If the kids are back at school, it’s time to close your Philadelphia Pool. As depressing as it might be, closing your pool will make opening it up next season all the more exciting. Also, Philadelphia has had some really bizarre winter in the past years, so it’s important to close your pool to prevent freeze damage. It may seem like a difficult task, but with the right tips, it can be a simple and pain-free job. With that said here’s a little help from our Philadelphia team to help you close your pool successfully this this season, and only in a matter of hours.
Balance the Water Chemistry
You’ll want to ensure that waster chemistry in your Philadelphia pool is balance before closing it out for the season. Aim for a pH between 7.2 to 7.6 and an alkalinity of 180 to 220 ppm. For the water to be balance, the chlorine levels should be at least 1-3 ppm, so you’ll need to shock the pool. Shocking (or super chlorinating) is basically adding chlorine or some other chemical sanitizer to keep the swimming pool water safe and clean. Next, if you want to ensure your pool has the right balance, take a sample to your local pool retailer to be tested.
Pool Cleaning
Before cleaning your pool start by stripping it of all accessories. This can vary with each pool. In most cases, it includes, cleaners, wall fittings, ladders and hand rails. Ensure that all accessories and, cleaned properly, dried and place in a secure place for the next swimming pool season in Philadelphia. When the cleaning is completed, ensure that the water in the pool is at least 4-6” below the lowest water return line. For those of you with mesh covers, you water level should be 8-12” while those with solid covers should maintain a pool water level of 3-5” below the skimmer opening. In the case of vinyl-lined swimming pool owners, ensure that the pool water falls at least 1” below the skimmer opening.
Covering Your Philadelphia Pool
Before moving on to this step ensure that you’ve completed the aforementioned steps properly. Stalk away all gauges, jets and plus in your skimmer basket and keep them in a safe place. The water should be balanced and below the skimmer opening. Once all that is in place, complete closing out your swimming pool for the season by covering it over to keep out leaves, dirt and other debris. Ensure that the cover that you are using is the correct fit for your Philadelphia swimming pool to prevent any bugs from crawling underneath it.
You’re done wasn’t that easier than you thought it would be. Now you can rest assured that your swimming pool is protected and will be ready for the next season. And don’t hesitate to contact Premier Pools and Spa of Philadelphia is you want to upgrade your swimming pool next summer.
