Your wintering checklist on your smartphone
It’s time to winterize your pool! Not quite there yet? Don’t panic, Aboral is here to guide you!
Winterizing doesn’t just concern the pool itself, but also its accessories: your heat pump, pH regulator and chlorinator deserve equal attention.
When should I winterize my pool?
When should I winterize my pool? It’s essential to check that the water temperature in the pool is below 15°C. If the temperature is higher, it’s not yet time to winterize! The other action not to be forgotten is cleaning your pool: to make the task easier for you, we recommend cleaning with a broom or robot. You should also remember to empty the skimmer baskets.
How do I winterize my pool?
To begin with, you’ll need to clean two essential components of your pool: the filtration pump and the sand filter.
Once these two items of equipment have been cleaned, we recommend a shock treatment to disinfect your pool completely. Depending on whether your pool is treated with chlorine, bromine or salt, choose the right shock treatment. Be sure to refer to the instructions for use to dose the product correctly, then leave your pool filtration running for 24 hours.
The sand filter, as its name suggests, filters impurities and residues from bathing water to keep it clean and healthy. That’s why it’s essential to check that it’s working properly, and to descale it using a descaling agent before the supreme step of winterizing it. This is to ensure that the water is properly treated throughout the winter period. A period of 24 hours without filtration must be respected to allow the product to work effectively. The following day, the filtration must be restarted daily.
What is winterizing product?
Winterizing is a specific product for the pool’s winter period. It’s a kind of vitamin C for healthy water! Its main active ingredients help prevent the spread of algae and bacteria. The product is poured directly in front of the discharge nozzles and then requires you to run your pool filtration again for 24 hours. It spreads through the water and guarantees your pool’s safety throughout the winter season. This is an essential step that must not be neglected, otherwise you risk finding your pond in poor condition when it reopens next spring.
How to adjust my filtration during wintering
The wintering period implies a change in filtration time. Initially, when temperatures are still pleasant, choose 7 hours of filtration per day. When temperatures drop (from December onwards, depending on the region), we recommend that you reduce the filtration time to 4 hours during the coldest hours, generally from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., to prevent your water from freezing.
In addition, if you’re in a very cold region, you can place winterizing gizzmos in the skimmer, while anti-freeze floats can be placed directly in the pool.
Finally, don’t forget to place a tarpaulin or winter cover over your pool, to protect it from the elements throughout the winter season.
Do I need to winterize my equipment?
While the pool must be the focus of attention during the wintering process, the accessories must not be forgotten: they too must be protected to keep them in perfect working order.
How to winterize my equipment
Your heat pump
When your pool is not being used for swimming for a long period, such as in winter, you should of course switch off your heat pump by closing the bypass valves. It is important to open the drain plug on the heat pump, which is located on the bottom side of the white plastic plug, then unscrew the two IN/OUT connections at the rear of the heat pump. This allows the water to drain away and the hoses to be completely emptied. Your heat pump is now ready for winter.
Your pH controller
The pH controller must also be switched off. To do this, switch it off and then loosen the pH probe retaining nut. The pH probe must be handled with great care. This should be removed and left to soak for the whole winter in a suitable solution or basic water. You can fit a ½ inch plug in place of the pH probe.
Your electrolyser
As soon as the water temperature in your pool reaches or drops below 15°C, you can stop the chlorinator from operating: switch off the unit and close the chlorinator bypass if possible; depending on the model, it may be necessary to remove the electrode from the transparent vessel.
There’s always a twinge of sadness when you put your pool into winter storage… But just know that it will be ready to welcome you back when the sun comes out!
Your wintering checklist on your smartphone
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