At the end of the swimming season, once your pool is cleaned and covered, your job being a pool owner is finished...right? Of course not! Maintaining your pool properly in the off-season is just as important as summer maintenance, if not even more. You’re a pool owner all year long, and pools require care and attention for the same amount of time. Fall and winter can bring harsh winds, freezing temperatures, heavy rain, and tons of debris, all of which can affect your pool and its cover in various ways, all of them negative. Let us take the time to tell you everything you need to know today about off-season pool maintenance and its importance, so you can make sure your pool is cannonball ready when you open it in the spring.

The temperature outside is the cause of many pool problems, so make sure that you follow the maintenance and care instructions provided with your LOOP-LOC Safety Pool Cover to ensure that you remain covered under warranty, and that the water in your pool is at an optimal levelThis is something that will save you a headache later in winter, so do it before you close your pool and check on the mechanics intermittently, but especially after rain or snow.  

While ideally you should already have a strong safety pool cover for your backyard, take precautions to make sure it’s securely attached to your pool and any obstructions are adequately covered. Caring for your cover is an especially important part of an off-season maintenance to-do list, since they can be a big investment and are key to keeping your pool in the best shape possible. Make sure to take off debris and heavy snow as soon as you can to prevent any tearing or damage. Use a hose to rinse off any leaves and twigs in the fall, while careful use of a heavy shovel may work best for snow.

Even after your pool is closed you need to maintain proper water chemistry. Check the water levels every month the pool is not in use, adding chemicals and algaecide as needed to maintain the water. Remember not to use too much chlorine–not only does it hold up better without use and warm temperatures, chlorine can bleach your pool liner if the levels are too strong over the off-season.

If your water is frozen, hold off on the chemicals until it’s thawed. As soon as the weather begins to warm up in the spring, open a piece of your pool early to check the water chemistry again, add the needed chemicals and algaecide, and let the water start preparing for a full opening later. Having this head start will prevent significant algae growth right before swim season, which is great for you and your pool, guaranteeing a quicker opening and more days of swimming.

Make sure to observe the atmosphere around your pool: do you have any tables? Deck chairs? Take note of these items and whether or not they would be able to withstand strong winds or heavy rain without moving. If you think that they can’t hold up in vicious weather, clean and tuck them away into a shed or garage for the off-season. Having a chair or table fly into your pool liner after a storm could potentially cause damage, so keeping an eye on your outdoor furniture during a storm if you decide to keep it out is necessary.

You are a pool owner all year-round, which means you need to maintain it and take responsibility for it all the same. Though the summer is the peak season for swimming, don’t forget about your pool in the winter after you’ve put the cover on. Make sure to take the measures above to ensure your pool survives the winter unharmed, giving you a worry and hassle-free opening come late spring.