Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Closing an Inground Pool

Nearly all pools are closed during winter. Unfortunately, a good number of those pools suffer damage since the owners did not follow the right procedures when closing them down. We are therefore going to look at the 5 common mistakes that pool owners make when closing down their pools.

Cleaning the salt generator

During their normal operation, salt chlorine generators develop scale in the cells. This scale needs to be removed for the generator to start functioning optimally again. This is done by soaking the cell in a mixture of Muriatic acid and water which eats away all the scales on the surface. Unfortunately, many people forget to do this when closing down their pools for winter only to have problems when they need to use the generators again in spring.

Winterizing the heater

Pool Heaters have long coils that can trap water on the inside. If water freezes on the inside of the coils during winter, it could cause the coils to burst and this can lead to expensive repairs thereafter. Therefore, never forget to blow through the coils when closing your pool.

Cleaning your pool filter

Whether you have a cartridge or a DE filter, you need to clean them thoroughly at the end of a pooling season. If you leave your filter through winter with dirt on the inside, it will not function when you want to use the pool again.

Put a gizzmo in the skimmer line

The right gadget to use in a skimmer line is a gizzmo. This lets air out of the system while at the same time preventing water from getting into the pipes. The gizzmo comes as a green tube that not only threads into the skimmer line. Also, this tube has a hole in the middle and a cap on top.

Turn off all electrical equipments

This is one of the most common mistakes committed by pool owners. Many people forget to turn off electrical equipments in their pools during winter and this may cause some equipment to turn. Unfortunately, Lack of water in the pump may cause the motor to heat up and therefore, end up destroying the pump altogether. This may not only damage your pump but also, void the warranty. It is therefore advisable to close all breakers as well as electrical equipments when winterizing your pool.

Summary

There are many mistakes that pool owners can make when closing down their pools. However, the ones we covered are only the most common mistakes but also, the most serious ones. Nevertheless, you need to note that pools are different and some are more difficult to winterize than others.



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