It seems logical for homeowners to suspend or cancel their pool maintenance service during the Winter season. It seems logical but that logic may be based upon incomplete information. As a pool professional, we need to inform our customers and homeowners with pools what cold water can do to a pool over the Winter.

If you are reading this, please share it with another pool owner. We always want to provide pool owners with honest and valuable information that helps them to protect their investment of their swimming pool. This will help to make a better and more informed decision with respect to your pool.

Tips for Pool Maintenance Over the Winter Season

Much of the damage to swimming pools will occur during the Winter. And that’s when no one is really paying attention. DO NOT IGNORE your pool in the off season. Regardless of whether your pool freezes or temperatures get down to only 40 or 50 degrees, water temperature always matters.
Water chemistry is a complex subject and there are basically two sides of it: water quality and balance. Water Quality will keep your water safe by preventing diseases, germs, and algae. It keeps the water condition clear and clean. But water balance keeps your water happy. By managing the pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, TDS and CYA, you protect your surfaces and equipment which can etch, deteriorate, fade or even scale. Chemical balance is always adjusted for the water temperature and conditions.
Typically, in the Winter, people worry less about the sanitation because water temperature makes it difficult for algae to reproduce or disease to flourish. But dropping temperatures are more likely to impact the water balance. We get it. Pool service seems to make more sense when the weather is warm, and people want to swim. Everyone wants a crystal clear, pristine pool during Summer months. It seems like there is a direct relationship between the money being spent on pool service and the benefits received.
If a customer looks strictly at pool service as an unnecessary cost in the off-season, pool professionals haven’t done a good job of clarifying what they are spending their money on. We can all agree; pools aren’t cheap. Yet, they can boost a home value and provide family and friends with great memories. We have home owner insurance, do preventative maintenance and get our homes inspected after major storms, we water our landscape; we hire professional for pest control.
Winter pool service should be thought of in a similar manner. It’s an insurance plan. Many pool professionals will have a partial service during Winter months that will maintain your water balance and chemistry and reduce the cost. This replaces the “full” pool service including brushing and vacuuming. Yet, it allows a pool professional in your backyard to protect your investment and let you know when problems occur. Winter pool service may cost some money but it’s very little compared to the costs of cold-water damage to your surface and equipment, not to mention frozen pipes or equipment. These issues will cost thousands of dollars to resolve.

Don’t ignore your pool water chemistry in Winter months. Call us today at (214) 740-3814 to discuss partial service or winterizing your pool for the season.