Last Updated on October 19, 2021
Winter is coming and if you’re a first-time saltwater pool owner, this means you must learn how to winterize saltwater pools as soon as you can.
The good news is the process for closing traditional chlorine pools for the winter season is highly similar to how you should winterize saltwater pools. So if you ever closed down a freshwater pool before, winterizing a saltwater pool should not be that hard for you.
The only difference between chlorine pools and saltwater pools is you get chlorine to your saltwater pool by converting ordinary salt. Taking this into consideration, you must do your best to protect this equipment that converts salt to chlorine from harsh weather conditions brought by the start of winter.
So how do you do this and also prepare your whole saltwater pool for the upcoming winter season?
Step-By-Step Guide On How To Winterize Saltwater Pool
If this is your first time winterizing your saltwater pool, this step-by-step guide should ease you to the whole process. Always remember that preparation is key in keeping your pool safe during the cold winter months.
1. Clean your saltwater pool and its equipment
This should be a step you should be very familiar with if you had your pool for months now. Just do your usual maintenance measures like cleaning your pool walls and floor, removing debris out of your pool, and vacuuming it.
Once you’ve finished cleaning the interior of your saltwater pool, you should run your filter for at least a couple of hours more to prep your pool for the winter season.
After that, start cleaning your saltwater pool’s filtration system. It’s best if you replace the filter even if it’s not that dirty yet to ensure that everything is clean before you close your pool.
We highly suggest that you do your best to clean every part of your saltwater pool before closing it. Doing this has its benefits once you open your pool again.
2. Test and balance your pool water chemistry
Again, just like your routine pool maintenance, you must test your pool water to see if they are at their proper levels. The first thing you should look for is the amount of salt in your pool water. The ideal salt level is around 3,200 parts per million (ppm).
If the salt levels are too low, add salt accordingly. If it’s too high, wait for your levels to go down and refrain from adding any more salt or chemicals until it’s right at the ideal level.
You should also watch out for your pool water’s pH, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity levels.
pH level must be between 7.2 and 7.8 for saltwater pools, total alkalinity should be between 80 and 120 ppm, and calcium hardness at 200 to 400 ppm.
3. Add your winterizing pool chemicals
Now that you’ve balanced your pool water, it’s now time to add in your winterizing chemicals. The great news is you can buy this on Amazon or your local store as a set. This will save you time and money.
Pool closing kits for saltwater pools usually include chlorine-free pool shock, algaecide, scale and stain sequestrant, and clarifier.
It’s also advisable that you use enzymes as they remove any contaminants in your pool water. If any contaminants do get past and get in the water when you already closed your pool. the enzymes will destroy it, and keep your pool clean until you open it again.
4. Winterize your pool equipment
To start things off, you should empty and clean your filter and saltwater chlorinator (SWC). You may refer to your saltwater chlorinator’s manual for instructions on how you can winterize it. The most common way to winterize an SWC is to remove it and store it in a cool and dry location.
Some saltwater chlorinators can just be left unplug until the winter season end.
Make sure that you drain all the water from your pool equipment. You can leave a mixture of water and a non-toxic antifreeze if you can’t drain everything.
You should also winterize your skimmer by attaching a winterizing skimmer plate and a plug into the skimmer’s return fitting.
5. Cover your pool
Depending on how large your saltwater pool is, you should be using one or two air pillows on your pool before closing it for good.
Air pillows help support the cover and prevent it from sinking into your pool. They help protect your pool liner as wells as keep large ice sheets from forming on the sides of your pool.
Once you’ve put in your air pillows, it’s time to cover your saltwater pool that perfectly fits your pool. Make sure that you keep an eye on your pool cover from the day you put it on until the winter season ends. You should clear off any ice or snow that forms on top of your pool cover.
Secure your pool cover with water bags to prevent it from getting displaced by wind or weather. You can use cable and winch to secure them in their place.
Recommended Tools And Equipment When Closing Your Saltwater Pool
Winterizing a saltwater pool should be a breeze as long as you know what to do and you have these tools and equipment with you.
Final Thoughts About Winterizing Saltwater Pool
We hope that our guide here on how to winterize saltwater pool has been helpful. Closing your saltwater pool when the pool season ends should be easy for you to do now since you already know what are the things you must do and what tools or equipment you should be utilizing.
Just keep in mind that how you winterize your pool is a huge factor in determining if you can use your saltwater pool again once the new pool season begins. It all boils down to two things really, either you’ll be able to open your pool hassle-free or you undergo a tedious process on figuring out what went wrong and how you can fix it.
If you think winterizing your saltwater pool is too complicated for you, you can always seek professional help from pool contractors in your area.
For above ground pool owners, you do have the option to store your pool inside until the winter season ends to keep your pool safe. Just make sure that you store it properly and put it in a safe, secure, and dry place in your home.