Prepping Your Pool for an Arizona Winter

Arizona doesn’t experience severe winter temperatures like places in the northwest or northeast do. But just because it doesn’t get a thick layer of snow or ice doesn’t mean that Arizona doesn’t get a cold winter or that you don’t have to take steps to protect your home and your pool.

Make sure that you prep your pool for the winter so that it is clean, healthy, and ready for swimming when the warmer days come back again. Here’s what you need to do to prep your pool for an Arizona winter:

Prepping Your Pool for an Arizona Winter

Clean It

Bacteria can flourish when the pool is left untended and the waters remain still. You need to clean your pool before you put it away for the winter. Take the time to scrub the floor and walls, the border tile, and even the pavement or deck around the pool. Clean the water, as well, and make sure that the pH is balanced before you leave the pool to sit for the months ahead.

Lower the Water Level

You don’t need a pool full to the brim with water when no one is going to be swimming in it. Having more water in the pool just means having more water to clean and maintain. It also means more area for bacteria to spread. Instead, you should lower the water level a bit to reduce the amount you have to maintain. You can reduce it by just a few inches or even as much as a foot.

Remove Pool Accessories and Debris

Part of your clean-up process should include cleaning up any debris, such as leaves or sticks, as well as removing any pool accessories, such as floaties or pool toys. These may seem harmless, but they can provide additional places for bacteria to spread. A plastic pool toy will very likely come back with a thin layer of slimy mold in the spring if it is left to sit all winter in the pool water. Leaves and sticks can spread bugs and bacteria throughout the pool. Just remove them all when you clean the pool to prep it for winter.

Drain the Pool Parts

The pool filter, pump, and other parts don’t need water in them when they are not being used. You should drain these items of water before the winter. It’s unlikely that temperatures will drop low enough to freeze that water, but it’s not impossible. In addition, the water inside these parts can breed mold and other problems, so it’s best to remove it.

Remove Old Chemicals

You don’t need the chemicals that you bought last season any more. You should remove them from the chlorinator and the pump, and you should remove any extra supplies that you have. These chemicals are unlikely to remain effective throughout the winter or into the next season. You’ll end up spending more money on new products and extra cleaning sessions if you try to keep them.

Add an Enzyme

A waterline ring is very likely to form in the pool if it is left to sit all winter without the proper prep. The ring will leave a nearly indelible stain that will mar the cosmetic beauty of your pool. You won’t be able to scrub hard enough to get it off the tile or the concrete. Instead, you should work to prevent it by adding an enzyme to your pool that is designed to prevent waterline rings. You’ll have a mar-free pool in the spring, and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and hassle.

Add a Pool Cover

Arizona may not get a lot of leaf fall in the autumn months, but it is not immune to this kind of debris. Adding a pool cover to your pool will keep out debris like leaves, sticks, and even bugs. You don’t want to have to scoop these things out throughout the cold, winter months. By adding a pool cover, you can just leave your pool be and forget about it while you’re not swimming.

Check On It Regularly

You may not be swimming in the winter, but you’ll still need to visit your pool periodically to ensure that everything is ok. Specifically, you’ll need to check the pump, filter, and other parts to ensure that they are still working. You’ll also need to check the chemistry to make sure that it is properly balanced and that no adjustments need to be made.

Prepping your pool for the Arizona winter might take a little extra time, but it is well worth it. You will have a clean and healthy pool ready for you when the temperatures rise and you are ready to take a dip. You’ll also prevent or minimize the risk of making repairs or replacing pool parts, which can be quite expensive.

While your pool is resting for the winter, you might also consider some pool and spa remodeling you can make in preparation of the spring swimming season. True Blue Pools is a Tempe custom swimming pool builder that specializes in new pool builds and pool remodels. We create custom designed pools in Tempe, whether it is for a new pool or for a redesigned pool. You can get the features you want in a pool and get the look you’ll love. Contact us today to learn more about our Tempe pool and spa remodeling services or to talk with a designer to start creating the pool of your dreams.

 

Published By:

True Blue Pools
5235 S. Kyrene Rd. Ste 102
Tempe, AZ 85283
Office: 480-820-9495
Website: https://truebluepools.com