Top 10 Mid Winter Swimming Pool Questions

The winter months can actually be more expensive for the swimming pool owner believe it or not if the pool is not properly winterized. Things like frozen pipes or even frozen pumps and filters can cause you to have a huge repair bill come spring when the weather gets warmer. Another common thing that happens to many pools is that the cover blows off or comes loose during the winter months.

Making the right decision when something happens to your pool in the mid winter is very important for the swimming pool. Many people often say, “I will just wait to spring”, and ignore the warning signs or even worse do not respond to any damage caused to the pool or the cover during the winter.

Things like leaving the pool cover off of the pool for 2 months after it blows off ca be bad for your pool. The more your pool is exposed to the harsh winter elements the more of a chance you have for damage to happen to your pool.

Many people also tend to forget that during the winter the pump & filter system is disconnected and the swimming pool water is not filtering. So with the pool cover remaining off and the sunlight hitting the pool water, this can throw off the total chemical balance causing your pool water to turn green or even black on the first warm day. Its always best to immediately get the swimming pool cover back on the pool as soon as it comes off.

Here are 10 of the most commonly asked questions during the mid winter. You will also find some answers and helpful solution’s to many of your problems.

What to do when the winter pool cover tears?

The first thing you need to do when your pool cover rips is to see how bad the damage is. If the damage is not to bad you can possibly repair the pool cover. If you have a safety cover, you then could bring it back to the dealer that installed it for repairs. If you have a standard pool cover you can buy a swimming pool cover repair kit or simply just replace the entire cover.

What to do when winter pool cover blow into the pool?

When the swimming pool cover blows into the pool you will want to get it out and re secure it as soon as possible so that you pool is protected from the winter elements. To do so just pull the cover out of the water and this time try to secure it a little bit better so it doesn’t come off so easy again.

What to do when above ground pool cover ripped in winter?

If your above ground swimming pool cover has ripped in the winter time, you will want to remove it from the pool and gauge the amount of damage. If the damage to the cover is extensive you will just want to replace the cover. If the damage is not that bad you can get a swimming pool cover repair kit from a local swimming pool company and fix the hole or the tear.

What will pool water do to copper pipe?

Swimming pool water can be corrosive to copper pipe over a long period of time if you do not balance your PH correctly. If you have to much acid or a high PH level in your swimming pool, the pool water will start to eat away at the copper pipes and the copper elements in your swimming pool heater if you have one.

What to do if your pool pump is frozen?

The best thing to do if your swimming pool pump is frozen is to defrost the pump. You can loosen the two pump unions and then unplug the pump and bring it indoors into a heated area where it will defrost in no time at all. Its always best to winterize your swimming pool pump before this happens.

What to do if pool cover comes off in winter?

If you pool cover comes off in the winter you will want to put it back on otherwise you pool liner or even the actual pool could be damaged from winter. If you have a safety cover make sure to adjust the straps and springs to make sure the cover is tight. If you have an above ground pool make sure that the winch and cable are tight and also use cover clips or water bags if you can to secure the cover even more. If yo have an in ground pool you can also use heavy objects to hold the pool cover down as well.

What if swimming pool level gets high in winter?

If the water in the swimming pool gets higher in the winter and reaches to the top of the pool you will want to pump a few inches of water out of the pool. This can be done by using a submersible pump or some kind of self priming pump such as a trash pump. You also could call a local swimming pool company and have then come out and pump the pool down for you.

What is the best thing to use to keep pool cover on in ground pool?

Every swimming pool company will tell you that water bags and aqua blocks are the best things to hold down a swimming pool cover when in fact that is not true but just an up sell of goods. The best thing to do is to get heavy wood boards or cider blocks and place then on the cover and around the pool. You could even use cement blocks and wood boards at the same time for an extra layer of protection. Some would also call or consider this a “green friendly” way of taking care of your pool because your not buying and wasting money on plastic water bags.

What is fastest way to unfreeze pipes to pool pump?

Depending on what type of pipe will actually depend on how fast you can unfreeze your swimming pool pipes. If your pipes are made from PVC pipe like most swimming pools then you will have to wait until the weather gets warmer unless these pipes are indoors and you can add heat to the area. There is really no safe and fast way to defrost or thaw PVC pipe.

What is best pump for pumping water off pool cover?

The best type of pump to remove water from the swimming pool cover would be a small submersible pump. These types of pumps remove water quickly and quietly and save energy as well. There are also called “cover pumps” or swimming pool cover pumps in many areas. You can find these pumps for sale at most swimming pool supply stores and even some large home centers.