Closing the pool for the first time and not sure where to start

[poolmom_sarah]

My husband and I finally got a pool put in last spring so this is our first time going through the closing process. We live in Ohio so I know we need to winterize before it gets too cold, but I'm not sure at what point temps-wise we should actually be doing the chemical treatment vs. actually covering it. I've been reading conflicting things about whether you lower the water level before or after blowing out the lines. Any advice from people who've done this a few times would really help.

 

[D Hartley]

The water level question trips up a lot of first-timers. Short answer - lower it after you've done the chemical treatment, not before. You want full water volume when you're balancing everything and adding your winterizing algaecide, because dilution matters and the chemicals need somewhere to circulate. Once that's done and you've let the pump run for a good 24 hours or so, then you drop the level below the skimmer line and blow out the lines.

On timing for Ohio, watch your 10-day forecast more than the calendar. You want to close when nights are consistently dropping into the low 40s but before you're seeing freezes. That usually means late September to mid-October depending on where in the state you are. Closing too early when the water is still warm is how people end up with an algae swamp come spring. Get your chemistry dialed in first - pH around 7.4, alkalinity in the 80 to 120 range, and make sure your calcium hardness isn't too low or you'll have issues with the water pulling minerals from your plaster or liner over the winter.

 

[nroberts]

Ohio here too, Lake Erie side. What D Hartley said tracks with what I've done the last few years - get your chemicals in and let everything circulate before you touch the water level. The rule of thumb I go by is to wait until you're consistently seeing nights below 60 before you start the whole process, which usually puts me somewhere in mid to late October.

 

[Rob]

Same situation here, closed mine for the first time last October and honestly the water level thing confused me too until I read through a few threads. What D Hartley said is exactly right - do the chemicals first while the water is still at normal level, let the pump run overnight at minimum, then drop it down below the skimmer line. I made the mistake of lowering it too early and had to refill a bit just to get proper circulation when I added the algaecide.

One thing I'll add is that I used an algaecide specifically made for winterizing, I went with the aquadoc winter algaecide I found through mavaquadoc.com, and it seemed to do the job because I opened this past spring to pretty clear water. For Ohio temps you're in good shape targeting that mid to late October window like nroberts mentioned. Just don't rush it if you're still seeing warm nights - the cooler the water temp when you cover it, the less you're fighting algae growth all winter.

 

[MattB]

Ohio here as well, first year for us too so this whole thread has been helpful. One thing I'm still not clear on is whether you need to blow out the lines yourself or if that's the kind of thing worth paying someone to do the first time around.

 

[jdawg]

Blowing out the lines is one of those things where I'd say do it yourself at least once so you actually understand what's happening in your system. You need a shop vac or a small compressor, and as long as you go in the right order - skimmer first, then returns - it's pretty manageable. That said, if you're unsure and a freeze is coming, just pay someone the first year and watch what they do.