Pros/Cons to Winterizing Your Above Ground Pool

Fall is here! Leaves and temperatures are dropping, meaning more and more people are considering winterizing their pool. On the other hand, some pool owners find themselves debating leaving the pool open for the winter season. The decision is yours, but we are here to list some pros/cons to hopefully help make that decision easier. 

 

Pros to Closing:

  1. Protects your pool equipment from freezing temperatures- freezing could damage the pump, plumbing, etc.
  2. Reduces maintenance during the winter months- no vacuuming, brushing, skimming. You will still want to keep the winter cover clean from debris. 
  3. Your power bill will go down due to not running your pump over the winter season. Pool Left Open During Winter
  4. You will not have to maintain your chemicals once you close your pool. 

 

Cons to Closing:

  1. Winterizing chemicals and winter cover/pillow will be needed.
  2. Closing and opening your pool can be labor intensive, a professional may need to be hired. 
  3. There is a potential for your water chemistry to go bad over the winter, causing algae blooms to be present when you open. 
  4. You will need to maintain your winter cover and keep it clear of debris. 

 

Living in the Carolinas, we find more and more people are leaving their pools open the entire year. We recommend that if you do decide to winterize the pool, you wait until the temperature of the water is consistently below 60 degrees. We also recommend running the pump whenever we have freeze warnings, if you do decide to stay open.

 

Hopefully this blog helped to make your final decision. If you have any questions, give us a call at 803-203-1322.