How to prepare your pool for the winter

05/01/24 min read

We all know that time of year. The dog days of summer are long gone as the sun sets earlier and the air feels cooler and crisper. It’s time to properly close up your pool for the offseason and give your pool and robotic pool cleaner some TLC. If you don’t, you might find yourself opening your pool in the spring or summer only to discover that your pool is damaged and dirty or that your pool cleaner isn’t working. That’s why proper winter care is so important.

When treated correctly in the offseason, your pool and cleaner will be ready to go once the weather heats up. Preparing your pool for the offseason might seem complicated, but trust us – it isn’t. Follow our pool and robotic pool cleaner tips below and you’ll be good to go once the seasons change. Our tips to prepare for winter include:

Balancing your pool chemistry

Before closing your pool for the season, be sure to balance your pool chemistry. Check your sanitizer levels, along with pH, alkalinity, and total hardness, which all impact water quality and extend the life of your pool equipment. We recommend shocking the water and adding algaecide. If necessary, add pool-grade antifreeze. Additionally, be sure the pH of the water is between 7.2-7.6 and the alkalinity is between 80-120ppm.

Take care of pool circulation

As pool usage decreases, it’s common for pool owners to run pumps and filter less. This can lead to clarity issues once the pool season resumes. To combat this, we suggest running the pump and filter. You should also remove debris from the skimmer baskets.

Clean your pool thoroughly

Put your pool cleaner to work! Running your pool cleaner several times prior to closing it for the season will prevent the breakdown of organic material over the winter.

Get your pool cleaner a tune-up!

The offseason is the perfect time for a tune-up of your robotic pool cleaner. Routine winter maintenance can also help you avoid the spring rush. This tune-up should include:

Bringing your pool cleaner to a local shop for an in-person check-up
Replacing tracks and climbing rings
Testing the power supply, motor, and cable
Replacing the filters

Store your pool cleaner safely

First of all, make sure your pool cleaner is dry to avoid any degradation or damage to the motor or internal mechanisms. Then thoroughly clean the filter bags or cartridges and place them back in the unit. Roll up the cable like a garden hose so there are no kinks that could interrupt the water flow. Finally, store your cleaner upside down in a protected area, out of the direct sun, rain, or frost. You can also store your cleaner in a large plastic caddy that provides even better coverage against the elements.

Though this list may seem daunting, preparing your pool for winter is a simple task, especially when you have a robotic pool cleaner. Learn more about our selection of robotic pool cleaners.