A close up on a man vacuuming his pool shows one of the steps to closing your inground pool for the winter.

The leaves have started falling and the weather is getting chillier, which means it's time to close your inground pool to reduce potential damage from harsh winter weather and make opening your pool in the spring much easier. Some people choose to hire a professional pool company to service and close their pool, but if you decide to do it yourself this year, check out this quick guide on how to close your pool for the winter:

  1. Remove all items from your pool. Before you can start preparing your pool for winter, remove the ladder, floating thermometer, and any toys that may have been left in the water. Remove and store your diving board and slide or cover them with a sturdy tarp to protect them from snow and ice.
  2. Give your pool a good cleaning. Vacuum the bottom and sides of your pool and scrub your liner to remove any built-up scum. Remove your skimmer and lint basket and wash them in vinegar and water to destroy bacteria.
  3. Treat your pool with the right chemicals. Leaving your pool over the winter without the proper chemical treatment can lead to an overgrowth in algae and bacteria. Use shock, algaecide, and stain and scale remover for a chlorine pool to protect its interior all winter long. Use a non-chlorine shock treatment if you have a saltwater pool.

    Do future you a favour! Always clean your pool's interior and treat the water with the right chemicals before closing it in the fall to help keep it sparkling for the next swim season.

  4. Reduce the amount of water in your pool. Water expands when it freezes, which can damage a lot of the essential parts needed to keep your pool running efficiently. Before draining any water from your pool, check in with your municipality's pool water discharge restrictions. You may need to discard your pool water through your home's wastewater system or let it slowly drain out onto the street if allowed. Drain enough water to keep the skimmer and drain lines above the water before you disconnect your pump and filter.
  5. Drain the pump, filter, and water heater. Double-check that all the water is drained from both the pump and filter and store them somewhere dry, like your shed or your pool house. If you have a pool heater, make sure the gas is turned off and all water has been drained from it as well. Finally, use a shop vacuum to blow all the remaining water out of the skimmer pipes and the multiport valve on your filter.
  6. Add your winter pool cover. Unfold your winter pool cover and spread it out from the shallow end to the deep end. Lock the cover in place around the perimeter of your pool to keep out water, pests, or debris.
  7. Double check your pool is secure. Even while closed for the winter, there's still a significant amount of water in the pool. Check over the fencing and gate surrounding your pool or pool deck to make sure it's secure from little ones or pets.

While saying goodbye to summer can be sad, getting your pool ready for the colder weather means your swimming pool will be ready to go next year. Now it's time to focus on the rest of the home. Prepare your entire property for a safe and happy fall with this ultimate fall home maintenance checklist.

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