It’s not unusual to let pool maintenance slide during winter. After all, the thought of scooping leaves and checking water chemistry on a frosty morning isn’t exactly appealing! But neglecting your pool during this time can lead to a range of problems, like unbalanced water, stained surfaces and damaged furniture. This can make your pool area unsightly – and unsafe for swimmers. To avoid this, here are nine ways to keep your pool area clean during the winter months.
Seasonal storms can blow leaves and dirt into your pool water, overworking the pool filter and unbalancing your water chemistry. To protect your pool from the elements, consider using a solar cover – also known as a bubble cover. Not only does it provide a protective barrier against debris, but it also maintains your water temperature, minimising heating costs.
If you decide to close your pool for winter, opt for a winter mesh cover. This attaches to your coping and provides full protection from wind, rain and leaves, reducing the growth of algae. But whatever pool cover you use, make sure you take it off a least once a week to let the pool ‘breathe’. This allows carbon dioxide to escape (which can reduce water pH levels) and protects your cover from chlorine damage.
Top tip: Before covering your pool, make sure the cover doesn’t have any tears or holes. Also, look for traces of mould or algae and remove them by following the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Even if you’re still using your pool in winter, it’s important to put away pool toys and accessories when they’re not in use. If you leave them in the pool area, they may get damaged, blow away or become a trip hazard. Plus, inflatables can remain damp and turn mouldy in the cooler months, so make sure they’re clean and completely dry (a hairdryer or blower may come in handy) before storing them in your shed or garage.
Depending on how large your garden is, you may have loungers, sun umbrellas or daybeds around your pool. While these dry quickly in summer, this isn’t often the case in winter. In fact, pillows and wicker may remain damp and become a breeding ground for mould and mildew, wooden furniture can crack or warp, and light furniture may blow around and get damaged during storms.
To avoid this, fold up or dismantle your outdoor furniture and put it into storage. Like accessories, make sure they’re clean and dry before you put them away. If you don’t have space in your garage, use waterproof covers, and secure tables, heaters and cantilevered umbrellas with sandbags.
If you’ve got an uneven block, you may get puddles of water after heavy rain or storms. If they don’t dry, they may become stagnant and mossy, making your pool area slippery and unsafe. To make matters worse, puddles can attract mosquitoes and frogs, which can migrate to your pool! After rain, inspect your pool area and sweep away puddles as soon as possible, and if they're close to equipment, check for loose connections and pool leaks.
Top tip: If there’s a lot of water on your cover, don’t empty it into your pool. This will increase water levels and unbalance your pool chemistry. Instead, sweep the water off gently or use a water pump to syphon it out.
Pool equipment like filters and pool pumps are designed to withstand heat, cold and rain, but heavy rainfall or frost can damage internal parts and shorten their lifespan. The best way to protect them is with a cover or enclosure. These come in slatted aluminium, wood or galvanised steel (for noise reduction). Either way, they’ll help your pool area look tidy and keep your equipment safe from extreme heat, rain and destructive storms. For more tips on protecting your pool during wild weather, see Extreme Weather Pool Maintenance.
Trees and hedges can grow out of hand in the cooler months. This can cause heavy leaf drops in your pool, causing stains, unbalanced water chemistry and – at worst – a green pool. Before the cool season sets in, trim any overhanging branches and nearby hedges, particularly if they’re deciduous.
If leaves get blown into your pool from a neighbour’s property (it happens!), skim them with a leaf scoop as soon as they drop, and don’t forget to empty the skimmer basket and backwash/rinse your filter to prevent blockages. If you’ve got a winter cover on your pool, remove the leaves with a blower and put them in your composter or recycling bin.
Top tip: If fallen leaves or seeds have left stains in your pool, treat them with an All Purpose Stain Remover. But don’t delay – the longer you leave them, the harder they are to remove!
Because of frequent storms and winds, your garden can get messy during winter. You may find yourself with upturned pots, clumps of soil and mounds of leaves around your pool. To minimise any issues, check your garden regularly, particularly after wild weather, and remove any environmental debris that could blow into your pool or tracked into the water by swimmers!
During winter, you may get bird droppings, algae and other stains around your coping or decking. The easiest way to remove them is with a high-pressure cleaner. This will dislodge tough stains and make your pool area cleaner and more sanitary for swimmers.
However, before firing it up, make sure the coping or decking can handle high pressure. If it can’t, use a high-pressure nozzle on your garden hose (this won’t be as strong as a high-pressure cleaner) or follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Most pool owners check their water balance regularly during the warmer months but take their foot off the pedal in winter. This is a common error. When you’ve got a pool, you need to check your water balance all year round, even if your pool is closed. Not only does this extend the life of your pool shell and equipment (remember, unbalanced water is corrosive), but it also makes reopening your pool faster and easier.
To keep your pool running smoothly, test your water every two weeks (or more often if you swim through winter) with test strips, a chemical test kit or by taking a water sample to your local pool shop. To find out recommended chemistry levels for your pool, see Pool Water Chemistry 101.
Top tip: If your pool is closed, the sanitiser won’t deplete as quickly, so make sure you lower the output of chlorine on your salt chlorinator. This will keep away nasties while minimising damage to your pool shell and cover.
Depending on your location, you may experience extreme weather conditions in winter, making your pool vulnerable to leaf litter and rain. Not only do these contaminate your pool, but they can also unbalance water chemistry, reduce your pool’s longevity and cost you hundreds in repairs. Let’s face it, pools are expensive to maintain at the best of times, so any precautions you take to protect your equipment in winter will save you time, effort and money in the long run.
If you use your pool all year round, you should be cleaning your pool area as part of your weekly maintenance routine. But even if your pool is closed in winter, you still need to keep an eye on your water chemistry, pool equipment and surrounding areas to make sure nothing damages your pool or pool surfaces – particularly if you’ve just experienced wild weather. And don’t forget to sweep leaves and water from the cover to prevent damage or contamination.
Just because your pool doesn’t get much use in winter, doesn’t mean you can ignore pool maintenance. In fact, storms and cold weather can wreak havoc on your pool area, leaving behind leaf litter, stagnant water and broken pool toys. To keep this area clean, here’s a quick rundown of what you need to do:
While it takes time and effort to maintain your pool in the cool season, you’ll avoid expensive repairs and keep your pool looking clean, tidy and swim-ready all year round. For more pool maintenance tips, dive back into our pool blog.