key to fast and easy winterization lies in regular
treatment of the water until the start of the cold season, even if
you haven’t been using the pool. Routine maintenance becomes
easier and less frequent as the water gets cooler. In order to keep
the water clean and clear and to prevent the liner from staining,
we recommend closing your pool as late as possible, i.e. toward
the end of September when the water temperature is about 10°C
(50°F). Waiting until you have finished closing the pool before
shutting off the filtration system will prevent hoses still connected
from freezing. Follow the instructions below or contact your
retailer for further information to ensure that you are protecting
your pool properly.
INSTRUCTIONS
A)
Vacuum carefully to remove all leaves and debris.
B)
Lower the water level so as to leave 24” (60 cm) of water
in the bottom of the pool. Maintain this level of water at all
times during the winter season. Remove any snow which may
accumulate on the surface.
C)
Towards the end of the summer season or around mid-
August, check for leaks by verifying if the pool’s water level is
stable. Draw a line on the liner marking the water level and wait
10 days. If after 10 days the level has dropped, then there is
a leak. It is important to seal off any leaks you find. Leaks left
unsealed when freezing begins can seriously damage your pool
and even cause it to collapse.
IMPORTANT:
An unsealed leak may comprise or cancel the
guarantee on your pool.
D)
Stretch the liner to eliminate folds; they could damage the
liner when the water freezes.
E)
Remove and store the filter, ladder and all other removable
parts from around the pool. The filter should be clear of any
foreign objects and water should be removed from the filter and
pump. See the manufacturer’s instructions. Store the pump in a
temperature controlled environment (so that it is not damaged by
changes in temperature).
IMPORTANT:
Never leave water in any of the filtration system
components due to the risk of damage during freezing.
F)
To maintain water quality, use a winter kit which contains an
algicide and chlorine especially designed for this purpose. When
it’s time for spring cleaning, this will save you hours of work
and reduce the cost of chemicals needed to restore your water
quality.
G)
If using an autumn cover, make sure to place a ball
underneath so that rainwater falls into the pool. An accumulation
of too much water on the cover could place pressure on the pool,
causing damage and invalidating the guarantee. It is strongly
recommended that you remove the autumn cover once the leaves
have fallen off the trees, before the autumn cold sets in.
H)
If your pool has a bottom drain, you will have to use pool
antifreeze to prevent it from freezing during the winter. Unscrew
the hose from the base of the skimmer and attach an extension.
Pass the extension over the wall of the pool, making sure it
remains well attached. Pour antifreeze into the extension and
thread a winterizing plug through the hose (tie a knot at the end
of the tube that is to be inserted into the hose). Leave the valve
open so that water can drain from the skimmer.
IMPORTANT:
Whatever the type of valve or extension hose used,
you must follow the technique described above to close your
pool, otherwise your guarantee may be cancelled. Make sure to
use antifreeze designed
for pools
.
At the start of winter and spring, inspect the base of your pool
for leaks.
IMPORTANT:
Never let more than 30 cm (1’) of snow accumulate
on the pool wall; the wall is designed to support the lateral
pressure of the pool water, not vertical pressure. With spring thaw,
if water leaks from the skimmer or return outlet opening, place a
tube at the opening so that the water will run off as far away from
the basin of the pool as possible. PLEASE NOTE: Do not strike or
hit a frozen pool. This would damage it. Do not disturb the pool
till spring. If you have left the winter cover on the pool, make sure
to remove accumulated snow after heavy snowfalls.
IF YOU FOLLOW THESE TIPS AND ASK YOUR DEALER FOR
ANY OTHER ADVICE YOU MAY NEED,YOU WILL HAVE ALL THE
INFORMATION NECESSARY TO GET YOUR POOL OPERATING
AGAIN.
SPRINGTIME CLEANING OF
YOUR ABOVE-GROUND POOL
At the end of winter, allow the ice in the pool to thaw completely.
When the temperature reaches approximately 10 °C (50 °F), you
have to restart your filtration system, since algae and bacterial
form more quickly as it gets warmer. Here is how to prepare your
pool in a few simple easy steps.
A)
If your pool is equipped with a pool cover, remove the cover
and cushion. Carefully remove with a hose any rainwater that
has accumulated on the cover so it does not fall into your pool.
Clean your cover and cushion and let them dry. Store them in a
dry clean place.
B)
Attach the return inlet and skimmer to the filter. Bring the
water level up to the middle of the skimmer. Get your filter
working. Clean the bottom of the pool with the vacuum, taking
care to place the filter in the “waste/drain” position. In this way
you will eliminate particles of dirt without disturbing the sand in
the filter, and will considerably reduce the need for “backwash
rinsing” of the filter.
IMPORTANT:
Do not drain your pool to clean the water unless
absolutely necessary (the water is recyclable). If you do empty
your pool, don’t leave it empty for too long or expose it to direct
sunlight, as the liner may shrink.
C)
Now that you have purified the water, you have to test it. It is
very important that the pH level of your pool be between 7.6 and
7.8 and the pool’s alkaline content be between 80 ppm and 130
ppm. If you are unable to attain these levels, please contact your
retailer who will gladly do these tests for you.
D)
When the pH and alkaline levels are ideal, apply a shock-
treatment or chlorinate your water. Let it filter for 24 hours and
again verify both the pH and free chlorine levels. N.B. Add
chemical products to your pool after sunset, as sunlight rapidly
destroys chlorine.
E)
Let it filter for several days until the water is clear and the
pH and free chlorine levels have stabilized. Add a conditioner/
stabilizer by carefully following the manufacturer’s instructions.
This will stop the chlorine from evaporating quickly in sunlight.
Add the quantity of algicide required to prevent algae.
F)
You may now begin regular maintenance of your pool. Don’t
forget to obtain a new set of solutions for your water analysis kit
every spring. The old solutions may give false results.
G)
Make sure that the skimmer (screws and adapter) is properly
in place and tighten the water return fittings to prevent leakage
and premature rusting of the pool wall or the lower part of the
wall channel.
