Winter is a fabulous season as you take trips, make bonfire parties, prepare cookies and cakes, and what not. But what about treating your very own above ground swimming pool?
Of course, you are not going to enjoy in the freezing waters unlike what the summers will bring you. But this doesn’t mean you will leave the pool unused unless summer steps in.
In fact, there are many homeowners who simply drain off the pool with the aim to start a fresh, and guess what? The result is nothing else but a blunder. There is no point in wasting gallons of water where you have a wiser, safer and a more cost-effective solution.
Yes, it’s nothing but winterizing your above ground pool. And it’s as important as vacuuming your intex pool.
What does it mean to Winterize an Intex Above Ground Pool?
When you say that you are going to winterize your Intex above ground pool, it means you are simply drying out the pipes and removing the essential equipment. Well, if this is not done, the freezing temperatures will have a drastic effect on the pump, filter as well as the pipes, making it unfit and unhygienic for use.
However, you cannot just close down your pool, or otherwise, it would turn greenish and might undergo a massive makeover to come back in shape. Even if freezing doesn’t seem to be a concern, the gradual growth of algae might pose a major threat to your health and hygiene.
Moreover, you might have to spend a few extra dollars to replace the worn out parts that have been ruined owing to algae attack. So, winterizing indubitably sounds a smarter option that would never leave you worried even if you decide to open your pool the next summer.
Why it’s Important to Winterize an Above Ground Pool?
A lot of homeowners prefer using Intex pools. One big reason is that Intex makes use of such materials that are extremely light in weight. Therefore, it becomes quite easy for one to set up these pools. Despite, there is one big blow to this. Intex pools are highly sensitive to ice and can undergo major damage.
So, you just cannot leave these pools in the hands of winter and wait for the summers with pleasure. If this happens, the pool lining will also be affected by coming into contact with ice. Winterizing, therefore, is the best strategy that would keep you away from all bad expenses and heavy repair work, which of course all pool owners would usually avoid.
Things you should Make Sure Before Getting Started:
If you have decided to go with winterizing, just take a pause and start listing the few things you should get it done to keep the process as smooth as possible. It would rather be wise to take at least a week before you get on with the process.
So, here are a few reminders to all Intex pool owners who have plans to initiate winterizing in the coming days. Have a look:
- Keep the right Ph balance:
Make sure that the water in the pool has a standard PH scale. Although the ultimate reading is 7.4, it would be still considered good and safe if it’s somewhere between 7.2 and 7.6.
- Keep the alkalinity level right:
The alkalinity level of water in the pool should vary between 100 and 150 parts per million. This would keep up the water’s safety for sure.
- Check the level of Chlorine:
The right amount of chlorine in the pool water suggests that it is free of bacteria and germs. An excessive or lesser amount of chlorine will also not be safe. So, what pool owners need to make sure is that the chlorine level should be 3.0.
- Retest the Water if Required:
The pool water should always be chemically balanced. If the chemical content is not right or is too high, get a liquid shock treatment for the pool and keep testing the water at an interval of two hours.
What Tools or Chemicals you will Need?
In the process of winterizing an Intex swimming pool, you will require a set of tools. The right use of these tools will help to make the process smoother and safer. So, let’s have a quick look at some of the tools or chemicals you will need to winterize an Intex pool:
- Pool cover
- Swimming pool winterizing chemical kit.
The Step-by-Step Process:
Winterizing an above ground pool should always be done at least some seven to eight days prior to being hit by the winters. Most importantly, it should be done by following a step-by-step process so that there are no further complications. So, here is the chronological process following which all Intex pool owners can initiate winterizing:
- Balance your pool water:
There are plenty of responsibilities of a pool owner and one of them is assuring the safety and maintenance of a pool. Balancing the water chemistry is quite essential as it would play a key role in making the winterizing chemicals work towards keeping the water stable. Just make sure that the PH scale of water is 7.4 and then only you can move towards winterizing.
- Clean up your pool well:
Once you are done assuring the water balance, it’s time to give your pool a complete clean-up. Make sure there is no residue left in stagnant water, or otherwise, it would be quite difficult to get rid of it later. Despite, if you still find leftovers, go for any biodegradable cleaner. Even you can use an above ground pool vacuum for removing large debris. You can do all these thing comfortably since intex pools are easy to clean and maintain.
- Use the right chemical kit:
The most crucial step in the process of winterizing is establishing the right balance of chemicals. If this goes wrong, water might get heavily contaminated due to drastic fluctuations in temperature. Therefore, using an oxidizer, an algaecide or a sequestering agent can help you stop the production of algae and other micro-organisms. After adding the chemicals, run the pool pump for a day to circulate the chemicals. You can get a swimming pool winterizing chemical kit, which comes with complete winterizing instructions.
Watch the following video on how to use this chemical kit into water:
- Keep the level of water low:
Once the balancing of your pool water and chemicals is done, simply drain your pool water level around 6 inches beneath the skimmer line. Many pool owners try to
drain off the pool water completely. However, it is advised not to do so or otherwise, the pool will be vulnerable to damage.
- Prepare the hardware:
Get the cartridges cleaned thoroughly and also the sand filter in case you are using it. Clean and dry the above ground pool pump and hoses and store them in a safe and dry place. Simply turn off the power supply and deactivate any sort of plumbing. Making use of a shop vacuum can also blow out the water easily. Also, when water would be completely evaporated, remember to refasten plumbing.
- Keep the chlorine generator in place:
People who have salt water pool systems must have the winter setting activated for the chlorine generator. In case this feature is not applicable, the electrolytic cell should be eliminated and preserved till the pool is ready for use again.
- Move out all pool accessories:
Each and every accessory in relation to the pool must be removed Like- pool heater. The reason is that these accessories might undergo massive damage by extreme winter conditions. For instance, there are toys, ladders and a lot of accessories that are stored inside the pool. So, clean them all prior to storing them safely.
- Place an air pillow:
Although any pool owners ignore following this step, experts recommend following it for convenience. When you place an air pillow, it would float right at the center of the pool and would cut down the stress imposed by the cold water. Also, this prevents the pool structure from being damaged.
- Get an above ground pool cover:
Prevention is better than cure, and this is a reason why an above ground pool cover would be necessary as the last step of winterizing. To confront drastic temperatures and strong winds, these pool covers would act as the strongest shield for a good long time.
Final Words:
So, finally, you have come to know about the smartest way to keep your Intex above ground pool clean and protected. Winterizing is indeed the best way to treat an above ground pool, or otherwise, you have known by now that you have to burn a hole in your pocket. Just be careful and vigilant about keeping the alkalinity of your pool water right. If this is maintained, you will not have to think about getting your pool drained later. Just follow the step-by-step process of winterizing and things will look good in the coming days.